Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-06-23

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Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] YUGOSLAV PREMIER HAS TALKS IN PORTUGAL

[02] "BORBA": THERE ARE 100 MERCENARIES IN KOSOVO

[03] PRESIDENT PLAVSIC CONCLUDES HER VISIT TO GREECE

[04] TERRORISTS KIDNAP THREE COAL MINERS

[05] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS WOUND POLICEMAN IN SERBIAN PROVINCE

[06] FIVE ETHNIC ALBANIANS CHARGED WITH ACTIVITIES AGAINST THE STATE

[07] RUSSIA URGES WEST TO GIVE DIPLOMACY A CHANCE IN KOSOVO*METOHIJA

[08] PRIMAKOV ON CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

[09] AFANASYEVSKI TALKS WITH RUGOVA AND HIS NEGOTIATING TEAM

[10] ALBRIGHT: U.S. WANTS TO SOLVE THE KOSOVO AND METOHIJA ISSUE DIPLOMATICALLY

[11] MINISTER APPEALS TO STOP VIOLENCE ESCALATING IN KOSOVO

[12] AFANASYEVSKI VISITS PRISTINA

[13] AFANASYEVSKI: RUSSIA FAVOURS QUICK CONTINUATION OF NEGOTIATIONS

[14] LILIC: WESTERN STANCE SPURS ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS

[15] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENTARIANS TO TAKE PART IN COUNCIL OF EUROPE SESSION

[01] YUGOSLAV PREMIER HAS TALKS IN PORTUGAL

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Portugal supports Yugoslavia's territorial integrity and sovereignty and a peaceful settlement of the crisis in Kosovo*Metohija within Serbia and Yugoslavia, according to the Yugoslav Premier's talks in Lisbon on Monda y.

Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic, who is heading a state and business dele gation on a two*day official visit to Portugal, met on Monday with his Po rtuguese opposite number Antonio Guteres and with Parliament Speaker Alme ida Santos.

Serbian state radio and television said the talks with Santos, who is ac ting President of state in the absence of President Jorge Sampaio, as wel l as with Gutieres, had focused on bilateral ties, which were said to hav e room to improve, and the regional situation.

Portugal supports a full return of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to all international organisations and institutions, it was said again on t his occasion.

Serbian radio and television reported that Monday's talks were an oppor tunity for the two sides to reaffirm their commitment to develop all*roun d cooperation.

Also, they were an opportunity for Bulatovic to put forth Yugoslavia's p rincipled positions on the promotion of relations with the European Union and for a faster incorporation in more advanced forms of integration in Europe.

Bulatovic spoke about the situation in the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia' s Kosovo*Metohija Province as an internal Serbian affair, and presented Yugoslavia's clear position that all problems should be dealt with throug h unconditional dialogue and by peaceful means.

Meeting the press after the talks, the Portuguese Prime Minister stresse d that Portugal appreciated Yugoslavia's contribution to the peace proces s in the territory of former Yugoslavia.

Portugal supports the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Feder al Republic of Yugoslavia and considers the Kosovo*Metohija crisis as sol ely an internal affair of Serbia and Yugoslavia, which must be settled by peaceful methods, according to Guteres.

Bulatovic, for his part, told reporters that his Lisbon talks had been a chance to note that Portugal and Yugoslavia had very good cooperation, a fter a period of stagnation produced by the crisis in former Yugoslavia.

He went on to say that the delegation had presented the positions of Yug oslavia, which was grappling with certain difficulties, and its convictio n that all internal problems would be settled by democratic means and thr ough dialogue.

He added that the delegation had made it clear that the world community could help much by affirming the principles of territorial integrity of Serbia and Yugoslavia, by encouraging dialogue and by condemning the se paratism in Kosovo*Metohija.

He further said it was part of Yugoslavia's strategy also to be integra ted in the world community, to create conditions for joining the European Union and, once the internal problems were solved, to take its rightful place in the European community of nations.

The Yugoslav delegation, headed by Bulatovic, arrived earlier on Monday in Lisbon, where the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will have its Nation al Day at the World Exposition EXPO 98 on Tuesday.

[02] "BORBA": THERE ARE 100 MERCENARIES IN KOSOVO

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

There are about 300 men undergoing training in Albania and about 100 for eign mercenaries in Kosovo and Metohija, mainly those who had fought in t he Bosnian war, Belgrade "Borba" daily said in its Tuesday issue.

The training system has two stages. The first is completed in western a nd Islamic centers and lasts about a month, Tomislav Kresovic, a politica l analyst, told "Borba".

A so*called terrorist fund is collected from donations by Albanian emigr ants, which finances foreign mercenaries from western Europe, sent to Alb ania via Italy. The second branch goes via Turkey, Kresovic said.

The second stage in training is conducted in Albania, and lasts between 7 and 15 days, he said. During that period, the mercenaries are acquainte d with the terrain, relief and learn other information related to Kosovo and Metohija and western Macedonia.

The training centers are in Trepoja, northern Albania. Activities are or anized by retired NATO officers, and instructors of the foreign legion, K resovic said.

Mercenaries from the west are paid up to 3,000 German marks per month, he said.

Kresovic said the whole structure of Islamic mercenaries is connected wi th the Iranian intelligence MOIS, which has branches in Rome, Vienna, an d Izmir * Turkey.

The mercenaries are supported by former Albanian president Sali Berisha 2E U.S. diplomat Christopher Hill, who is in close contact with Berisha, has important information pertaining to the activities of foreign mercen aries, and support extended to them.

Kresovic said the terrorist organization Kosovo Liberation Army planned to stage a massacre among ethnic Albanians and set explosive devices in public places throughout the province.

He said mercenaries carried out large*scale actions for the KLA, to draw the attention of media and destabilize the province.

The KLA is expected to set up a radio and television studio in northern Albania with strong electronic signals that could be heard in Kosovo and Metohija. So far the KLA was heard through the official Albanian televis ion, but after pressures by the United States, a special television studi o will be set up in northern Albania, said Kresovic.

[03] PRESIDENT PLAVSIC CONCLUDES HER VISIT TO GREECE

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Greece has a great interest in the preserving of peace in the region, es pecially now when the situation in Kosovo and Metohija is very difficult, Republika Srpska President Biljana Plavsic said in Banjaluka on Monday o n return from a several*day official visit to that country.

Plavsic, who held talks in Athens with Greek President Kostis Stephanopu los, Prime Minister Kostas Simitis and other senior officials, said that they urged a constructive solution to the problems in Kosovo and Metohija 2E

Our friends in Greece have a great interest in the preservation of peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Plavsic said. She explained that they showed great understanding for the economic recovery of Republika Srpska.

The framework for that is the Dayton Peace Agreement, or its consistent implementation. It is important that Greek deputies in the European Parli ament, with whom I also talked, share my opinion that it is dangerous to undertake measures which are not within the Dayton Peace Agreement, Bilja na Plavsic said.

[04] TERRORISTS KIDNAP THREE COAL MINERS

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Six armed ethnic Albanians on Monday kidnapped three coalminers on the r oad to the village of Grabovac, near Kosovo Polje, the Media Center in Pr istina reports.

Dragan Vukmirovic, Zoran Adzancic and Filip Gojkovic were seized from a car. Two ethnic Albanian miners who were with them were allowed to go h ome.

A few days earlier a vehicle of the Serbian power industry was stopped o n the same road, and two Serbs were kidnapped. Three ethnic Albanians who were with them were allowed to go.

The Serbs were released after being detained for three hours. Apparentl y they had not been mistreated.

A group of armed ethnic Albanians stopped a bus carrying workers to the coal mine in Belacevac. They asked for their identification cards, and th en let them go to work, the Media Center said.

[05] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS WOUND POLICEMAN IN SERBIAN PROVINCE

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

One policeman was wounded on Monday in an ethnic Albanian terrorist atta ck in the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia's Kosovo*Metohija Province.

The policeman, Zoltan Tot of Subotica, sustained serious injuries when a large group of terrorists attacked a police patrol from automatic weapo ns shortly after 5 p.m. local time (1500 GMT, 1998) near the town of Deca ni. Tot has been operated in the province's town of Pec and, according to the doctor on duty, his life is not in danger.

[06] FIVE ETHNIC ALBANIANS CHARGED WITH ACTIVITIES AGAINST THE STATE

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

The Public Prosecutor's Office in Pec, Serbia's province of Kosovo and M etohija, has filed charges against five ethnic Albanians suspected of act ivities against the state.

The charges were filed against Selim Kruezi, Dino Celjaj, Jaho Busati, Agim Kruezi and Isni Kruezi, members of the ethnic Albanian terrorist or ganisation that calls itself Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA, 1998).

Selim Kruezi (44, 1998) was reported to have followed the movement of S erbian police officers and the movement and attitude towards them of ethn ic Albanians, about which he informed the terrorists' headquarters in the village of Bobovac near Klina.

Kruezi told the terrorists that Sali Berisa, Hadzi Berisa, Brahim Zogaj , Ramadan Zogaj and Fadilj Zogaj had contacts with Serbian police after w hich the terrorists abducted the five ethnic Albanians and killed them.

Celjaji (51, 1998) was charged with taking an automatic rifle and ammun ition from a KLA commando group in the village of Donji Streoc near Decan i and with keeping watch at a terrorist point in the village.

Busati (26, 1998) was charged with attempted murder after he tried to ki ll Rama Taci, an ethnic Albanian, in the village of Kosuric near Pec at a round 8.30 p.m. local time on June 2 for his loyalty to Serbia and Yugosl avia.

Busati called Taci's son Uka to come out of the house and then opened fi re on him wounding him seriously. Uka died on the way to the hospital.

Agim (32, 1998) and Isni Kruezi (32, 1998) were charged with terrorist a ctivity after they and a number of other ethnic Albanians tried to kill A rif Basota, also an ethnic Albanian, at around 5 a.m. local time on May 5 for keeping company with Serbs.

Basota managed to escape because of which the terrorists killed his brot her Nazif who was also in the house. After that the terrorists withdrew t o their headquarters in the village of Ovcara near Srbica.

[07] RUSSIA URGES WEST TO GIVE DIPLOMACY A CHANCE IN KOSOVO*METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Commenting on Russian Foreign Minister Yevegeny Primakov's television i nterview late on Sunday, official Foreign Ministry Spokesman Valery Nyest erushkin told a news conference on Monday that Russia is of the opinion t hat the Contact Group should not be in such a hurry to meet on Wednesday, until Russian diplomats have finished their mission in the Balkans.

The Russian leadership believes that the meeting should not be postpone d for long, but it is also of the opinion that there is no need to rush, Nyesterushkin said. He said that the diplomats must be given some time to do their job.

Nyesterushkin said that two Russian Assistant Foreign Ministers are curr ently in the Balkans with a mission to contribute to a speedier implement ation of what was agreed last week in Moscow between Presidents Boris Yel tsin of Russia and Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia.

Nyesterushkin said in substantiation that the State Department had accep ted as true an unconfirmed report about an alleged Serbian police attack on a refugee camp in Kosovo*Metohija. He added that Primakov's reaction w as triggered by speculation about whether there was any shooting around t he refugee camp or not. Nyesterushkin said that any incautious statement can have a far*reaching effect on the search for a political settlement.

He also said that Serbian security forces were still facing terrorist at tacks. It is deplorable that there are still concrete examples of terrori st actions by extremists in Kosovo*Metohija and that reports still keep c oming in about various attempts to smuggle arms and bring more terrorists into the province, said Nyesterushkin.

He said that there was no clash between Moscow and Washington over Koso vo*Metohija. He also said that frank dialogue on the issue was underway a t different levels and that there were still prospects for making this co operation more productive.

[08] PRIMAKOV ON CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov has said that Yugoslavia canno t withdraw its security forces from Kosovo and Metohija before ethnic Alb anian terrorist activities in Serbia's southern province stop.

Speaking in a programme on Russia's RTR state television on Sunday, Pri makov said pressure should be exerted on ethnic Albanians to open dialog ue.

He said at the point when negotiations had begun no one had set a condit ion to Yugoslavia to withdraw its security forces from Kosovo and Metohij a. He said that quite the opposite had been the case and that they had be en arranged as talks without any conditions.

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has voiced readiness to hold talks on autonomy based on international standards, Primakov said adding that new demands were being made all the time. He said Milosevic had given a p ledge to Russian President Boris Yeltsin that he would fully comply with the statement issued after the two presidents recent meeting in Moscow.

Explaining why the Yugoslav security forces' withdrawal depended on eli mination of terrorism, Primakov said the pullout of forces would trigger an exodus of Serb refugees which would be interpreted as a signal that th e province should be left.

He said no one was trying to bring ethnic Albanians to the negotiating t able. He said ethnic Albanians should be pressured into it, saying German y as well as other countries had pledged to exert pressure on them.

He said he was confident that this would happen in the next few days, s aying his assistant Nikolai Afanasyevski had left for Belgrade and Pristi na, centre of Kosovo and Metohija, while his other assistant, Alexander A vdeyev, had left for Macedonia. He said Russia would play an active role in organising talks.

He said, however, that there was a fair amount of disinformation aimed at straining tensions.

Primakov said he could understand the desire to exert persistent pressu re on Yugoslavia in order to bring about all that had been agreed on, but said the desire was also motivated by envy. He said, "We have been stres sing all the time as well as President Yeltsin in all meetings with heads of state that this is our joint position and result of our joint efforts 2E We are a part of the international community, we act in cooperation w ith others."

Primakov said he was against the six*nation Contact Group meeting on Ju ne 24, urging a seven*day postponement. He said during that time it would become evident to what extent obligations assumed by Milosevic and guara nteed by Russia had been complied with.

[09] AFANASYEVSKI TALKS WITH RUGOVA AND HIS NEGOTIATING TEAM

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Nikolai Afanasyevski said in Pristina on Monday after talking with representatives of the Albanian national minor ity in Kosovo and Metohija that the Milosevic*Yeltsin statement in Moscow opened the way for resuming the dialogue about problems in that Serbian province, but that the ethnic Albanian side was not ready for talks at th is point.

Afanasyevski talked in Pristina with the political leader of ethnic Alba nians in Kosovo and Metohija, Ibrahimn Rugova, and his negotiating team a nd told reporters afterwards that the goal of his visit was the renewal o f dialogue.

"We consider that the statement of presidents Milosevic and Yeltsin open ed the way for dialogue," Afanasyevski said.

Rugova, who left the talks ahead of his associates, did not make any st atements but his advisor Fehmi Agani repeated that the Albanian side insi sted on carrying out of the demands of the Contact Group, and that at thi s point they did not want to resume the dialogue with the state delegatio n.

"We consider, Afanasyevski said, that in Belgrade there is a readyness for resuming the dialogue." He added that he considered that it was impor tant that "Rugova is committed to a peaceful and political solution of pr oblems in Kosovo."

The Russian official said that Rugova repeated the stand that it was nec essary to raise the blockade of roads and secure the freedom of movement of people. "For us, the most important problem is security," Afanasyevski said and added that he also considered that "all terrorist activities sh ould cease."

Afanasyevski recalled that "Contact Group and United Nations documents a lso demand from the leadership of Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija to co ndemn terrorists acts", pointing out that he did not receive such assuran ces in Pristina.

"Now one of the most important things is to condemn and dissociate them selves from terrorism but unfortunately they have not done so although th ey are bound to it by all the documents of the Contact Group and the Unit ed Naitons," Afanasyevski said.

Afanasyevski also added that Russia had great reservations with respect to the use of force in Kosovo and Meothija and added that "force against force does not solve the problem."

The talks Afanasyevski had with representatives of political parties in Kosovo and Metohija lasted over two and a half hours.

The coordinator of the ethnic Albanian team for talks Fehmi Agani, addre ssing reporters after the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, said that the "carrying out of the demands of the Contact Group were the way to the tal ks."

Agani repeated that the essence of those demands was the cessation * as he called them * of the offensive actions of Serbian and Yugoslav forces and the withdrawal of special units, adding that this was what allegedly prevented the return of refugees.

Asked by reporters, whether there had been talk about control over the terrorist "Kosovo Liberation Army", Agani said: "There was a lot of talk about that. It was insisted that we condemn its activities, but we pointe d to our specific viewpoint of the phenomenon called the "KLA." We consid er it to be an insurrection movement, and said we believed and insisted t hat a solution should be found by peaceful means," Agani said.

Asked if they were asked to exert their influence on the "KLA, Agani sai d: "No, it is clear that we do not have an influence on the "KLA", and so such a demand was not made. When asked who had the influence, Agani repl ied * probably the one in command.

Member of the same team, Mahmut Bakali, also reproached * according to t heir assessment * "the shortcomings of the Milosevic*Yeltsin statement wi th respect to the stands of the Contact Group," and that moreover it "dev aluated the stands of the international communuty." The former communist official from Kosovo and Metohija added as another condition the "need fo r the presence of an international factor," as further evidence that Rugo va's delegation was avoiding dialogue.

Bakali also told reporters that before the next meeting of the Contact Group, from which ethnic Albanians were expecting a lot, the dialogue wou ld not be resumed.

[10] ALBRIGHT: U.S. WANTS TO SOLVE THE KOSOVO AND METOHIJA ISSUE DIPLOMATICALLY

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has said that the United Stat es urges a diplomatic solution to the issue of Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija.

Albright told NBC over the weekend that Washington did not want to speak of threats because it urged a diplomatic solution.

She said that Richard Holbrooke, who was recently appointed the United States' Ambassador to the United Nations, would convey the U.S. stand, wh ich put emphasis on diplomacy in the case of Kosovo and Metohija, to lead ers in Belgrade later in the week.

Holbrooke will visit Yugoslavia together with U.S. Ambassador to Macedo nia Christopher Hill.

[11] MINISTER APPEALS TO STOP VIOLENCE ESCALATING IN KOSOVO

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Serbian Minister for Family Care Rada Trajkovic called on Monday for a s top to the dramatic escalation of violence in Kosovo and Metohija by whic h children suffered the most, said a statement released by the Ministry.

Trajkovic appealed to the international community and everyone concerned , for urgent measures that would put an end to the tragic and "dramatic e scalation of violence by ethnic Albanian terrorists and separatists."

The abduction of Novica Vujisic (17, 1998) from Klina, and the murder of his friend Oliver Zajic, were a fearful warning "that this it is the las t moment to stop terrorists from committing violence."

They must be persuaded to decide on a peaceful solution to the problem, so that the fundamental right of all people, the right to live, may be pr otected, the statement said.

[12] AFANASYEVSKI VISITS PRISTINA

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Nikolai Afanasyevski and the Russian Amb assador in Belgrade talked in Pristina on Monday with the coordinator of Serbian state bodies in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, Andra Milos avljevic, and Kosovo district chief Veljko Odalovic, the provincial Infor mation Secretariat said.

Afanasyevski said at the beginning of the talks that he rated highly the visit of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to Moscow which led to a number of concrete stands and measures for overcoming the situation in Ko sovo and Metohija.

Afanasyevski pointed to the stand of the international community that t here can be no talk about the independence of Kosovo and to the need for condemning unequivocally the terrorism of the so*called KLA.

Milosavljevic said that the decisions of the Serbian Government on the r eturn of refugees, rebuilding of houses, supplying the population and coo peration with the International Red Cross and Commissariat for Refugees w ere being carried out successfully. In that respect, steps are being made with a view to establishing confidence between members of the Albanian n ational minority and the State of Serbia.

Odalovic said that the international community should exert positive pre ssure on the leaders of Albanian political parties to condemn terrorism, renounce the idea of the independence and accept dialogue without conditi ons, as the only way for a peaceful solution to problems in Kosovo and Me tohija, the statement said.

[13] AFANASYEVSKI: RUSSIA FAVOURS QUICK CONTINUATION OF NEGOTIATIONS

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Stopping terrorism is the chief condition for reduction and withdrawal o f police and security forces from Kosovo and Metohija, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said on Monday.

Nikolai Afanasyevski told reporters that Russia, as other members of th e international community, strongly condemned terrorism, and believed it should be stopped as a chief condition for a reduction and withdrawal of security forces from the provice.

The purpose of my visit to Kosovo and Metohija, said Afanasyevski, is to become acquainted with the situation. I have gathered through contacts a nd talks that it is still very complex.

My task is to see what can be done and to see the quick implementation o f the joint statement made by presidents Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavi a and Boris Yeltsin of Russia, and signed in Moscow last week.

Afanasyevski said it was most urgent for negotiations to be renewed, an d main roads in Kosovo and Metohija unblocked.

There are many problems in Kosovo and Metohija, said Afanasyevski. We wi sh to see them successfully resolved, and are prepared to contribute tow ard bringing them to an end, said Afanasyevski.

[14] LILIC: WESTERN STANCE SPURS ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

A ranking Yugoslav official says that Albania's open support and the wor ld's indirect support for ethnic Albanian terrorists are the greatest obs tacles to political dialogue as the only way to settle the problem of Kos ovo*Metohija.

Yugoslav Vice Premier Zoran Lilic is speaking in an interview for the Be lgrade daily "Vecernje Novosti", the first instalment of which the daily carries in its issue for Tuesday.

Lilic says that, "instead of pressure and threats, the world would best help solve the Kosovo*Metohija problem if it stopped the arming of ethnic Albanian terrorists and their infiltration in this Province of the Yugos lav Republic of Serbia.

"The western states can certainly do this, because their intelligence se rvices know full well that the terrorists are being trained in Albania, S witzerland, Germany, Turkey... They also know how the terrorists are fina nced and armed and how and where they are infiltrated into the territory of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," Lilic said.

"The only question is whether the world will use its authority for peace and for a political settlement for Kosovo*Metohija, or will abuse it to the point where it will itself soon feel the consequences of supporting t errorism in Serbia's Province," he said.

[15] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENTARIANS TO TAKE PART IN COUNCIL OF EUROPE SESSION

Tanjug, 1998-06-22

Yugoslav Parliamentarians, headed by Chamber of Citizens (lower house, 1998) Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Ljubisa Ristic, arrived in Strasbo urg on Monday to take part in a Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly session.

The session will last until June 26. The Yugoslav Parliamentary Delegati on includes also Chamber of Republics (upper house, 1998) Deputy Milan Bo zic, Chamber of Citizens Deputy Slobodan Krapovic, Chamber of Citizens' F oreign Policy Committee Secretary Dusan Maksic and Ambassador at the Yugo slav Foreign Ministry Branko Brankovic.

The delegation arrived in Strasbourg at an invitation by Parliamentary Assembly Speaker Leni Fischer.

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