Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-06-29

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Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] FOREIGN MINISTER JOVANOVIC RECEIVED SOUTH AFRICA'S OUTGOING AMBASSADOR

[02] YUGOSLAV BORDER GUARDS PREVENT ENTRY OF TERRORISTS FROM ALBANIA

[03] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS ATTACK BORDER GUARDS

[04] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS KILL A POLICEMAN

[05] TERRORISTS ABDUCT THREE ETHNIC ALBANIANS

[06] YUGOSLAV ARMY ATTACKED FROM ALBANIA IN TWO GRAVE BORDER INCIDENTS

[07] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS KIDNAP THREE ETHNIC ALBANIANS

[08] KOSOVO AND METOHIJA MONASTERIES, MONUMENTS BELONG TO THE WORLD HERITAGE

[09] PLAVSIC: KOSMET IS SERBIA'S INTERNAL AFFAIR

[10] ANOTHER VICTIM OF A TERRORIST ATTACK

[11] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS KIDNAP THREE SERBS

[12] D.P.R. KOREA: KOSMET IS AN INTERNAL ISSUE OF YUGOSLAVIA

[13] HOLBROOKE: FOR PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF ISSUES IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

[14] RUSSIA CONFIDENT OF PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO KOSMET ISSUE

[15] AFANASYEVSKI BLAMES KOSOVO-METOHIJA VIOLENCE ON KLA

[16] AFANASYEVSKI: BELGRADE OBSERVES ALL AGREEMENTS

[17] MORINA MEETS WITH OGATA

[18] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS AGAIN ATTACK THE VILLAGE OF KIJEVO

[19] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT DELEGATION TO VISIT POLAND

[20] POLAND AND YUGOSLAVIA INITIAL ACCORD ON AIR TRAFFIC

[21] YUGOSLAVIA AND CUBA SIGN PROGRAMME OF CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION

[22] YUGOSLAVIA FOR DEMONOPOLIZATION OF WORLD MEDIA

[23] THE SESSION AT CRANS MONTANA CANCELLED

[24] YUGOSLAV PM ON YUGOSLAVIA'S ROLE IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

[25] YUGOSLAV PREMIER MEETS WITH SWISS PRESIDENT

[26] TWO PERSONS KILLED IN A TERRORIST ATTACK

[27] NEW CONTRACT SIGNED ON USE OF RADIO-TELEVISION FREQUENCIES

[28] MIRKOVIC RECEIVED A GREEK PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION

[29] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED RUSSIAN ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER AFANASYEVSKI

[01] FOREIGN MINISTER JOVANOVIC RECEIVED SOUTH AFRICA'S OUTGOING AMBASSADOR

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic received on Friday South Afr ica's outgoing Ambassador in Belgrade Tim Maseko.

Jovanovic and Maseko discussed cooperation between the two countries, es pecially the promotion of economic cooperation and political dialogue.

[02] YUGOSLAV BORDER GUARDS PREVENT ENTRY OF TERRORISTS FROM ALBANIA

Tanjug, 1998-06-28

Yugoslav border guards prevented a group of armed Albanians from illegal ly crossing the border into Yugoslavia in an area west of Prizren at abou t 3 a.m. local time on Sunday.

Following this incident, in which fire was exchanged, Yugoslav border gu ards found a large quantity of arms and military equipment, said the Medi a Centre, quoting municipal authorities of Prizren.

The source said there were no casualties.

[03] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS ATTACK BORDER GUARDS

Tanjug, 1998-06-28

Groups of armed ethnic Albanians on several occasions opened automatic f ire and fired mortars at Yugoslav Army troops providing food for border g uards in the area around Djakovica on Saturday, the Pristina Media Centre said on Sunday.

A line of army vehicles was attacked near the Kosare border post at 10 a 2Em. local time, but Yugoslav border guards returned fire and broke up t he attackers, Djakovica municipal authorities said.

Border guards were attacked near the Morina border post at 4:30 p.m., a nd troops again returned fire.

In both incidents, troops seized major quantities of arms and ammunition , said the Media Centre in Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija.

[04] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS KILL A POLICEMAN

Tanjug, 1998-06-28

Policeman Pero Tintor (27, 1998) was killed near the town of Prilep, on the road Decani-Djakovica, at 4:30 hrs local time on Sunday, the Pristina Media Centre said.

A group of armed ethnic Albanian terrorists had launched an attack on th e police checkpoint on that road, the Media Centre learned from the munic ipal authorities of Decani in Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province.

Police had returned fire, the Media Centre report said.

[05] TERRORISTS ABDUCT THREE ETHNIC ALBANIANS

Tanjug, 1998-06-27

An armed group of ethnic Albanians from Serbia's southern province of Ko sovo and Metohija (Kosmet, 1998) abducted three ethnic Albanians in the v illage of Donje Godance, municipality of Stimlje, late on Friday, the Pri stina Media Centre said on Saturday.

The abducted men are: Agim Ademi, who took part in the talks with a Serb ian Government delegation in Pristina, Stimlje municipal assembly employe e Veselj Ahmeti, and farmer Sucri Zumeri.

Citizens of Stimlje have said all three men had urged ethnic harmony in Kosovo and Metohija, the Media Centre said.

[06] YUGOSLAV ARMY ATTACKED FROM ALBANIA IN TWO GRAVE BORDER INCIDENTS

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

The Yugoslav Army reported on Friday two grave border incidents provoked by armed terrorist gangs on the Yugoslav-Albanian border.

The 3rd Army Press Service issued a statement saying that, at about 1:30 p.m., a large group of armed Albanian nationals tried to force its way f rom Albania into the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the vicinity of th e Kosare border post. The group opened fire from small arms on Yugoslav b order guards.

At the same time, ethnic Albanian terrorists in the village of Junik in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province launched a n attack on the army border guards, timed to coincide with that from Alba nia.

The border guards responded to both attacks with force.

After regrouping, the terrorist repeated their synchronised attacks at a bout 2:30 p.m., provoking a powerful counter-attack from the Yugoslav bor der guards.

The Yugoslav Army killed 3 terrorists and 15 horses and seized a large q uantity of weapons, ammunition and military equipment in the two operatio ns.

The army had no casualties, the statement said.

[07] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS KIDNAP THREE ETHNIC ALBANIANS

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

A group of armed ethnic Albanians kidnapped on Friday in the village of Batus, north-west of Djakovica, three ethnic Albanians * Zejnel Batus, Ru stem Bajrami and Jasar Zejneli, Pristina Media Center said.

Armed ethnic Albanians, members of the separatist so-called "Kosovo Libe ration Army", drove away from the village almost all ethnic Albanians who had returned to the village after the clashes there twenty days ago.

Municipal authorities in Djakovica said that three ethnic Albanians were kidnapped because they persuaded Albanians to return to the village and that the Yugoslav Army would guarantee their security.

The Yugoslav Army brought twenty days ago to the Batus village larger su pplies of food as aid.

[08] KOSOVO AND METOHIJA MONASTERIES, MONUMENTS BELONG TO THE WORLD HERITAGE

Tanjug, 1998-06-27

Serbian monasteries and monuments in Kosovo and Metohija should be place d under UNESCO's protection, said renowned environmentalist Franz Weber, who has for a number of years been working on conservation of nature and cultural heritage worldwide.

Weber has been on a tour of Kosovo and Metohija, visiting many Serbian m onsteries and monuments. On Friday, he visited the Serbian Orthodox Patri archate in Pec, the Visoki Decani monastery in Decani, Bogorodica Ljevisk a and the Episcopate in Prizren.

"As soon as I get back to Switzerland, I shall demand on behalf of milli ons and millions of people that UNESCO put all these monuments and the en tire Kosovo and Metohija, which is replete with masterpieces, under its p rotection. This is world heritage. I shall do my very best to find respon sible people in Europe who will organize a UNESCO-sponsored conference, b ecause this is a peace action in the interest of Europe as a continent", Weber said.

"Although some journalists claim that I have been won over by the Serbs and that they have been using me for their purposes, I shall, nevertheles s, do my utmost to have the journalists and the world community realize w hat the historical monuments in Kosovo and Metohija, those masterpieces, mean to the Serb," said Weber.

In order to protect all that cultural heritage, Weber believes that inte rnational conference should be held in Geneva or in another city in Switz erland and that idea, as he explained, was at the same time the purpose o f his cultural mission.

Speaking about the fact that Kosovo Albanian terrorists had increased th e number of attacks on the Serbian monuments, Weber said that he had face d the problem ten days earlier and that he had meanwhile arranged a trip for more than 20 foreign reporters to see the Serbian monuments in Kosovo and Metohija. "This is race against time," he said explaining:"In this way, the public will also learn about the other, apart from the present politicized, side of Kosovo and Metohija".

"One needs to get out of the constraints of politics. Peace can be achie ved through culture, through civilization. These are our roots. It is inc onceivable that the barbarians of the end of the 20th century destroy wha t the barbarians of the past centuries have not managed to destroy."

"Each of these things has another character and it is necessary to prese nt to the international community, the international public, what is real ly here at stake. If the international community understands that, and I hope it will, that will have another effect and reaction from the current ones," Weber said.

"Therefore, it is necessary that all countries know what this is about, since the arms were not made here. It is about arms dealing and the first thing to do is to stop the supply of arms".

"I can say that this is a case of peace and culture. A case of me being influenced by a culture and civilization", said Weber.

Pointing out that "it is more important to write than to remain silent", Weber added:"We shall see to it that we create a sensation in Kosovo and Metohija based on culture".

Speaking about his impressions of the tour of Serbian monuments in Kosov o and Metohija so far, Weber said:"The Visoki Decani monastery has moved me the most. It is blended with the surrounding landscape. That monastery has a certain relationship with the universe and outer space and it is n o coincidence that it was built there. Every one has heard about Notre Da me de Paris, while no one has heard about Decani, which is a masterpiece having the importance and beauty of an ancient Greek temple. This is the place where one feels the breath of spirituality, and I repeat that it wa s not without good reason that it was built there", said the President of the Weber Foundation for the Conversation of Nature and Cultural Heritag e.

[09] PLAVSIC: KOSMET IS SERBIA'S INTERNAL AFFAIR

Tanjug, 1998-06-28

Republika Srpska (RS, 1998) President Biljana Plavsic has said in Jagodi na that "Kosovo and Metohija is a part of Serbian territory and that the problem of Kosmet is solely the problem of Serbian and the Federal Republ ic of Yugoslavia (FRY, 1998)."

"NATO's previous threats to RS and the current ones to Serbia are one an d the same. It seems that they have not changed their methods," Plavsic s aid in a statement to Jagodina Palma Plus television station broadcast l ate Saturday evening.

"At the closure of the 20th century, it is terrible that the 'humanitari an world' speaks about bombing and sanctions," Plavsic said. She added: " I wonder if they ever stopped to consider how their threats sound at this moment, at the end of the millenium?"

Plavsic described as astounding a statement by the Co-Chairmen of the Bo snia-Herzegovina Council of Ministers, Haris Silajdzic, to Japanese news agency Kyodo in which he offerred Bosnian territory as a military base fo r the NATO intervention in Kosmet.

"Mr. Silajdzic is acting from the position of a unitary Bosnia-Herzegovi na, although he is not entitled to this because it is well known how Bosn ia- Herzegovina is described in the Dayton Agreement. His statement does n ot contribute to the stabilization of the situation in the Balkans," Plav sic said. She added that this statement was strongly denounced by the Ser b people and all RS state bodies.

"Silajdzic does not want peace and now it is possible to see how necessa ry it was to divide Bosnia-Herzegovina into two entities," Plavsic said.

[10] ANOTHER VICTIM OF A TERRORIST ATTACK

Tanjug, 1998-06-28

The body of a man aged about 40 years was found on Sunday between the vi llages Medvece and Mamusa near Prizren, Serbia's southern province of Kos ovo and Metohija (Kosmet, 1998).

The man was wearing a blindfold and was shot in the head. He had no pape rs on him.

Prizren police are investigating the case and trying to identify the mur dered man.

There is grounds to believe that this is yet another crime by ethnic Alb anian terrorists.

[11] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS KIDNAP THREE SERBS

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Armed groups of ethnic Albanians kidnapped on Friday morning three Serbs from the village of Pantina, near Vucitrn, Pristina Media Center said.

According to the municipal authorities in Vucitrn, the kidnapped are Ced omirka and Ratko Miljkovic and a member of the Milenkovic family.

Armed groups of ethnic Albanians attacked on Friday morning, around 4:00 , Serbian houses in the village, and most of the Serbs were evacuated. Th e three Serbs were probably kidnapped during evacuation.

In Pantina, municipal authorities in Vucitrn said, there are still sever al Serbs whose fate is unknown.

[12] D.P.R. KOREA: KOSMET IS AN INTERNAL ISSUE OF YUGOSLAVIA

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

The North Korean Foreign Ministry is against pressures by the United Sta tes and western countries on Belgrade and military threats to Yugoslavia on the occasion of the crisis in Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija , and maintains that this is an internal affair of that country.

An official representative of the Pyongyang ministry told a reporter of the Korean Central News Agency KCNA that threats of an armed intervention only further aggravate the Kosmet crisis and seriously jeopardized the s overeignty and territorial integrity of Yugoslavia, the North Korean Emba ssy in Belgrade told Tanjug on Friday.

The issue of Kosmet is in any case an internal affair of Yugoslavia, so that attempts at exerting pressure and interference from outside cannot c ontribute to resolving this problem, said the ministry representative, ad ding the Pyongyang government believed a solution should be sought throug h negotiations and dialogue.

[13] HOLBROOKE: FOR PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF ISSUES IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

U.S. special envoy for the Balkans Richard Holbrooke said in Pristina Fr iday that the U.S. administration will explore all possibilities which co uld lead to a peaceful resolution of problems in Kosovo and Metohija.

Holbrooke said there was no magic formula and solution for peace but poi nted out that the stand of the U.S. Government was to explore all possibi lities which could lead to a peaceful solution.

Holbrooke, in a press conference, said that he had just concluded impor tant talks in Pristina and that he was leaving the region but that his co lleagues * U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Belgrade Richard Miles and U.S. Amba ssador in Skoplje Christopher Hill, would pursue diplomatic activities.

Hill, Holbrooke said, will continue shuttle diplomacy between Belgrade a nd Pristina to help find a peaceful solution.

Holbrooke warned of a very dangerous situation in Kosovo and Metohija an d said that efforts would be pursued to prevent the fighting erupting int o a wider war.

Holbrooke said that NATO paid more attention to Kosovo and Metohija in t he past few days and that the alliance was making plans for action in cas e the fighting flared into wider war.

He said that the decision for moving NATO forces, in the case of the Uni ted States, can be made only by President Bill Clinton.

Holbrooke did not wish to answer some questions. When asked what was Ibr ahim Rugova's stand towards the terrorist "Kosovo Liberation Army", Holbr ooke said that was something they should ask Rugova.

"The "KLA" should be listening to this press conference," Holbrooke said , and specified that the call for dismantling checkpoints on roads concer ned them.

Holbrooke confirmed he met in the morning with the leader of the Kosovo Parliamentary Party Adem Demachi.

Holbrooke said, talking to reporters, that in the next few days shuttle diplomacy would be intensified between Belgrade and Pristina.

[14] RUSSIA CONFIDENT OF PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO KOSMET ISSUE

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

In the effort to resolve the Kosovo problem the most important thing now is to find ways for the active realization of the Moscow statement of th e Presidents of Russia and of Yugoslavia Boris Yeltsin and Slobodan Milos evic, said Russian Foreign Ministry official spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin.

At a regular press conference in Moscow on Friday, Rakhamanin said that the simultaneous missions of Russian and U.S. seniors diplomats Nikolai A fanasyevski and Richard Holbrooke and their meetings and talks in Belgrad e and Pristina are a basis for hope in a political solution of the comple x Kosovo problem.

If at first it seemed that the opposite stands of Moscow and Washington would lead to confrontation, the first Afanasyevski-Holbrooke meeting was an opportunity for exchanging opinions about additional efforts to move the Kosovo situation to the political track, Rakhmanin said.

He said that after the announcing of the joint statement of the Russian and Yugoslav presidents, Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov had ta lked several times with U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to see what can be done for settling the situation in Kosovo.

Rakhmanin said they were working with the Americans and with all Contact Group members in order to give an impetus and find ways for the active r ealization of the Moscow statement, for the parties to start active negot iations.

Rakhmanin assessed that the situation was very complicated and that it w as too early to foresee the results of the extensive multilateral diploma tic activity.

He said that efforts will be pursued up to the Contact Group meeting at the level of political directors of foreign ministries for calming down t ensions in Kosovo, given that the international community is united in it s stand that dialogue was the only way for a peaceful solution to the con flict.

Russia is confident that with joint forces a peaceful solution will be f ound, Rakhmanin said.

[15] AFANASYEVSKI BLAMES KOSOVO-METOHIJA VIOLENCE ON KLA

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister on Friday blamed the terrorist organisat ion calling itself the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA, 1998) for the recent escalation of violence in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's Kosovo and Me othija province.

Nikolai Afanasyevski accused the ethnic-Albanian KLA for its terrorist a ctivity and blamed it for an escalation of violence in the province over the past few days, stressing that foreign observers had confirmed of this 2E

Speaking at a news conference at the Russian Embassy in Belgrade, Afanas yevski said it was Russia's position that Serbia and Yugoslavia were hono uring their obligations under the Moscow statement.

This has been confirmed by the western states, including the United Stat es, according to Afanasyevski, speaking after meeting with Yugoslav Presi dent Slobodan Milosevic earlier in the day.

Afanasyevski said that the Serbian security forces had "shown maximal r estraint" since the Moscow statement, but that there were problems still on the ethnic Albanian side and that it was necessary to isolate terroris m politically and practically.

He went on to say that all countries supporting or condoning ethnic Alba nian terrorism must condemn it in clear terms and withdraw their material , military and financial support.

He specified that this applied both to the neighbouring countries and to all other countries supporting the terrorists.

"Simple statements that terrorism is not permissible are not enough... T he use of terrorism for achieving political goals is unacceptable and we resolutely condemn acts by the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army," he said.

He went on to say that the meeting earlier in the week between U.S. envo y Richard Holbrooke and ethnic Albanian terrorists could not be explained away as an accident.

Afanasyevski said that the main purpose of his visit to the Federal Repu blic of Yugoslavia was to ensure a full implementation of the Moscow stat ement, signed jointly by Milosevic and Russian President Boris Yeltsin te n days ago.

He said that Belgrade had honoured all its obligations under the stateme nt, adding he had received assurances that Serbia was ready to resume tal ks.

However, he said, ethnic Albanians were not as yet ready to resume talks with the government, saying that the role of all international factors s hould be to secure the resumption of talks and prove in practice their d eclarative support for a peaceful settlement.

Commenting on NATO's threats of using force in Kosovo and Metohija, he s aid that Russia took the view that the present situation did not warrant such a course of action.

It was therefore necessary, he added, to end all talk of using force aga inst Yugoslavia and to concentrate all efforts at resuming talks and stop ping the escalation of violence.

He said it was understandable that there were those among Kosovo and Met ohija's ethnic Albanians who would not find a resumption of talks an easy matter, but that they must "manifest courage and vision to the advantage of the region and Europe."

He added that Moscow supported those ethnic Albanian leaders in Kosovo a nd Metohija who backed a peaceful settlement.

A political settlement of all problems was vital to all in Kosovo and Me tohija, Serbia and Yugoslavia, and it was in the interest also of all of Europe, since any other solution would lead to war, and this would be in nobody's interest, he stressed.

[16] AFANASYEVSKI: BELGRADE OBSERVES ALL AGREEMENTS

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Belgrade is carrying out all the agreements reached in Moscow by the pre sidents of Yugoslavia and Russia Slobodan Milosevic and Boris Yeltsin, sa id Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Nikolai Afanasyevski.

After meeting in Belgrade on Friday with Yugoslav President Slobodan Mil osevic, Afanasyevski told Russian reporters, ITAR-Tass news agency said, that the great practical importance of the Russian-Yugoslav summit meeti ng in Moscow had also been noted by U.S. diplomat Richard Holbrooke, with whom he coordinated the activities of the two sides for finding a soluti on to the Kosmet issue.

Afanasyevski said that the telephone talk on Wednesday between Russian F oreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Al bright was also devoted to the working out of a joint stand at this stage.

The Russian diplomat also underlined that Belgrade was ready for resumin g without conditions the dialogue opened on may 15 by President Milosevic and Rugova.

"There can be no talk of the participation of the terrorist "Kosovo Libe ration Army" in the negotiations," said Afanasyevski, adding that Holbroo ke supported that stand.

The Russian diplomat assessed that "western partners are beginning to re alize that threats of military interference of NATO forces in the Kosovo conflict and military exercises near the border were the wrong signal for ethnic Albanian terrorists, who have concluded that they are allowed to do anything."

Afanasyevski said that "the danger of a military conflict has now dimini shed but was still not removed." That is why, he said, all diplomatic eff orts are directed now to finding a political solution to the crisis.

[17] MORINA MEETS WITH OGATA

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Serbian Refugee Commissioner Bratislava Morina met in Geneva on Friday w ith U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata.

In an open talk, Morina informed the High Commissioner about all the mea sures being taken by the Serbian and Yugoslav governments to create condi tions for the safe return of persons displaced because of the terrorist a ctivities in Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija.

Morina repeated the request that Ogata mediate through the UNHCR offices in Belgrade and Tirana for the Serbian Refugee Commissioner to visit Alb ania to gain insight into the situation and appeal to refugees to return to their homes.

The Serbian and Yugoslav governments are realizing a framework plan for settling humanitarian issues and guaranteeing the safe return of displace d persons, for which all conditions have been met.

The two commissioners condemned terrorism and appealed for an end to ter rorist activities and that leaders of political parties resume the begun dialogue with government officials.

Ogata voiced support to the joint statement by presidents Slobodan Milos evic of Yugoslavia and Boris Yeltsin of Russia. She underscored that, reg ardless of the situation in the field, her Commissariat would continue pr oviding humanitarian aid.

[18] ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS AGAIN ATTACK THE VILLAGE OF KIJEVO

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Groups of ethnic Albanians late on Thursday and on Friday launched new a ttacks with automatic weapons at the village of Kijevo near the Pristina- Pec road in the municipality of Klina, the Pristina-based Media Centre re ported.

Local Serbs, who are defending and guarding the village on their own, ha ve so far succeeded in resisting the attacks.

Municipal authorities in Klina said that Kijevo did not have enough food and medicines and that the ethnic Albanian siege and barricades prevente d food convoys from reaching the village.

The siege has also prevented three pregnant Serb women from being transf erred to the Klina hospital.

[19] YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT DELEGATION TO VISIT POLAND

Tanjug, 1998-06-27

A delegation of the Federal Parliament, headed by the Chairman of the Ch amber of Citizens' Board for Defence and Security, Milutin Stojkovic, wil l participate in the 5th session of the European Parliamentary Assembly o n the Orthodox religion held in Warsaw from June 28 * July 1, the Federal Parliament has said.

The Federal Parliament has been a full member of the Assembly since 1995.

The session will focus on problems created in the countries members of t he European Parliamentary Assembly by new sects and consider ways how to resolve this.

The Yugoslav delegation includes the members of the Chamber of Citizens' Board for Foreign Economic Relations, Filip Stojanovic, and the Secretar y of the Chamber of Republics' Board for Foreign Policy and Foreign Econo mic Relations, Zorica Desancic.

[20] POLAND AND YUGOSLAVIA INITIAL ACCORD ON AIR TRAFFIC

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

The governments of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and Poland on Frid ay coordinated and initialled an Air Traffic Accord.

The accord opens new scope to the air carriers in the two countries both for expanding the existing and starting new services, and in the matter of commercial rights on their markets.

The accord, based on internationally accepted provisions, defines other grounds for operation of the air carriers on the Yugoslav and Polish mark ets.

The document was initialled, on the Yugoslav side, by Assistant Minister of Transport Dusan Jovanovic, and on the Polish, by Deputy Director in the Ministry of Transport Civil Aviation Department Grazina Pesjak.

[21] YUGOSLAVIA AND CUBA SIGN PROGRAMME OF CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Yugoslavia and Cuba signed on Friday a Programme of cooperation in the f ield of culture and education for 1998-2000.

The document was signed by the Director of the Ministry's Directorate fo r cultural, educational and sport cooperation Milenko Kasanin and Cuba's Ambassador to Yugoslavia Omar Medina Quintero.

The Programme defines forms of cooperation and actions to be carried out in the next three years, including inter-university cooperation, perform ances by musicians and theatre troupes, art exhibitions, participation in the two countries' cultural events, cooperation between their archives a nd libraries and in preserving their cultural heritage, cooperation betwe en sport organisations and similar.

The Programme also guarantees a high artistic level of the cultural exch ange between the two countries.

[22] YUGOSLAVIA FOR DEMONOPOLIZATION OF WORLD MEDIA

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

The second preparatory meeting of the 3rd Interparliamentary Conference on Security and Cooperation in the Mediterranean, held in Evora, Portugal , and which focused on "Easier Access to Information and Cultural Exchang e in the Region", closed on Saturday by adopting the final report.

The plenary session of parliamentary delegations from over 20 countries of the region and the representatives of several international organizati ons, was addressed by the head of the Yugoslav parliamentary delegation I vica Dacic, who is a federal deputy and the Chairman of the Chamber of Ci tizens' Board for Public Information.

According to the Serbian Radio and Television, Dacic said that the Feder al Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY, 1998), as a multiethnic, multi language a nd multi religious community, attaches great importance to the accessabil ity of information and to cultural exchange in view of the importance of this sphere for cooperation and security in the region.

FRY urges changes in the existing unequal relations in the media sphere, promotion of the flow of information, demonopolization of the media and democratization in international relations, Dacic said. He set out that i n Yugoslavia are published more than 2,800 dailies and magazines and that more than 700 radio and TV stations broadcast their programs.

Dacic said that the exchange in the sphere of information at the interna tional level should contribute to positive integration processes, underst anding and the resolution of conflicts. Political instrumentalization of the media, which is in the interest of only certain international power c entres, can threaten stability in the region and this has been demonstrat ed on the example of the former Yugoslavia but also in the current one, D acic warned. This is why we believe that stronger ties in the information sphere are in the interest of all Mediterranean countries and the entire world peace, Dacic said.

Objective and timely information and approach to information are a majo r element for the resolution of conflicts and an important instrument for reaching peace, Dacic said.

The full return of FRY into all international organizations and institut ions would enable our country to give an even greater contribution to coo peration in the region, especially the information sphere and culture, Da cic said. He proposed the setting up of a coordination body of the parlia ments of Mediterranean countries with the aim of practical cooperation in these spheres.

In the general debate, several Arab representatives voiced disagreement with the domination of western media in the information sphere and their impact on international relations.

The Yugoslav delegation, which includes federal deputies Sladjana Stamen kovic and Zoran Zizic, also conducted a number of bilateral talks with th e hosts and other participants, and with the representatives of several i nternational organizations.

[23] THE SESSION AT CRANS MONTANA CANCELLED

Tanjug, 1998-06-27

The second plenary session on security in southeastern Europe was not he ld in Crans Montana on Saturday. Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke and Albanian Pri me Minister Fatos Nano were among those who should have spoken at the ses sion. Serbian Radio-TV said that the session had not been held because be fore the beginning of the session Holbrooke had insisted to be the only o ne to speak about security in southeastern Europe.

Bulatovic and the Yugoslav delegation did not want to attend the session under these conditions, so they ended their participation at the forum.

In a statement to Serbian Radio-TV, Bulatovic said that this prevented b oth the Yugoslav delegation and representatives of other Balkan countrie s from speaking about security in the region.

"We will stay committed to our arguments also voiced here, in Crans Mont ana, and there are more and more people who accept the reality which exis ts in Kosovo and Metohija," Bulatovic said.

"Through the prevention of our views about Kosovo and Metohija from bein g heard, the world public was denied to be informed about the real state of affairs, because Euro News should have broadcast tonight's session liv e," he said.

Yugoslavia's arguments about Kosovo and Metohija are so strong that the only thing they can do is to keep them secret, Bulatovic said.

[24] YUGOSLAV PM ON YUGOSLAVIA'S ROLE IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

Tanjug, 1998-06-27

Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic on Saturday participated in the Crans Montana Economic and Political Forum and spoke about Yugoslavia's r ole in southeastern Europe.

Bulatovic said that the situation in Kosovo and Metohija should be resol ved in a political way, through a dialogue, with full respect for Yugosla via's territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Serbian Radio-TV reported that the Yugoslav Prime Minister had addressed the participants in the Forum at the first plenary session on Yugoslavia 's role in southeastern Europe in the afternoon.

Bulatovic told the participants that Yugoslavia urged a full reintegrati on in the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and normali sation of relations with the European Union and the Council of Europe.

Yugoslavia urges good relations with all its neighbours and all countrie s in Europe and the world and supports E.U.'s regional policy and the pro cess of speedy linking of southeastern European states, as it was agreed at the Crete summit.

As for the situation in Kosovo and Metohija, Yugoslavia is making effort s aimed at resolving the issue in a political way, through a dialogue, bu t with a full observation of Yugoslavia's territorial integrity and sover eignty.

The international community must condemn ethnic Albanian separatism and terrorism, because the crisis in Kosovo and Metohija does not stem from a narrower or wider autonomy of the Albanian national minority, but from t he separatist policy of some local political leaders, who do not recognis e the state of Serbia and Yugoslavia and who refuse to use their Constitu tional minority right under international standards. Responding to parti cipants' questions, Bulatovic said that Yugoslavia highly appreciated the role of Russia and the Russian diplomacy in the implementation of a stat ement signed in Moscow by Presidents Boris Yeltsin of Russia and Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia.

Bulatovic mentioned a statement by Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeni Prim akov to the effect that it was the Albanian side's turn to show readiness for a dialogue.

The participants were also addressed by Yugoslav Deputy Foreign Minister Radoslav Bulajic, who said that the Yugoslav delegation's participation in the forum and the Yugoslav Prime Minister's speech contributed to the understanding of the situation in the region.

During the morning, Yugoslav Foreign Trade Minister Borislav Vukovic spo ke about an increasing practice in the world of putting pressure on some states through the implementation of sanctions and control of exports.

A session on Danubian cooperation and the importance of free trade zones in Europe's biggest waterway, the Danube-Rhine waterway, was also import ant for Yugoslavia. The coming 50th session of the Danubian Commission, w hich will be held in Belgrade in August, was also discussed, Serbian Radi o-TV said.

[25] YUGOSLAV PREMIER MEETS WITH SWISS PRESIDENT

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Yugoslav Prime Minister Momir Bulatovic met in the Swiss tourist resort of Crans Montana on Friday with Swiss President Flavio Cotti.

Bulatovic heads Yugoslavia's delegation to the World Economic and Politi cal Forum in Crans Montana.

The Bulatovic-Cotti meeting focused on bilateral cooperation and the sit uation in the Yugoslav republic of Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohi ja.

Serbian state radio and television said the two sides had agreed on the need for a negotiated settlement for Kosovo and Metohija, affirming the p osition that Kosovo and Metohija is an internal affair of Serbia and of t he Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

"This was an opportunity for me to present what we see as irrefutable ar guments in behalf of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia."

"The arguments go to prove that Yugoslavia wishes to guarantee to all na tional minorities, including ethnic Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, the exercise and protection of their rights in line with the relevant intern ational norms and standards. Also, that we are determined and have the ob ligation as a state to defend our territorial integrity," Bulatovic said in a statement for Serbian radio and television.

He stressed that, regrettably, these arguments were being kept away from the public by powerful media houses and by the interests of the great ce ntres of power. However, he added, dialogue and contacts such as those in Crans Montana and the irrefutable arguments and truth which was on the s ide of Yugoslavia were helping to protect the national interest and to sp read the truth about Yugoslavia throughout the world.

"I expect that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, in light of its histo ry, tradition, its economic, democratic and political potentials is truly able and determined to take big strides to return to the international c ommunity of nations."

"I expect that the efforts being made by many people, not only the Yugos lav delegation here, but by the Yugoslav ambassadors and ministers in the Federal Government and the governments of its republics (Serbia and Montenegro, 1998) will bear fruit."

"I therefore expect all these efforts to lead to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's being speedily integrated fully and truly in the internatio nal community of nations," he said.

[26] TWO PERSONS KILLED IN A TERRORIST ATTACK

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Two persons were killed in an ambush near the village of Rakos in the Ri ver Drenica valley, Serbia's southern province of Kosovo and Metohija, la te on Thursday.

The bodies of Slavoljub Grozdanovic and Slavko Skrtic were found in a bu llet-ridden car on a nearby route early on Friday, the Pristina-based Med ia Centre said.

Police are looking for perpetrators of the crime.

[27] NEW CONTRACT SIGNED ON USE OF RADIO-TELEVISION FREQUENCIES

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Representatives of the third group of local radio and TV stations, who w ere assigned frequencies in February, signed on Friday in Belgrade with t he Federal Ministry of Telecommunications a contract on temporary use of frequencies.

Yugoslav Telecommunications Minister Dojcilo Radojevic asked the frequen cy users to inform the public objectively in the interest of the country and citizens.

The Yugoslav Ministry of Telecommunications assigned in February 247 fr equencies to radio and television stations from FR Yugoslavia.

[28] MIRKOVIC RECEIVED A GREEK PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION

Tanjug, 1998-06-27

The member of the Foreign Policy Board of the Federal Parliament's Chamb er of Citizens, Cedomir Mirkovic, received on Saturday members of an inte rparty delegation of the Greek Parliament, Dimitrios Alabanos (PASOK, 1998) and Georgios Dzhidzhikostas (New Democracy, 1998) who are in Belgrade to attend the marking of the 200th anniversary of the death of Riga of Fe rraos.

During warm and friendly talks it was concluded that relations between t he two countries are very good and that conditions exist for the further promotion of overall cooperation, especially in the interparliamentary sp here.

The Greek delegation was informed about the current political situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY, 1998) and its efforts for res olving the crisis in Kosmet through political means. Agreement was expres sed with the causes of the problems in Kosovo and Metohija and that separ atism and, most recently, even terrorism were in question.

The Greek parliamentarians agreed that the international community shoul d urgently demonstrate its clear opposition to terrorism and support to t he resolution of problems through a democratic dialogue.

The return of Yugoslavia into international organizations increases the possibility for the faster resolution of open issues regarding Kosmet and , in this respect, the importance of friendly countries such as Greece wa s stressed by Mirkovic.

The Greek delegation set out that their country's obligation is to suppo rt FRY's return into all international organizations.

[29] PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC RECEIVED RUSSIAN ASSISTANT FOREIGN MINISTER AFANASYEVSKI

Tanjug, 1998-06-26

Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic received on Friday Russia's Assist ant Foreign Minister Nikolai Afanasyevski at the close of his visit to Yu goslavia.

In a cordial talk, which dealt with current issues of mutual interest, s trong determination was stressed to promote still further all-round relat ions between the two countries.

Yugoslavia and Russia hold the identical stand that Yugoslavia's territo rial integrity and sovereignty must not be jeopardised in any way, that a n end must be put to terrorist attacks in Serbia's province of Kosovo and Metohija and to different ways of spurring them, that they must be unequ ivocally condemned and that political dialogue, which is the essential wa y of solving open issues in the province, must resume.

Also present were Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic and Russia 's Ambassador in Belgrade Yuri Kotov.

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