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Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-01-26Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Yugoslav Daily SurveyCONTENTS
[01] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVED CROATIAN SERB OFFICIALSTanjug, 1998-01-23Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic received on Friday President of the Independent Democratic Serb Party from Croatia Vojislav Stanimirovic and President of the Joint Council of Municipalities of Srem and Barania Milos Vojinovic. The officials agreed on the need to pursue efforts toward strengthening positive processes in the Region, and eliminating obstacles that impede the achievement of equality, protection of human and proprietary rights and speedier economic development. Achievement of these aims will be assisted by the United Nations, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, humanitarian organizations, promotion of good-neighbourliness between Yugoslavia and Croatia, which serves the interests of the two peoples, peace and stability in the region. [02] POLICE DID NOT INTERVENE IN DONJE PREKAZETanjug, 1998-01-23The Serbian Interior Ministry said on Friday, in reaction to false and malicious reports released by a number of home and foreign media about Thursday's incident in the house of the Jasari family in the village of Donje Prekaze, that its police force had not been engaged in any form to intervene in that area. More precise data about this incident in the municipality of Srbica in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija will be presented following an on the spot investigation, said the statement. Police reports show that several members of the Jasari family had served sentences for general criminal acts, and that Adem Jasari - who is not available to police - was sentenced in absentia to 20 years in prison for banditism, robbery, and other crimes. Police have not ruled out, in connection with the armed attack in the village of Donje Prekaze, that it was a conflict between local bands who operate in the area of Drenica. The conflict was triggered most probably by material-financial issues, the statement said. [03] TERRORIST ATTACK IN GORNJA JOSANICATanjug, 1998-01-23Police in Srbica, Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija, reported on Friday that councilman Desimir Vasic from Zvecan had been murdered on Thursday by members of the ethnic Albanian terrorist organisation Liberation Army of Kosovo. The terrorists, lying in ambush at the village of Gornja Josanica, on the route linking Klina and Srbica, opened fire on the car Vasic was driving. On the same route, at the village of Lause, a group of ethnic Albanian terrorists stopped and maltreated Dragisa Rakic, a worker of the Ibar Invest company in Zubin Potok. Moreover, a group of ethnic Albanian terrorists attacked Blagoje Nikolic from the village of Drsnik near Klina. Nikolic, employed as a security guard at the Trepca hunting ammunition plant in Srbica, was attacked as he was getting off a bus that was stopped by terrorists. They hit him on the head repeatedly with rifle butts after which Nikolic lost consciousness. He is hospitalized in Kosovska Mitrovica where he is recovering from the attack. [04] TERRORIST ATTACK IN MALESEVO AND GRABANICATanjug, 1998-01-25A terrorist attack on an Orahovac police patrol was carried out on Saturday evening at 7.50 p.m. local time in the village of Malesevo, Kosovo and Metohija. The Information Service of the Serbian Interior Ministry said on Sunday that the terrorists ambushed the patrol using automatic weapons and wounding the leader of the patrol and a policeman, while the police vehicle was damaged. That same evening, at 8.40 p.m. local time in the village of Grabanica, Klina district, terrorists opened fire from a hand-held rocket launcher on Serbian police apartments. The attack resulted in minor material damage. The police have mounted an intensive search for the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks, the statement said. [05] NEW REPUBLIKA SRPSKA GOVERNMENT WANTS PEACEFUL HANDOVER OF POWERTanjug, 1998-01-23The new Government of the (Bosnian Serb) Republika Srpska said in Banja Luka on Friday it would do nothing that might disrupt a peaceful handover of power, documents and equipment by the outgoing cabinet. Serb Television Banja Luka Studio reported late on Friday that the Government has opened a new bank account in Banja Luka into which budget revenues are already being paid, and that bank accounts are being opened for other bodies of power in the republic. At the Friday session, the Government supported draft amendments to the Law on the Government regulating that the seat of the Government of the Republika Srpska is in Banja Luka. Also was supported a bill annulling amendments to 33 laws passed by the outgoing Government after the dissolution of the National Assembly (parliament). The two drafts will be put before Parliament at its next session. The Government further authorised the taking out of a loan from the Japanese Government in the amount of 3.87 million dollars, offered under very favourable terms. The money is to finance the restoration of electric power industry facilities and the thermal power plants at Gacko and Ugljevik. The Government further debated a report on the process of arbitration for the Brcko area ahead of the conference called for February 5 in Vienna by international arbitrator for Brcko, Roberts Owen. The Government fully upheld the activities, both those to date and those planned for the future and announced at the Friday session, of the Bosnian Serb arbitration team for the Brcko area. [06] DODIK THANKS YUGOSLAV LEADERS FOR HELPING STABILISE SITUATION INTanjug, 1998-01-23Republika Srpska Premier Milorad Dodik said on Friday that Yugoslav leaders had greatly contributed to the stabilisation of the situation in the Republika Srpska. Briefing the Government at its second session about its delegation's visit to Belgrade on Thursday, Dodik said the leaders had mostly helped the transfer of authority, documents and equipment between members of the former cabinet and newly-elected cabinet members, Serb Television reported from Banja Luka late on Friday. The delegation was received by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, Serbian Premier Mirko Marjanovic and Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic. [07] MONTENEGRIN PREMIER-DESIGNATE ENDS CONSULTATIONS ABOUT FORMING A NEW CABINETTanjug, 1998-01-24Montenegro's Premier-designate has ended consultations about forming a cabinet, according to a statement released by the Montenegrin Information Secretariat on Saturday. Late on Saturday, Premier-designate Filip Vujanovic met with Ferhat Dinos and Fuad Nimani of the Democratic Union of ethnic Albanians (DUA), and with Mehmed Barthi, leader of the Democratic Alliance (DS). The statement quotes the DUA and DS leaders as saying their parties were prepared to take part in the new government. During the past few days, Vujanovic had consultations with representatives of other parliamentary parties in this Yugoslav republic. The Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) of Momir Bulatovic has announced that it will not be represented in the new cabinet. Vujanovic is expected to submit his choice of ministers to Parliament for approval on February 3. The cabinet should remain in office until early parliamentary elections. [08] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS MEXICO 27-30.Tanjug, 1998-01-23A Yugoslav Parliament delegation, headed by Zivadin Mihailovic, a Federal Deputy in the Chamber of Citizens, on Saturday has left for Cancune, Mexico, where a Second session of the Global Parliamentary Forum for HABITAT will be held January The Seventh session of the Presidency of the European Parliamentary Council for HABITAT will be held at the same time where our delegation will also take an active part, the Yugoslav Parliament Information Service said. At the session of the Presidency of the European Parliamentary Council, the Yugoslav delegation will submit for review a report on the preparation of the project ISEPAH. The report includes the formation of a Belgrade-based information system and a data bank on the activities of parliaments and governments of European countries, relating first of all to institutional and legislative issues in the field of urban development and housing. [09] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION VISITS BRITAINTanjug, 1998-01-24A delegation of the Federal Parliament, headed by the Chairman of the Chamber of Citizens Foreign Relations Committee Ljubisa Ristic, left for a visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on Sunday, said the assembly's Public Relations Office. The visit is taking place at the invitation of Robert Waring, the Chairman of the British-Yugoslav parliamentary group in the U.K. Parliament. The Yugoslav delegation includes Foreign Relations Committee member Ivica Dacic and Secretary Dusan Maksic. During the visit, the delegation will hold talks at the British-Yugoslav parliamentary group and Foreign Policy Committee of the Lower Chamber, and at the Foreign Office, as well as have other important contacts. [10] FINANCE MINISTER GAZIVODA RECEIVED BRITISH AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-01-23Yugoslav Finance Minister Bozidar Gazivoda received on Friday the Ambassador of Great Britain in the FR of Yugoslavia, Bryan Donnely. Views were exchanged about bilateral economic cooperation, the Yugoslav Information Secretariat said. Donnely informed Gazivoda that the British public was following with great interest the implementation of the process of privatization in the FRY and that British firms were interested in investing in the Yugoslav economy. In that connection, talks will be held in Belgrade at the beginning of February of 1998 for the conclusion of an Agreement on mutual encouragement and protection of investments. Also were reviewed issues relating to the monetary and tax policies and foreign currency policy, as well as those relating to the role and competency of the National Bank of Yugoslavia, the statement said. [11] KORAC: OBLIGATIONS FULFILLED BY FRY BUT NOT BY CROATIATanjug, 1998-01-25The Chairman of the Yugoslav Committee for Humanitarian Issues and Missing Persons, Maksim Korac, has told Tanjug that the FR of Yugoslavia (FRY) has practically met all its obligations towards Croatia regarding the search for missing persons. Korac, however, said that the Croatian side has still not responded to requests about the missing pilots and soldiers of the former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and has yet to hand over 823 files of persons killed during operations Flash and Storm. "We informed the chairman of the International Committee for Missing Persons in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia, Bob Dole, during his visit to Belgrade last week, that the Protocol on cooperation between the corresponding FRY and Croatian committees should be realized in full and that, in view of this, he should influence President Tudjman," Korac said. The demands of the FRY Committee for Humanitarian Issues and Missing Persons primarily refer to the fate of the six former JNA pilots, soldiers gone missing near Donje Kolibe (Bosanski Brod) and reservists from Niksic and Savnik (totalling 21 persons). Also demanded is the handing over of the remains of 47 soldiers for whom the Yugoslav side provided precise data about the time and place of their death, as well as information about 21 Serbs from Vukovar who disappeared in the summer of 1991 and the handing over of 823 files of those killed in Flash and Storm. Korac said that the Yugoslav side had reminded Dole that during the exchange of prisoners with Croatia on August 14, 1991 in Nemetin, all prisoners of war in Yugoslavia had been released and that from that date onwards there have been no POW's in FRY prisons, as is well known to the international public and the International Committee of the Red Cross. "Of the total of 1,079 files of persons killed in operations Flash and Storm, the Croat side has so far handed over only 247 files. For us it is specially important that the families of these missing persons are living in FRY as refugees and are thus able to identify their remains since Croatia forbids and prevents them from returning," Korac said. Dole was also informed that FRY is demanding from Croatia a total of 3,130 persons, of whom 2,650 are Serbs declared missing from the territory of Krajina alone. The Croat side has presented the FRY Committee for Humanitarian Issues and Missing Persons with a list of 2,491 persons of whom, however, only certain individual cases refer to Yugoslavia. "FRY's overall demands for Bosnia-Herzegovina are 112 persons, of whom the majority are former JNA members killed during the withdrawal of the troops from Sarajevo on May 3, 1992 in Dobrovoljacka Street and from Tuzla on May 15, 1992. Dole has also been informed about this," Korac said. [12] MINISTER-COORDINATOR TOMIC ON A WORKING VISIT TO GERMANYTanjug, 1998-01-24Serbian Minister-Coordinator Dragan Tomic, who is on a working visit to Germany, has held several meetings and talks with leading businessmen and high-ranking officials of German ministries and chambers. Assessing the meetings so far, Tomic on Saturday told the Tanjug correspondent that optimistic notes had been present in the talks with his hosts regarding prospects for the two countries achieving considerably better results in economic cooperation in the course of this year, and expectations were expressed that there would be fewer obstacles along this path. German businessmen expressed hope that Yugoslavia would this year return to international institutions, opening doors to mutual compensation and crediting in trade, said Tomic. Tomic especially underlined the results of Friday's meeting with Dr. Peter Spari, the Director of the German Trade Association. The talks were very successful, he said, and added it had been agreed that it was necessary to step-up contacts. The two sides agreed on a visit by a large German trade delegation to Yugoslavia. Spari proposed that a Council for Europe be set up in Yugoslavia to work on stimulating mutual cooperation and the restoration of the level of trade to the former high level, said Tomic. Tomic also conferred with Hans Schiel in Bonn late on Friday, a Director with the Ministry of Commerce, on strengthening economic ties. The sides agreed it was necessary for Germany to be more engaged on Yugoslavia's position in relations with the European Union. Readiness was shown to step up activities on making concrete business arrangements, with special emphasis on the importance of renewing Yugoslavia's agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Paris Club of creditors. [13] YUGOSLAVIA AND MACEDONIA AGREE TO ENHANCE TRADETanjug, 1998-01-23Representatives of the Chambers of Commerce of Serbia and Macedonia commended on Friday bilateral economic cooperation and agreed that there were conditions for boosting trade, on which chambers and businessmen should work. Future economic cooperation between Yugoslavia and Macedonia lies in free flow of capital and goods, and the development of higher forms of economic communication, such as production links and joint investment. President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce Momir Pavlicevic said Yugoslavia and Serbia would do everything possible to simplify customs and other services, Serbian Radio and Television said. President of the Macedonian Chamber of Commerce Dusan Peterski urged trade with fewer restrictions, and efficient and cheaper transportation. Yugoslav Ambassador in Skopje Zoran Janackovic, a participant in the talks, said the advantages of two complementary economies should be used to enhance cooperation. The two countries' businessmen agreed to work out concrete forms of cooperation in specific branches, and bankers agreed to back financially joint projects. Yugoslavia is Macedonia's first economic partner. The amount of bilateral exchange in 1997 totalled 510 dollars. [14] BOSNIAN SERB PREMIER URGES UNITY OF STATE BODIESTanjug, 1998-01-23Republika Srpska Premier Milorad Dodik said on Friday that one of the crucial tasks of his Government was to achieve unity in the functioning of state bodies. In an interview to Serbian Radio and Television, Dodik said that a primary task was to unify the Interior Ministry, which has been working in two centers - one in Bijeljina and the other in Banja Luka. At this moment, economic development is imperative, and the extent of its success will mark the success of the Government, said Dodik. It is therefore necessary, Dodik went on, to root out the "grey economy" which is "threatening the very essence of Republika Srpska." Without implementation of the Dayton Accord, the vital interests of Republika Srpska and its people are jeopardized, he said. The Government will try to make it a practice for the political leadership to be of one opinion in the enforcement of the accord, said Dodik. We will undertake courageously and decisively to carry out all the terms of the Dayton Accord, primarily those in the interests of Republika Srpska, he said. However, the interests of Republika Srpska are also served in the joint bodies of Bosnia-Herzegovina, said Dodik and strongly rejected claims that insistence on joint organs was a "desire for the reintegration of Bosnia." I wish to underline that Bosnia consists of two equal entities - Republika Srpska and the (Muslim-Croat) Federation, and in order for the republic to survive as an equal entity, all politicians in joint organs should be wise enough to defend such a position, he said. Dodik said that legal obstructions would bring into question Republika Srpska, adding that the republic cannot be defended as the leaders in Pale had tried to, by insisting on a special statehood. Asked about cooperation between Republika Srpska and Yugoslavia, Dodik said it was necessary to "revive the Agreement on special and parallel relations, " urging its implementation as soon as possible. We will initiate all possible forms of cooperation with Yugoslavia, Dodik said and added that Republika Srpska had to rely on Yugoslavia economically. "I believe all necessary conditions should be created so that cooperation between businessmen from Republika Srpska and Yugoslavia is successful," said Dodik in conclusion. [15] PLAVSIC AND DODIK CONFERRED WITH SCHUMACHERTanjug, 1998-01-24Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic and Prime Minister Milorad Dodik conferred in Banja Luka on Saturday with Deputy High Representative of the international community in Bosnia-Herzegovina Hans Schumacher. Following the talks, Plavsic said the postponement of the Republika Srpska Parliament session to January 31 was a good decision, saying the 2nd session had ended most regularly, Republika Srpska media said. She said she hoped there would be sufficient understanding among all parliamentary parties until January 31 for the 3rd Republika Srpska Parliament session to be held in Banja Luka. Schumacher said the United States and the European Union were ready and waiting to help Republika Srpska and its Government. He said the new cabinet should give their oath as soon as possible - at the 3rd Parliament session, which he said should be held in Banja Luka. The office of Republika Srpska Parliament Speaker Dragan Kalinic has meanwhile announced that the 3rd session of Parliament would be held in Teslic on January 31. [16] BOSNIAN SERB PREMIER MEETS WITH CO-PREMIER OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINATanjug, 1998-01-25Bosnian Serb Premier Milorad Dodik met in Banja Luka on Sunday with Boro Bosic, Co-Premier of Bosnia-Herzegovina from the (Bosnian Serb) Republika Srpska. They discussed coordinating the work of the Government of the Republika Srpska and the Bosnian Serb representatives to the common bodies of power in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Media in the Republika Srpska quote Dodik as saying, after the meeting, that a joint session of the Republika Srpska Government and representatives of the Bosnian Serb entity in the common bodies of power in Bosnia- Herzegovina is to be held on Thursday in Banja Luka. Dodik is reported to have said he and Bosic had noted the necessity of defining measures to stimulate the implementation of the Dayton Accord, so as to normalise the situation and raise the living standards of the people. Dodik further said they had discussed also matters concerning the work of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Bosnian Serb representatives to the common bodies of power. Bosic, for his part, said the governments of the Republika Srpska and the other Bosnian entity - the Muslim-Croat Federation - would have a lot do to in 1998. He specified that their duties would include implementing laws adopted at the level of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and a series of other obligations falling within the jurisdiction of the entities, such as the media, repatriation of refugees, the medical and school systems. [17] WESTENDORP: SERBS AND CROATS SHOULD BE ENABLED TO RETURN TO SARAJEVOTanjug, 1998-01-24The International Community's High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Carlos Westendorp, has said that the Serbs and Croats, who lived in Sarajevo before the war, should find their place in that city once again. Underlining that the return and safety of the Sarajevo Serbs and Croats is one of the major aims of the international community, Westendorp said in an interview to Sunday's issue of Novi Sad daily Dnevnik that the initiative for Sarajevo starts on February 3 and that the local cantonal authorities, faced with the threat of sanctions against the Muslim-Croat Federation, would have to meet all demands. Recalling that those who still dwell on the pre-war Bosnia, should reconcile themselves with the fact that this is now a new state "made up according to the Dayton model with two equal entities." Westendorp added that Sarajevo should be viewed as the capital of this new state. Asked if he would oppose the islamization of Sarajevo, Westendorp said that he "would not stand in the way of free religious beliefs, but would be against their use for the realization of political aims and for the separation between peoples." The other key city, according to Westendorp, is Brcko since it is located "on the transition line from Bosnia towards the north and is, at the same time a meeting point of the eastern and western parts of Republika Srpska." "Regardless of the arbitration regarding Brcko, which should be reached in March, it is clear that this city should be an open one. This is for the good of all three constitutive nations and to the benefit of the entire Bosnia-Herzegovina," Westendorp said. Speaking about the equality of Serbs, Muslims and Croats, Westendorp set out that "all three nations are constitutive in both entities and, in view of this, they are entitled to their representatives in the parliaments of Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation." In the Federation, the biggest problem is the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and, according to Westendorp, "the biggest difficulty there is the joint life of the Bosniacs and Croats, primarily in Mostar." "In this, there have been changes for the better, but our concern remains the greatest in this sphere. We are also worried about the safety and possibilities for the realization of the rights of the Croats in central Bosnia as they should have the same rights as the Bosniacs. However, currently it is not so," Westendorp said. Asked whether, after the forthcoming Conference of Donors, Republika Srpska would receive equal treatment in the distribution of financial aid, Westendorp said that this would happen "if the new Government is a democratic one and willing to cooperate." He said that he did not see himself as the protector of Bosnia, rather "as a man who will help the people," but is ready "when he assesses that an adequate solution is not possible and that the interests of the people are threatened, to evoke his authority and make a decision by himself." Westendorp said that such a decision was the one regarding the temporary Bosnian currency. [18] SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER MARJANOVIC MEETS WITH DODIKTanjug, 1998-01-22Serbian Premier Mirko Marjanovic received Thursday a Republika Srpska Government delegation headed by its Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, the Republican Information Ministry has said. Discussed was the development of mutual cooperation in all economic and social spheres. It was concluded that there are significant possibilities for the promotion and improvement of the existing levels of cooperation and that their realization represents the mutual interest of Serbia and RS and, primarily, of their citizens. Underscored was the importance of the realization of the agreement on special parallel relations between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Republika Srpska, the implementation of the Dayton agreement and mutual interest for inclusion into modern world integration trends. It was agreed that in the coming period joint activities should be initiated, especially for the planning and coordination of economic development. In this respect, it was concluded that it is necessary to intensify joint activities in business linking and renewal of decades-long cooperation in the major economic branches. The basis of industrial cooperation should continue to be the strengthening and promotion of production and technical cooperation. Cooperation in the sphere of agriculture will be based on the linking of powerful economic subjects within the reproduction chain and joint ventures on the market. It was agreed that measures should be taken for the more efficient realization of the forthcoming spring sowing. The potentials and capacities of the Republic of Serbia in the sphere of civil construction, manufacture of building materials, machine building and other branches, should be actively included in the revitalization of infrastructure, economic and housing facilities in RS. Both sides concluded that the stimulation of economic cooperation requires the further creation of conditions for establishing links between economic subjects on the basis of economic interests, as well as the introduction of measures which enable the unimpeded exchange of goods and financial means. In this sense it is necessary to continue the coordination of relevant regulations and secure their consistent application. As a special priority in joint activities it was agreed to determine joint measures and coordinate activities for curbing crime, smuggling and other illegal and black market activities. Speeded up will be activities in the linking and cooperation in the sphere of education, culture and information, and the resolution of issues regarding the status and return of refugees, social protection and other, the statement said. [19] GOVERNMENT ADOPTS REPORT ON KONTIC'S MEDIATORY MISSIONTanjug, 1998-01-22The Yugoslav Government on Thursday adopted a report on the mediatory mission of Prime Minister Radoje Kontic aimed at creating conditions for the stabilization of the political situation in Montenegro, a Federal Government statement said. The Government was informed about the agreement signed by Dragan Djurovic, Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) of Montenegro whip, and Predrag Bulatovic, the whip of the DPS Momir Bulatovic, in the presence of the Federal Prime Minister. The Federal Government especially underscored the option of the signatories that free and democratic elections are the basic way to overcome the crisis in Montenegro. The Government expects that both sides will provide the greatest possible contribution to the due realization of the agreement. The Yugoslav government adopted a decision proclaiming the 800th anniversary of the Hilandar monastery as an event of special cultural- historical importance in 1998. It was decided that the committee for marking this important anniversary establish objects and signs which will be used to mark the anniversary of this Serbian Orthodox monastery on Mt. Athos. The objects will be available for commercial and other purposes, as established by the committee. [20] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVES NEW PREMIER OF REPUBLIKA SRPSKATanjug, 1998-01-22Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic on Thursday received a delegation of the Republika Srpska Government, headed by Prime Minister Milorad Dodik. The delegation included: Defense Minister Gen. Manojlo Milovanovic, the renowned chief of general staff of the Srpska Army during the war in Bosnia- Herzegovina, Interior Minister Milovan Stankovic, very popular for his prominent command of the defense of Mt. Ozren, Finance Minister Novak Kondic, and Trade Minister Nikola Kragulj. President Milosevic said Yugoslavia would support all efforts toward the realization of the main objectives of Republika Srpska, primarily the strengthening of its unity, overcoming divisions which have caused a deep crisis, settling of economic and social problems, a speedy economic recovery, the fight against crime, corruption and the illegal parallel economy, and the elimination of their consequences, which are a result of irregular activities and actions during the civil war. Milosevic pointed out that the successful realization of the Dayton accords was of vital importance to Republika Srpska and its citizens, and that he expected the new Srpska Government duly to work on its integral implementation. The new Government will be mostly turned to the interests of the Srpska citizens, said Dodik, wherein intense cooperation with Yugoslavia, as well as the international community, are of vast importance. Deputy Yugoslav Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic also took part in the talks. [21] SOCIALIST OFFICIAL SAYS SERBIA WANTS PEACE AND SECURITY FOR ALLTanjug, 1998-01-22An official of the Socialist Party of Serbia said on Thursday that the policy of Serbia did not divide the people according to national, religious, political or other affiliation. Milomir Minic said the constitutional rights of national minorities were at a much higher level than required by European and world standards, adding that was the way it should be. In a statement to Tanjug on the situation in Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija, Minic said that stabilization of the situation in education was in the interest of all inhabitants in the province. "It is our policy and our goal that all children should go to school, and we believe that all of us should help implementation of the '3 plus 3' agreement on normalizing education in Kosovo," said Minic. "Our policy provides for the minorities, for all the people, to exercise their rights, to develop their national traits, to live in peace, to develop, without jeopardizing or belittling the rights of others." Minic said the future of Kosovo and Metohija was not in conflicts, but in peace, tolerance, cohabitation, and in respect for Serbia. Serbian state bodies will not tolerate terrorism. Peace and security will be guaranteed to the people, Minic said in conclusion. SPS Secretary-General Gorica Gajevic said the Board had noted that "the legal state is functioning (in Kosovo-Metohija), despite individual attacks by terrorist groups. "It is our view and the view of the SPS Board for the province that this is the last resort of a losing policy, beyond which there is nothing but total defeat. "The Board concluded that Serbia has always been here, and remains here, and nothing can change this," she added. [22] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORIST DIES IN CLASHES WITH POLICETanjug, 1998-01-22An ethnic Albanian terrorist was killed when a group of terrorists traded fire with Serbian police in the province of Kosovo and Metohija late on Wednesday, Tanjug learns from reliable sources. A group of terrorists had been reported as stopping and harassing passengers travelling in the area of Srbica and Lausi. One terrorist stopped a taxi vehicle, from Pristina. He ordered the driver (M.S.) at gunpoint to take him to the place where he was meeting his accomplices. When they arrived, the terrorists beat the driver violently, stole his car and money (50 German marks). They told him to run and never report what had happened. M.S. reported the incident to the police, who acted speedily and tracked down the culprits. In a shootout that ensued, Hysen Mangjolli was killed, and the rest of the terrorists fled. In their flight, the terrorists used children as a live shield, and two Albanian women were injured. In pursuit of the terrorists, the police were shot at from the house of Shaban Yashari, the father of terrorist leader Adem Yashari, who has been sentenced in absentia to twenty years imprisonment for various crimes. The outcome of the shootout is unknown. [23] TERRORISM OF "LIBERATION ARMY OF KOSOVO"Tanjug, 1998-01-22Experts of the Institute for Geopolitical Studies of Belgrade believe that the so-called Liberation Army of Kosovo (OVK) is, according to the characteristics of its actions, a terrorist organization which has so far carried out numerous brutal murders whose victims also included members of the Albanian minority in Kosovo. A debate on whether OVK is a terrorist organization said that terrorist activities by its members represent a big threat to the territory of the Balkans. The participants of the talks, organized by the Institute for Geopolitical Studies, set out that in the case of OVK in question is "separatist terrorism" and that it is an armed formation which is directly linked to extremist political circles and separatist organizations. They said that terrorism in Kosovo and Metohija is linked to terrorist centres in Europe. The Institute's experts said that separatist terrorism has a negative effect on the overall political situation and the activity of political parties which rally ethnic Albanians in Serbia's southern province. The participants of the talks said that, in view of OVK's terrorist activities and its links with the narco- cartels, Interpol and the international anti-drug and anti-terrorist centres in the United States and the European Union should be asked to take a more defined stand towards the OVK activities. [24] YUGOSLAV PRIME MINISTER KONTIC MEETS BOSNIAN SERB PREMIERTanjug, 1998-01-22Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic and Republika Srpska Premier Milorad Dodik met in Belgrade Thursday to discuss cooperation between their two governments in the implementation of the Dayton peace accords and the agreement on special parallel ties between Yugoslavia and the Republika Srpska. The Yugoslav Information Secretariat said in a statement released after the meeting that both officials had voiced readiness to develop and upgrade all forms of bilateral cooperation. The meeting focused on the strengthening, development and promotion of economic cooperation, especially in the area of transport. Kontic and Dodik also discussed the implementation of activities agreed earlier relating to Yugoslavia's assistance in supplying equipment to the oncologic ward of the Banjaluka hospital and in the development of railway transport in the Republika Srpska. [25] SERBIAN SOCIALISTS FOR PREVENTING THREATS TO SERBIA'S SOVEREIGNTYTanjug, 1998-01-22The Kosovo-Metohija Board of the Socialist Party of Serbia said on Thursday that the political situation and safety in Serbia's southern province was hampered by terrorist attacks launched by ethnic Albanian extremists who are trying to internationalize the so-called issue of Kosovo-Metohija and prompt the West to pressurize Serbia to yield to separatists' requests. The Board urged competent Serbian bodies to promptly secure peace and safety for all its citizens, regardless of their national or religious affiliation. The socialists of Kosovo-Metohija have the greatest confidence in the policy of the top state leadership, especially in the consistent and steadfast policy pursued by Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic which had preserved peace in this territory, the statement said. The Kosovo-Metohija socialists also said they were convinced that the policy pursued by the SPS and Serbia would find a legal solution to this issue of importance to peaceful life in the province. The session was attended also by SPS Secretary-General Gorica Gajevic, who heads the SPS party club in the Serbian Parliament, and member of the SPS Main Board's Executive Committee Milomir Minic. [26] TALKS ON RESOLUTION OF CRISIS IN MONTENEGRO END WITH SUCCESSTanjug, 1998-01-21Two-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. [27] TALKS ON RESOLUTION OF CRISIS IN MONTENEGRO END WITH SUCCESSTanjug, 1998-01-21Two-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. [28] SERBIAN REFUGEE COMMISSIONER TO FOCUS ON REPATRIATION OF REFUGEESTanjug, 1998-01-21Serbian 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. [29] PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC OPENS CONSULTATIONS ON PREMIER DESIGNATETanjug, 1998-01-21Serbian 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. [30] PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC OPENS CONSULTATIONS ON PREMIER DESIGNATETanjug, 1998-01-21Serbian 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. 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