Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-01-23

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From: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] TALKS ON RESOLUTION OF CRISIS IN MONTENEGRO END WITH SUCCESS

[02] PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC OPENS CONSULTATIONS ON PREMIER DESIGNATE

[03] TALKS ON RESOLUTION OF CRISIS IN MONTENEGRO END WITH SUCCESS

[04] PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC OPENS CONSULTATIONS ON PREMIER DESIGNATE

[05] SERBIAN REFUGEE COMMISSIONER TO FOCUS ON REPATRIATION OF REFUGEES

[06] DODIK: NEW GOVERNMENT OF CAPABLE MINISTERS

[07] KINKEL: CROATIA MUST RETURN SERBS TO KRAJINA

[08] SERBIAN COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES RECEIVES NORWEGIAN DELEGATION

[09] USAID FINANCES RESTORATION OF BOSNIAN SERB ECONOMY

[10] SCHUMACHER THANKS YUGOSLAVIA FOR RESOLVING CRISIS

[11] ROME SATISFIED WITH NEW GOVERNMENT OF REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

[12] NEW PREMIER MEETS SCHUMACHER

[13] FILIP VUJANOVIC MONTENEGRIN PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE

[14] MILUTINOVIC CONVENES CONSULTATIONS ON PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE

[15] BRITAIN'S AMBASSADOR VISITS KOSOVO DISTRICT

[16] DOLE: PRODUCTIVE MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC

[17] SERBIAN PREMIER EXTENDS FELICITATIONS TO DODIK

[18] PRESIDENT PLAVSIC WELCOMES FORMING OF NEW GOVERNMENT

[19] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED U.S. SENATOR BOB DOLE

[20] GOVERNMENT HOLDS FIRST SESSION

[01] TALKS ON RESOLUTION OF CRISIS IN MONTENEGRO END WITH SUCCESS

Tanjug, 1998-01-21

Two-day intensive talks on ways of how to defuse the political crisis in the Yugoslav republic of Montenegro ended successfully in Podgorica on Wednesday. Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic met first with Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, Parliament Speaker Svetozar Marovic and their aides, and then with Momir Bulatovic and his aides, said a statement released by the Yugoslav Information Secretariat.

After that, Kontic held substantive talks with the negotiating team made up of whip of Montenegro's Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Dragan Djurovic and Montenegrin Vice-Premier Miodrag Vukovic and that made up of whip of Momir Bulatovic's DPS Predrag Bulatovic and Deputy Parliament Speaker Zoran Zizic, the statement said. The parties to the talks agreed that free and democratic elections were a key to the resolution of the crisis in the republic. They reached agreement on regulations necessary for organising parliamentary elections in the Republic by late May 1998. The parties also agreed to honour the structure and mandate of the Montenegrin Parliament until the elections. Kontic said the agreement was vital for easing political tensions and dealing with the current situation in Montenegro, stressing as its major success the two sides' agreement to solve all problems peacefully and through democratic means only as well as within the system's institutions. This will also contribute to the stabilisation of overall situation in Montenegro and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and to their further democratic development. The statement quoted Kontic as saying also he was satisfied with the high level of cooperativeness that both negotiating parties had manifested in finding joint solutions.

[02] PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC OPENS CONSULTATIONS ON PREMIER DESIGNATE

Tanjug, 1998-01-21

Serbian President Milan Milutinovic opened on Wednesday consultations witth the representatives of parliamentary parties and their parliamentary groups for the determining the candidate for the republican prime minister designate, the Serbian President's Cabinet has said.

Milutinovic met separately with: Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) General Secretary Gorica Gajevic, who is also SPS party whip, SPS Executive Board member Milomir Minic, Serbian Radical Party (SRS) Executive Board President Dragan Todorovic, Belgrade SRS Municipal Board President Steva Dragisic, Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) President Vuk Draskovic, SPO party whip Milan Mikovic, Yugoslav Left (JUL) President Ljubisa Ristic, JUL Party whip Milovan Bojic, New Democracy (ND) President Dusan Mihajlovic, ND party whip Zarko Jovanovic and the President of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (SVM), Jozef Kasa, who is also SVM party whip. The talks underscored that the speedy appointment of the premier designate and the setting up of a government of national unity represent a basis for the efficient implementation of the initiated economic and other reforms which will secure the continuation of a peaceful and stable development, the statement said.

[03] TALKS ON RESOLUTION OF CRISIS IN MONTENEGRO END WITH SUCCESS

Tanjug, 1998-01-21

Two-day intensive talks on ways of how to defuse the political crisis in the Yugoslav republic of Montenegro ended successfully in Podgorica on Wednesday. Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic met first with Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, Parliament Speaker Svetozar Marovic and their aides, and then with Momir Bulatovic and his aides, said a statement released by the Yugoslav Information Secretariat.

After that, Kontic held substantive talks with the negotiating team made up of whip of Montenegro's Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Dragan Djurovic and Montenegrin Vice-Premier Miodrag Vukovic and that made up of whip of Momir Bulatovic's DPS Predrag Bulatovic and Deputy Parliament Speaker Zoran Zizic, the statement said. The parties to the talks agreed that free and democratic elections were a key to the resolution of the crisis in the republic. They reached agreement on regulations necessary for organising parliamentary elections in the Republic by late May 1998. The parties also agreed to honour the structure and mandate of the Montenegrin Parliament until the elections. Kontic said the agreement was vital for easing political tensions and dealing with the current situation in Montenegro, stressing as its major success the two sides' agreement to solve all problems peacefully and through democratic means only as well as within the system's institutions. This will also contribute to the stabilisation of overall situation in Montenegro and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and to their further democratic development. The statement quoted Kontic as saying also he was satisfied with the high level of cooperativeness that both negotiating parties had manifested in finding joint solutions.

[04] PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC OPENS CONSULTATIONS ON PREMIER DESIGNATE

Tanjug, 1998-01-21

Serbian President Milan Milutinovic opened on Wednesday consultations witth the representatives of parliamentary parties and their parliamentary groups for the determining the candidate for the republican prime minister designate, the Serbian President's Cabinet has said.

Milutinovic met separately with: Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) General Secretary Gorica Gajevic, who is also SPS party whip, SPS Executive Board member Milomir Minic, Serbian Radical Party (SRS) Executive Board President Dragan Todorovic, Belgrade SRS Municipal Board President Steva Dragisic, Serbian Renewal Movement (SPO) President Vuk Draskovic, SPO party whip Milan Mikovic, Yugoslav Left (JUL) President Ljubisa Ristic, JUL Party whip Milovan Bojic, New Democracy (ND) President Dusan Mihajlovic, ND party whip Zarko Jovanovic and the President of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (SVM), Jozef Kasa, who is also SVM party whip. The talks underscored that the speedy appointment of the premier designate and the setting up of a government of national unity represent a basis for the efficient implementation of the initiated economic and other reforms which will secure the continuation of a peaceful and stable development, the statement said.

[05] SERBIAN REFUGEE COMMISSIONER TO FOCUS ON REPATRIATION OF REFUGEES

Tanjug, 1998-01-21

Serbian Refugee Commissioner Bratislava Morina said on Wednesday that the Commissioner would focus its activities in 1998 on unhindered return of refugees and securing health care and old age benefits to 650,000 refugees in Serbia. Morina told a news conference that the Commissioner would continue efforts to help refugees return home and would consequently call for a greater engagement of the international community because the Moslem- Croat Federation and Croatia had so far disregarded all calls to help the repatriation as well as all relevant documents. Morina said the Federation had also disregarded an invitation to sign a document on the repatriation of refugees to that entity and had invariably refused to attend a regaional meeting of Ministers and Refugee Commissioners that had been postponed for months.

"As regards the return of refugees to Croatia, we shall also call for sanctions because Croatia refuses to comply with obligations under international and bilateral agreements it has signed," she said.

Morina also said funds that the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had earmarked for Yugoslavia's refugees in 1998 had remained on the last year's level of 40 million dollars. Of this sum, 14 million dollars will go to collective centres while the remainder will go to other humanitarian programmes, she said.

[06] DODIK: NEW GOVERNMENT OF CAPABLE MINISTERS

Tanjug, 1998-01-20

Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik said on Tuesday his Government was made up of capable people who would fight for the integrity of Republika Srpska and would not allow its division.

There is no grounds to the rumours that this is a puppet government of people who allegedly want to drown Republika Srpska in a unitary Bosnia- Herzegovina, Dodik said in a Srpska television broadcast from the Banja Luka studio.

Dodik said the work of the Government would be open to the judgement of the public and Parliament, and that anyone who had any objections would be able to state them in public.

[07] KINKEL: CROATIA MUST RETURN SERBS TO KRAJINA

Tanjug, 1998-01-20

German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel on Tuesday made it clear to Croatia that it must return refugee Serbs to Krajina and contribute toward the reconciliation of Serbs and Croats in the Srem-Baranja region.

Speaking in Stuttgart in the presence of Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic, who is attending a symposium on Croatia's place in Europe in this German city, Kinkel urged Croatia also to contribute toward the cementing of the Muslim-Croat Federation in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Its membership in the Council of Europe obliges Croatia to respect human and minority rights and democratization, said Kinkel.

In his speech at the symposium, Kinkel especially underscored Germany's role during the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, pointing out that Germany had been the first to recognize the new Croatian state.

In the part of his speech on the situation in Bosnia, Kinkel said Croatia and Yugoslavia were particularly responsible for the peace process in former Yugoslavia. He warned the Zagreb authorities that they must nurse close regional cooperation.

Kinkel also said there should no longer be a divided market, new borders or trade barriers in the region.

Kinkel also reiterated his praises of new Republika Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, pointing out that he deserved full international support. We must begin economic cooperation with Republika Srpska as soon as possible, and we shall do so, Kinkel said.

[08] SERBIAN COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES RECEIVES NORWEGIAN DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1998-01-20

Serbian Commmissioner for Refugees Bratislava Morina received on Tuesday a delegation of the Norwegian Council for Refugees, headed by the Council Secretary-General Ola Metliaas.

The meeting took place on the occasion of the completion of the reconstruction of the home for the aged in the Serbian town od Mladenovac, which was financed by the Norwegian Council for Refugees, a non- governmental humanitarian organization.

Morina thanked the Council for the offered assistance - the financing of the building of a refugee settlement in Despotovac and one in Secanj - and expressed hope that the cooperation would continue.

Morina informed Metliaas that there were 650,000 refugees in Serbia, since the return of refugees to Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia following the signing of the Dayton Agreement did not unfold as planned.

[09] USAID FINANCES RESTORATION OF BOSNIAN SERB ECONOMY

Tanjug, 1998-01-20

Newly-elected premier of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik received on Tuesday Director of the U.S. Agency for International Development Greg Buck, Srpska radio and television reports.

Dodik said the meeting focused on concrete projects to be implemented in the period ahead, so that USAID may begin more intensive activities in various fields. "These are small micro-credit lines," said Dodik, after the meeting.

Buck said he was satisfied with the talks and outlined the activities that the USAID would engage in to help the restoration of Republika Srpska. We must work faster as we are running late, and because we have expanded our activities, said Buck. He said the activities pertained chiefly to financing and realizing projects in securing employment and restoring the Bosnian Serb economy.

[10] SCHUMACHER THANKS YUGOSLAVIA FOR RESOLVING CRISIS

Tanjug, 1998-01-20

Deputy international High Representative for Bosnia Hans Schumacher thanked Yugoslavia on Tuesday for its huge contribution in solving the crisis in Republika Srpska. Schumacher told a news conference in Republika Srpska that the Bosnian Serb Government was legitimate, as it was voted for by 42 out of the 83 members of Parliament.

He said the international community extended its full support to the new Government, Srpska television Studio Banjaluka reported on Tuesday.

[11] ROME SATISFIED WITH NEW GOVERNMENT OF REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

Tanjug, 1998-01-20

The Italian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with the constituting of the Government of Republika Srpska, which announced the full implementation of the Dayton Accords in its programme.

The Ministry statement said Italy recognized and appreciated the postitive role of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in connection with this important step forward in Republika Srpska.

It also underscored that Italy encouraged the authorized organs in Srpska to continue the policy conducive to stability and reconciliation in Bosnia.

Rome appealed to all political forces to make a constructive contribution and thus open the path to reconstruction programmes aimed at the benefit of the Serb-Bosnian community in Bosnia in general.

Underscoring Yugoslavia's contribution to this development, the Ministry pointed out that such efficient cooperation would contribute to Yugoslavia's full return to the international community, which Italy will continue to support.

This was also confirmed during the latest visit of Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini to Belgrade on Dec 15, 1997, said the Ministry statement.

[12] NEW PREMIER MEETS SCHUMACHER

Tanjug, 1998-01-19

The new Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik met late on Monday with Deputy International High Representative for Bosnia Hans Schumacher. Schumacher said the new government had the support of the international community and that it would receive financial aid that had been promised earlier to Republika Srpska.

[13] FILIP VUJANOVIC MONTENEGRIN PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE

Tanjug, 1998-01-19

Montenegrin Minister of Internal Affairs Filip Vujanovic has been appointed Prime Minister Designate, it was announced Monday evening in Podgorica.

A decision to this effect was taken by Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic after two days of consultations with representatives of the majority of political parties.

If his appointment is confirmed by the Montenegrin Parliament, Vujanovic will remain in office until the forthcoming early parliamentary elections which should be held by the end of next May.

Representatives of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) headed by former President Momir Bulatovic did not take part in the consultations.

[14] MILUTINOVIC CONVENES CONSULTATIONS ON PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE

Tanjug, 1998-01-19

Serbian President Milan Milutinovic invited Monday officials of parliamentary parties to consultations on prime minister designate on January 21, a statement released by the president's office said.

The statement said invitations had been issued to leaders and whips of the Socialist Party of Serbia, the Serbian Radical Party, the Serbian Renewal Movement, the Yugoslav Left, the New Democracy and the Alliance of Vojvodina's Hungarians.

[15] BRITAIN'S AMBASSADOR VISITS KOSOVO DISTRICT

Tanjug, 1998-01-19

British Ambassador in Belgrade Joseph Brian Donnelly met in the Kosovo district, Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija, on Monday with the district's Deputy Chief Veljko Odalovic and provincial Information Secretary Bosko Drobnjak.

A statement released after the meeting said Donnelly wanted to be informed in detail about the situation in the province, this being his first visit to it.

Odalovic explained to Donnelly the Kosovo and Metohija issue, stressing that the issue did not involve the violation of ethnic Albanians' human rights but their refusal to exercise these rights, which he said other minorities did freely.

Donnelly voiced concern about the deterioration of the situation in the province, clarifying the 'Contact-Group' statement on Kosovo of January 8, 1998, the statement said. He said the international community and in particular the Contact Group backed neither the present situation in the province nor its independence, saying a compromise must be found through a dialogue. He said the international community and in particular Great Britain condemned violence, regardless of who was responsible for it.

Donnelly urged a speedier implementation of an agreement on education that has been reached. Both states' officials agreed that this was a good example of how other problems in the province should be dealt with, the statement said.

[16] DOLE: PRODUCTIVE MEETING WITH PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC

Tanjug, 1998-01-19

Bob Dole said he had a productive meeting Monday on the issue of missing persons with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic.

U.S. Senator Dole said at a press conference in Belgrade that the International Committee for Missing Persons (ICMP) members met Monday with family members of missing persons who expressed their concern with the problem.

Dole said the families of missing persons do not understand the political backdrop of the negotiations and do not understand why they cannot be told about the fate of their loved ones. He added that Committee will do its utmost, but that it would be very useful if the media devoted more attention to the issue.

Talking to reporters was also ICMP member and ICRC President Cornelio Sommaruga who said that the huge suffering of Serb, Croat or Muslim families whose relatives went missing in the war will cease only when the problem of missing persons and the suffering of their families is no longer politicized.

It is also necessary that people stop having doubts about the existence of secret prisoners, Sommaruga said and added that he was leaving Belgrade, with his colleagues from the Committee, very satisfied with President Milosevic's position about how he would like the Committee to conduct its work.

[17] SERBIAN PREMIER EXTENDS FELICITATIONS TO DODIK

Tanjug, 1998-01-19

Serbian Premier Mirko Marjanovic felicitated Milorad Dodik on being elected Premier of the R.S.

In his letter of felicitations Marjanovic said, "I wish you to perform your duties and tasks successfully and in the interest of all citizens, primarily as regards the consistent implementation of the Dayton peace accords and securing a speedy and all-round economic and social development of the Republika Srpska."

[18] PRESIDENT PLAVSIC WELCOMES FORMING OF NEW GOVERNMENT

Tanjug, 1998-01-19

President Biljana Plavsic has welcomed the forming of a new Republika Srpska Government, which she said had saved the Bosnian Serb entity.

Plavsic warned that a possible founding of a parallel government or legislature would be proclaimed an attempt at setting up para-institutions in Republika Srpska, according to Pale media.

She said that Republika Srpska needed a government which would cooperate with the international community and respect the principles of the Dayton agreement.

[19] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED U.S. SENATOR BOB DOLE

Tanjug, 1998-01-19

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Monday U.S. Senator Bob Dole who is the new chairman of the International Committee for Missing Persons in the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

The talks were attended by the members of the International Committee: ICRC President Cornelio Sommaruga, OSCE President Maxs Van Der Stul and former Pakistani Foreign Minister Jakub Kahn.

Milosevic and Dole set out that the fate of missing persons is an important humanitarian issue whose resolution requires the fulfilment of obligations by all states from the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

It was underscored that the Yugoslav Committee for Humanitarian Issues had informed the corresponding Croat and Bosnia-Herzegovina representatives, as well as those from the international community, about all the relevant factors for the resolution of these issues. In view of the humanitarian character of this problem, no conditions are acceptable and Yugoslav bodies will fulfil all their obligations, President Milosevic said.

[20] GOVERNMENT HOLDS FIRST SESSION

Tanjug, 1998-01-20

The first session of the newly-formed Government of Republika Srpska was held in Banjaluka on Monday, Serbian Radio and Television reports.

Prime Minister Milorad Dodik pledged the cabinet would strive to work efficiently in overcoming as quickly as possible the deep political, constitutional and economic crisis of the state.

An operative plan was adopted for the work of the government, until the end of the month, "so as to encompass the functions of all state bodies," and it was agreed that power be handed over within 72 hours.

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