Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-03-27

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER RULES OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF KOSOVO'S SECESSION

[02] BESSON CRITICISES KADARE

[03] PRESIDENT DJUKANOVIC MEETS WITH RS PREMIER DODIK

[04] TALKS ON SUCCESSION TO FORMER YUGOSLAVIA RESUME IN BRUSSELS

[05] MINISTER VUKOVIC TALKS WITH AUSTRIAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

[06] DEPUTY PREMIER SAINOVIC MET WITH SHANGHAI'S OFFICIALS AND BUSINESSMEN

[07] U.S. ENVOY: DIALOGUE IS THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

[08] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER JOVANOVIC MET WITH GELBARD AND GREENSTOCK

[09] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC RECEIVED GELBARD AND GREENSTOCK

[10] MONTENEGRO AND REPUBLIKA SRPSKA SIGN A PROTOCOL ON COOPERATION

[11] GELBARD: PROBLEMS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA MUST BE RESOLVED THROUGH DIALOGUE

[12] US DEFENSE SECRETARY: US IS NOT IN FAVOUR OF INDEPENDENCE OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

[01] GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER RULES OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF KOSOVO'S SECESSION

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel told Albanian President Fatos Nano on Thursday that the international community ruled out the possibility of secession of the Serbian province of Kosovo and Metohija.

"A special status and autonomy within Yugoslavia - yes - independence of Kosovo - no," Kinkel said.

A German Foreign Ministry statement said that in the Kinkel-Nano meeting necessity had been stressed of a speedy finding of a negotiated solution between authorities in Belgrade and ethnic Albanians from Kosovo and Metohija. It was said that the Contact Group and southeastern European countries had reiterated the demand for a speedy starting of talks.

Kinkel said that Belgrade had not fulfilled everything that was demanded at the Contact Group meeting in London on March 9 and that a solution for Kosovo and Metohija could be found only in an honest dialogue.

Kinkel pointed at the importance of "securing stable relations in the region" and said that the closing of arms smuggling channels from Albania to Kosovo and Metohija was necessary.

[02] BESSON CRITICISES KADARE

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

Renowned French author Patrick Besson has accused Albanian author Ismail Kadare of "terribly dishonest" statements on Serbs and Kosovo and Metohija.

In a text entitled "The Kadare Case," carried in the Thursday issue of the Paris daily 'Le Figaro', Besson said that he was surprised that Kadare had not directed his attention to Albania rather than Kosovo and Metohija.

Besson said that since Kadare had left his country and moved to Paris in 1990 at the time of Albania's worst problems, he could not celebrate the 1991 release of the last political prisoners and other developments marking the end of the communist dictatorship in Albania.

He said that Kadare was unable to be at the same time at the Del Duca Foundation, from which he had received a 500,000-franc award, and among his own people who were liberating from a 45-year tyranny. Kadare has engaged in Kosovo, but would it not be logical to start with Albania instead, Besson wondered.

Commenting on Kadare's statements to French press, Besson said that his claims, including the retailoring of the Serbian history, were "extremely dishonest."

Besson said that Prizren, the "second biggest town in Kosovo was the capital of the first Serbian Emperor Dusan (1331-1355)".

"To say that Kosovo is not Serbian is tantamount to saying that the Saint- Denis Basilica is not French," Besson said.

In the text Besson criticised the title of Kadare's text "The cradle of a nation or a cradle of a crime," accusing Kadare that this denied the existence of the Serbian nation. Those who know about words, know well that this phrase denies the existence of the Serbian nation, but implies only and primarily the existence of the Serb crime, Besson said.

Addressing Kadare personally, Besson said that "the only thing that Serbs and their friends ask of you today is not remorse, but shame."

[03] PRESIDENT DJUKANOVIC MEETS WITH RS PREMIER DODIK

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic received Premier of the Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik in Podgorica late on Thursday.

A statement from Djukanovic's cabinet said that a lengthy and friendly talk ensued, in the course of which Djukanovic and Dodik exchanged views on the current political and economic situation in the Yugoslav republic of Montenegro and the Republika Srpska, and stressed the importance of further strengthening their economic ties.

Djukanovic supported the idea of regulating cooperation in the power industry, transport, agriculture and tourism, and other forms of cooperation on ministerial and government levels by a relevant agreement, as the result of talks between two states' delegations.

They also exchanged views on the situation in the region, as well as experience gleaned in recent intensive international activities of Montenegro and the Republika Srpska, according to the statement.

Strong support was voiced for strengthening democratic processes in Montenegro and the Republika Srpska and in their parent Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, respectively.

Also stressed was an orientation for accelerating economic reforms and the privatisation process, and for a faster economic linkage among the countries created in the territory of former Yugoslavia and with their neighbours and other European states.

Djukanovic and Dodik were unanimous in the view that all conflicts and problems in the region, including the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija, must be dealt with through dialogue and by political methods.

Here it was stressed that the issue of Kosovo and Metohija could not be taken outside Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and its solution must reflect full respect for the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the statement said.

[04] TALKS ON SUCCESSION TO FORMER YUGOSLAVIA RESUME IN BRUSSELS

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

The Group for Succession to the former Yugoslavia continued debate on Thursday by reviewing conclusions of a Peace Implementation Conference held in Bonn in December 1997, especially focusing on a stand that all sides should be allowed a direct insight into the archives and figures that could be relevant to succession, a Serbian Radio Television's (RTS) special reporter said.

The Yugoslav delegation said that it had already communicated some important data, such as a list of state-owned property, balance sheet of the National Bank of Yugoslavia as well as information on payment operations, foreign currency and gold reserves, but that representatives of Slovenia, Croatia and the Muslim-Croat Federation in Bosnia had not been satisfied with this, asking for additional information.

The RTS reporter said that the debate on conclusions of the Bonn conference was aimed at one thing only and that was to force Yugoslavia to open its current documentation, rather than its archives, so as to determine the present amount in hard currency accounts and thus affirm a principle of partial division of gold and foreign currency.

The Yugoslav delegation again made it clear that each former Yugoslav republic, namely a new state, could participate in the division of assets only until the day it was part of the financial and monetary system of the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia.

The first day of this round of talks began on Wednesday when the Croatian and Slovenian delegations blocked the reaching of an agreement on non- economic issues, although the text of the document, drafted by mediator to the talks Sir Arthur Watts, could not be contested as it dealt with issues of recognizing citizenship and property rights to all citizens of the former Yugoslavia.

After the Wednesday's talks, Watts said he regretted that no progress was made. He also said that some delegations did not wish that the negotiating process be completed successfully, at least at this stage.

[05] MINISTER VUKOVIC TALKS WITH AUSTRIAN PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

Yugoslav Foreign Trade Minister Borislav Vukovic, currently visiting Austria, met with Austrian Parliament President Heinz Fischer to discuss cooperation between FR Yugoslavia and the European Union, and exchange views about the situation in the territory of the former Yugoslavia and about the situation in Kosovo and Metohija.

Minister Vukovic told Yugoslav reporters in Austria, after his meeting with Fischer, that he conveyed to the President of the Austrian Parliament the Yugoslav position with regard to Kosmet, especially in the light of the fact that a number of meetings had been held on that subject in the past few days.

Both sides, the Yugoslav minister said, agreed that dialogue in Kosmet was indispensable as the way for resolving disputes. Unilateral pressures are unacceptable, and if there are any, efforts should be made for all interested sides to show good will for resolving certain issues, Vukovic said.

Taking part in the talks with the President of the Austrian Parliament was also Ambassador of FR Yugoslavia to Austria Dobrosav Veizovic and head of the Foreign Trade Department in the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry Vojislav Nedeljkovic.

Vukovic met in the morning with the President of the Board of Managers of the largest trade chain in Austria 'Billa', Werner Neubauer. The president of 'Billa' said the firm was interested in investing in Yugoslavia five million dollars and opening of a supermarket, where would be sold mostly Yugoslav products.

Vukovic, who met with representatives of 16 leading firms and banks - members of the Association of Austrian foreign trade firms, said that Austrian business and financial circles were very interested in investing in the Yugoslav economy.

Vukovic assessed that after the economic difficulties in southern and southeastern Asia, world investors were once again turning to the countries of central and eastern Europe.

Austrian businessmen are informed about the economic possibilities of firms and managers in FR Yugoslavia and about the started process of privatization, and their interest in our market is evident from the expansion of the network of representative offices, said the Yugoslav Foreign Trade Minister.

[06] DEPUTY PREMIER SAINOVIC MET WITH SHANGHAI'S OFFICIALS AND BUSINESSMEN

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Sainovic met with Shanghai's top city officials and leading businessmen during his two-day visit to China's biggest port and industrial centre.

During the visit to the Pudong development area, Sainovic and Yugoslav delegation members discussed the possibility of Yugoslav companies being granted concessions in setting up their own or joint-stock companies in the Waygaoqiao free zone and the Jinqiao industrial zone.

The talks also dealt with granting Yugoslav free zone concessions to companies in the two zones. The concessions in question concern production organisation and reduced transport charges on routes in Yugoslavia in delivering goods to Europe and Russia.

Talks with the city's officials in charge of communications and transport dealt with setting up direct sea links between Shanghai and Montenegro's seaport of Bar, including the use of port facilities and cooperation in developing railway and marine infrastructure.

Special attention was paid to concrete forms of cooperation among the two countries' companies in the field of agriculture and food-processing industry as well as the production of electronic and electrical equipment.

Cooperation in co-production and deliveries of power industry equipment were discussed in a meeting with officials of the Shanghai Electric Group Corporation, while a meeting with officials of the Orient International Holding corporation focused on cooperation in using sales channels for marketing goods to China, Yugoslavia and the rest of the world.

On behalf of the consortium of Yugoslav commercial banks, President of Beogradska Banka A.D. Borka Vucic informed Shanghai's businessmen about efforts to form a Yugoslav-Chinese bank and ways of boosting cooperation among the two countries' banks.

Yugoslav Ambassador to China Slobodan Unkovic informed Shanghai's officials about the Yugoslav Government's decision to open its General Consulate in the city primarily with a view to promoting bilateral economic cooperation. Shanghai's officials and businessmen fully backed the Yugoslav Government's decision.

[07] U.S. ENVOY: DIALOGUE IS THE ONLY WAY TO SOLVE PROBLEMS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

U.S. special envoy on the Balkans Robert Gelbard said in Pristina on Thursday that dialogue was the only way to solve problems in Kosovo and Metohija, which should remain within Yugoslavia with an enhanced status.

After meeting ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova, Gelbard told a news conference that international representatives' visit to Yugoslavia on Thursday was aimed at conveying to both Belgrade and Rugova and his group a request for an immediate start of dialogue on the settlement of the issue of Kosovo and Metohija.

Taking part in the meeting with Rugova was also Political Director at the British Foreign Office Jeremy Greenstock.

Gelbard said that the government was taking steps toward dialogue, but not enough. He said the next move should be made by Rugova, who told him on Thursday that he was getting ready to make up a negotiating team.

Gelbard said there was still a lot of tension in Kosovo and Metohija and stressed in this context that Serbia had not withdrawn its special police units.

He made no comment on their presence, viz. ethnic Albanian terrorism, although he had recently personally urged ethnic Albanian political leaders to condemn terrorism, disassociate themselves from it and accept negotiations.

Greenstock said, for his part, that the international community wanted the dialogue to take place and that the Contact Group had also insisted upon this at its latest meeting.

The Contact Group does not appear here as a mediator to the talks. We are here to secure the beginning of the process, said Greenstock.

He recalled that the Contact Group decided on Wednesday to consider a possibility of introducing new measures in four weeks' time in case of an unsuccessful beginning of dialogue on Kosovo and Metohija.

[08] YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER JOVANOVIC MET WITH GELBARD AND GREENSTOCK

Belgrade, 1998-03-26

The Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Zivadin Jovanovic, met today with the American Special Representative for the Implementation of the Dayton/Paris Peace Agreement, Ambassador Robert Gelbard, and Political Director of the British Foreign Office, Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock, as a representative of Great Britain and the European Union.

Ambassadors Gelbard and Greenstock informed Federal Minister Jovanovic of their views on the Ministerial Meeting of the Contact Group held on 25 March in Bonn. Among other things, they expressed the view that the Statement reflects a concern over the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, and that it, on the other hand, acknowledges positive developments, initiation of a dialogue and the achievement of concrete results, such as the signing of the Agreement on Education.

Federal Minister Jovanovic underlined that Kosovo and Metohija has always been and continues to be an integral part of Serbia, and that all issues may be successfully resolved exclusively through direct dialogue, without preconditions, within Serbia. In that respect, he said that pressures, aimed at internationalization and imposing outside solutions or at giving in to separatism, are not acceptable.

In an open discussion, the views were exchanged on issues concerning mutual relations, the role of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the peace process, on regional links and cooperation, relations with the EU, OSCE and other international organizations. Minister Jovanovic recalled the importance of the Yugoslav policy of peace, stability and cooperation in the region, and its further essential role in the implementation of the Dayton/Paris Agreement. He emphasized that the principles of the regional approach, goals of European security and cooperation in the South*East of Europe may be successfully reached only in conditions of equitable cooperation, normal relations between Yugoslavia and the EU, restored rights of our country within the OSCE and other international political, economic and financial organizations.

Political Director of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dragomir Vucicevic, Ambassador of Great Britain, Mr Joseph B. Donnelly and Charge d'Affaires of the American Embassy in Yugoslavia, Ambassador Richard Miles also participated in the discussions.

[09] SERBIAN PRESIDENT MILUTINOVIC RECEIVED GELBARD AND GREENSTOCK

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

Serbian President Milan Milutinovic received on Thursday the special US envoy for the implementation of the Dayton Agreement Ambassador Robert Gelbard, and Political Director at the British Foreign Office Jeremy Greenstock.

Gelbard and Greenstock informed President Milutinovic of the results of the Contact Group meeting held Wednesday in Bonn, pointing out that the international community, without pre-imposing a definite solution, advocates the initiation as soon as possible of a substantive dialogue between the Serbian authorities and representatives of the ethnic Albanian minority and other minorities in Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija.

Pointing to the Declaration on the political process in Kosovo and Metohija he issued recently, President Milutinovic said that wide foundations for such a dialogue had been laid, in line with Serbia's Constitution and with the highest international community standards.

President Milutinovic underlined that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Republic of Serbia had always been and remained open for cooperation with the international community. However, such cooperation must be based on equality and mutual respect, and rules out any pressures which only hinder the realization of reforms and democratic processes and limit Yugoslavia's constructive role in the peace process and the development of good-neighbourly relations.

The international community, in line with its statement of support to Serbia's and Yugoslavia's territorial integrity as an essential element of reinforcing stability in the Balkans, is expected to discourage ethnic Albanian separatism in Kosovo-Metohija through an unequivocal condemnation of terrorism and support to dialogue as advocated by Serbian state institutions, it was underlined during the meeting.

[10] MONTENEGRO AND REPUBLIKA SRPSKA SIGN A PROTOCOL ON COOPERATION

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

Montenegrin Premier Filip Vujanovic and his Republika Srpska's counterpart Milorad Dodik signed a Protocol on cooperation in Podgorica on Thursday evening.

The document calls for joint capital investment in power industry, reconstruction, modernization and construction of hydro-electric power plants and for cooperation in the area of geological survey.

The protocol envisages for promotion of cooperation in tourism, namely for joint capital investment in a construction of new tourist facilities and modernization of the existing ones.

Dodik told reporters that the signing of the protocol paved the way for cooperation between the Republika Srpska and Montenegro, which would make the border between the two states a mere formality and would also make it extremely open.

He said that the Republika Srpska, namely Bosnia and Herzegovina, would sign an agreement with the International Monetary Fund as early as in April, which would lay conditions for normal operation of the Bosnian Serb economy.

Vujanovic said, for his part, that air service between Podgorica and Banjaluka would start soon.

[11] GELBARD: PROBLEMS IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA MUST BE RESOLVED THROUGH DIALOGUE

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

The US envoy to the Balkans Robert Gelbard and Political Director at the British Foreign Office Jeremy Greenstock told the press that their talks on Thursday with Serbian President Milan Milutinovic and Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic focused on the results of the Contact Group meeting held on Wednesday in Bonn.

They pointed to the Contact Group's concern at the absence of a meaningful dialogue between Serbian authorities and the leaders of ethnic Albanian parties from Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija, and at the absence of any breakthrough in resolving the Kosovo issue.

If no significant progress is made in the next four weeks, the Contact Group could take further measures, Gelbard said advocating dialogue without pre-conditions.

Gelbard singled out the lack of trust as the fundamental problem in Kosovo and Metohija, and complained of the strong presence of police forces in the province.

Gelbard did not mention the fresh outbreak of terrorism in Kosovo and Metohija, and said nothing about the reaction of ethnic Albanian leaders to his appeal for condemning terrorism. He did not comment either the fact that representatives of the Serbian Government have been waiting in Pristina for days for ethnic Albanian leaders to come to the talks on all issues regarding Kosovo, without pre-conditions.

[12] US DEFENSE SECRETARY: US IS NOT IN FAVOUR OF INDEPENDENCE OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1998-03-26

US Defense Secretary William Cohen said on Thursday that the United States did not favour independence of Kosovo and Metohija.

Cohen said that the United States believed that both sides - the Yugoslav Government and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija - should resolve their differences by peaceful means.

The United States hopes that both sides will restore an atmosphere of peace and reason, he said.

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