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Yugoslav Daily Survey, 98-10-07Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: Yugoslavia <http://www.yugoslavia.com>Yugoslav Daily SurveyCONTENTS
[01] YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT RECEIVES U.S. ENVOYSTanjug, 1998-10-06Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic resumed consultations on the curre nt situation in Serbia's Province of Kosovo and Metohija on Tuesday with U.S. Envoys Richard Holbrooke and Christopher Hill. Taking part in the talks were Serbian President Milan Milutinovic, Yugos lav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic and U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Belg rade Richard Miles. [02] US PRESS ON ANNAN'S REPORT ON KOSOVO-METOHIJATanjug, 1998-10-06The UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's report which was made public on Mo nday is used by a part of the US press as a justification for continuing to advocate a military intervention, while some dailies, including the Ne w York Times, point to facts demonstrating that the situation in the Prov ince is different from the image put forward by the "hawks" in the US Adm inistration. Something is wrong with Annan's report, the New York Times and Washingto n Post hint on Tuesday, pointing out that Annan has admitted that he only had second-hand reports on the situation and was therefore unable to say whether positive developments had been registered in Serbia's Province. The dailies also carry testimonies of diplomats who visited the Province , which contain a grain of truth among overwhelming fabrications. The New York Times thus reports that there has been no fighting in central Kosov o- Metohija since last Thursday. Diplomatic observers from the US, the European Union and Russia are free to go anywhere in the Province and have reported that the Yugoslav Army has withdrawn to barracks, that they have witnessed no military operation s since last week and that there may have been only some isolated and spo radic shootings, the daily writes. The New York Times also quotes an unnamed NATO officer as saying that co mpliance with commitments was moving in a positive direction. Such testimonies are obviously contrary to the claims of the most milita nt US officials, which demonstrates that even testimonies by western obse rvers are being deformed and misrepresented. Meanwhile, the US press reports on the meeting on Monday in Belgrade bet ween Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic and US envoy Richard Hoilbrook e note that the Yugoslav side had underlined its commitment to a politica l solution for Kosovo-Metohija, and some media note that Yugoslavia had c riticized the US threats of aggression as a criminal act. [03] GREECE AGAINST MILITARY INTERVENTION IN YUGOSLAVIATanjug, 1998-10-06A potential NATO military intervention in Yugoslavia "would be a heavy b low against all peoples in the Balkans," Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yo rgos Papandreou has told the Tuesday issue of the Vienna daily Kurier. "The launching of a military intervention would mean that we are incapab le of resolving our problems on our own," he said. The Greek Deputy Foreign Minister questioned the purpose of a possible b ombing of positions in Yugoslavia. "Can bombing secure a compromise betwe en Serbs and ethnic Albanians and would this prevent the spillover of the crisis to neighbouring states," he wondered. He also said that he saw t he will for a compromise solution on the Yugoslav side. However, Papandreou said that Greece would have to abide by a potential U.N. resolution giving green light for a NATO military intervention. [04] CHIRAC SAYS NATO ACTION CAN STILL BE AVOIDEDTanjug, 1998-10-06French President Jacques Chirac said on Tuesday that NATO action in Serb ia's southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija could still be avoided. Ita ly's ANSA news agency quoted Chirac as saying at a news conference in Flo rence, Italy, where a traditional Italian-French summit is taking place, that it was vital that army troops withdraw from Kosovo and Metohija and that relief aid be sent immediately to help civilians in the Province. He said the next few days would be decisive for a final decision on possibl e NATO intervention. [05] CHINA IS OPPOSED TO THREATS AND USE OF FORCETanjug, 1998-10-06China is opposed to the NATO threats to launch a military attack on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY, 1998), Peking said on Tuesday. "Chin a has always been opposed to the use of force and threats to apply force in international relations," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Zhu Bangc ao told a regular press conference responding to a question by a reporter of the Central Chinese Television. He set out that China "is very concerned about the latest developments r egarding Kosovo." "The international community should come out with a comprehensive asses sment of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija in a manner which seeks the truth on the basis of facts," Zhu said. He pointed out that "major armed clashes in Kosmet have ended," that the "overall situation is calming down" and that "the relevant sides have co me up with new proposals for a political solution to the problmes in Koso vo, through negotiations." He expressed hope that a dialogue would shortl y be resumed. "China believes that a peaceful solution of the Kosmet issue through a d ialogue, on condition of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integ rity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and with the securing of right s which would be to the advantage of all its nationalities, is the sole w ay for the resolution of the problems in Kosmet," Zhu set out. He concluded that the international community, in its movement towards t hese goals, should act in keeping with the norms of international law and the principles and aims of the United Nations. [06] UKRAINIAN PARLIAMENT OPPOSES NATO INTERVENTION IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJATanjug, 1998-10-06The Ukrainian Parliament on Tuesday opposed a NATO intervention in Serbi a's southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija, and said the issue should b e resolved strictly by peaceful means, according to the Russian news agen cy Itar-Tass. "Some military forces want to use arms in the Balkans. They have chosen Serbia as the target of their attacks and the only guilty si de," the Ukrainian Parliament said in a statement. The Parliament urged t he resolution of the "issue of autonomy for Kosovo and Metohija by peacef ul, civilized means, coupled with the protection of the state's territori al integrity." [07] PEACEFUL WAYS FOR SETTLING KOSOVO CRISIS ARE NOT EXHAUSTEDTanjug, 1998-10-06Russian Army Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Vladislav Putilin said on Tuesda y that all conditions existed for finding a peaceful settlement in Kosovo and Metohija and that Russia's armed forces had everything they needed f or carrying out all orders by the Russian President and Government if the situation deteriorated. Putilin could not say anything about the potential orders. "We don't kno w what the developments will be, but we are ready to carry out all orders ," Putilin said. He said that the Russian military top and the state leadership believed that not all ways for the resolution of the conflict in Kosovo and Metohi ja had been exhausted. Russia's stand on the issue is that all condition s exist in Kosovo for resolving the crisis in a peaceful way, he said. Putilin said that a NATO intervention would result in the deterioration of the situation in the region. Answering to reporters' questions, Putilin said that within the army ref orm, Russia's armed forces had set up units in the state of permanent com bat preparedness, fully equipped with arms and combat equipment. "The carrying out of international obligations Russia has on the preserv ation of peace, including regions in the former Yugoslavia, testifies abo ut this," Putilin said. [08] CHANCES FOR PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT GROWING * RUSSIAN OFFICIALTanjug, 1998-10-06The Russian diplomacy believes that chances are growing for a peaceful o utcome in the resolution of Kosovo problems, a ranking Russian Foreign Mi nistry official told the Interfax news agency. He said that after the Sun day visit of a high-ranking Russian delegation to Belgrade, there was gro und for hopes that a NATO military operation could be averted, although the implementation of force had seemed unavoidable just days before. The Russian Ministry believes that some Western media "war cries" regard ing Kosovo and Metohija have a propaganda purpose, since they are no long er based on the realistic situation, said the diplomat who wished to rema in anomymous. He said Moscow had observed that the West was trying to ignore or downpl ay the importance of the visit to Belgrade by Russian Foreign Minister Ig or Ivanov and Defence Minister Igor Sergeyev. [09] LAVROV: RUSSIA SUPPORTS YUGOSLAV INVITATION TO ANNANTanjug, 1998-10-06Russia backs a Yugoslav Government invitation to UN Secretary General Ko fi Annan and the Security Council to visit Yugoslavia and see the positiv e processes and efforts put in by Serbian bodies to improve the situatio n in its Province of Kosovo and Metohija. Russian Ambassador to the UN Se rgei Lavrov said this ahead of Tuesday's meeting of the UN Security Counc il. [10] SELEZNYOV: DUMA WOULD TAKE VERY STRICT POSITIONTanjug, 1998-10-06Russian Duma President Gennady Seleznyov said on Tuesday that, in case N ATO attacked Yugoslavia, the Russian Federal Parliament's Lower Chamber w ould "take a very strict position and demand that Russia sever all its ag reements with the North Atlantic Alliance." This would "complicate Russi an- NATO relations and is not in NATO's interests to initiate such a provo cation," Seleznyov told journalists. Asked how far Russia could go in the denouncaition of possible attacks o n Yugoslavia, Seleznyov said: "We are not preparing to declare war on NAT O." According to Seleznyov, "Yugoslavia would respond correspondingly if NAT O aircraft were to invade Yugoslav air space." "I have no doubt about th is," he stated. Judging by reports in today's Moscow press, Russian military experts als o have the same view. The Itar-Tass news agency quoted an estimate by the Russian Institute fo r Defensive Research that, in case of an attack on Yugoslavia, "the NATO attack force would sustain unavoidable losses." Russian diplomats and military commanders who, it is said, are well info rmed about the power of the Yugoslav anti-aircraft defence, urge the reso lution of the conflicting situation through peaceful and political means. [11] YELTSIN AND CHIRAC DISCUSS SITUATION IN KOSMETTanjug, 1998-10-06Russian President Boris Yeltsin said in a telephone conversation with Fr ench President Jacques Chirac on Tuesday that the use of force in Kosovo and Meothija would not only fail to calm the situation, but would also ha ve serious international consequences. In a statement by Yeltsin's Press Service, the Russian President informed Chirac in detail about Russia's recent additional efforts for reaching a political solution to the Kosmet problem. Yeltsin underscored the fact that the Yugoslav leadership had adopted a number of concrete decisions aimed at the normalization of the situation in Kosmet and that these decisions were made only a day after talks with a Russian delegation in Belgrade. The decision of the Yugoslav Government and Parliament to invite the OSC E to send a mission to Kosmet, offers the international community a reali stic possibility to efficiently monitor the situation in the Province, Ye ltsin said. Chirac praised the Russian efforts and notied an advancement in the Yugo slav leadership's position. He expressed hope that Yugoslavia would fully implement the measures for the realization of the U.N. Security Council resolution and very soon secure the start of negotiations with the Kosme t Albanians on the issue of autonomy. Yeltsin and Chirac agreed to continue regular contacts and coordinate ef forts for resolving the situation regarding Kosovo and Meothija, the stat ement said. [12] MONTENEGRIN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS CONCLUSIONS ON KOSOVO-METOHIJATanjug, 1998-10-06The Montenegrin Parliament adopted on Tuesday afternoon conclusions on t he current situation in Serbia's southern Province of Kosovo-Metohija and the means of resolving it, urging the international community to forgo t he plans for a military intervention against Yugoslavia. The Montenegrin Parliament urged all relevant international factors to r econsider the appropriateness of the use of force as a means of resolving the situation in Kosovo-Metohija, and to forgo the plans for a military intervention. The effects of a military intervention would be the worst for the innoce nt population, and would jeopardize peace, security and democracy in a lo ng term, the Parliament said. The Montenegrin Parliament also requested compliance with all commitment s made at the recent meeting between Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevi c and Russian President Boris Yeltsin, those contained in the Security Co uncil Resolution 1199 and its statement and other documents. The parliament advocated inviting representatives of the UN, US, Europea n Union, OSCE and other organizations and institutions to visit Kosovo-Me tohija to witness the compliance with the commitments. It also pointed to the importance of inter-ethnic and inter-religious tolerance in Monteneg ro. The vote on the conclusions was 34 in favor, 18 against, 2 abstentions. [13] IVANOV RECEIVES U.S. AMBASSADORTanjug, 1998-10-06Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov received on Tuesday U.S. Ambassador in Moscow James Collins and warned Washington that Russia opposed any us e of force in Serbia's Province of Kosovo and Metohija. Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Vladimir Rakhmanin said after the mee ting that the two parties "examined the situation pertaining to Kosovo an d Metohija." Ivanov underscored the need for coordinated activity of the two countrie s within the UN Security Council, the OSCE and the Contact Group, as well as through bilateral channels, Rakhmanin said. Cooperation is imperative "in the interest of continuing a political sol ution to the Kosovo problem and preventing any kind of military adventure , " Ivanov said. [14] SERBIAN DEPUTY PM SAYS ALL WEAPONS WILL BE USED TO DEFEND COUNTRYTanjug, 1998-10-06Serbian Deputy Premier Vojislav Seselj said on Tuesday that the Governme nt would prevent all attempts to weaken the defense effort in these criti cal times, adding that a document would be passed to regulate the work of the media. "We do not mean to persecute anyone, but we do intend to muster all pote ntials in the defense of the country and drive out all those who stand in the way of our defending our country," said Seselj in an interview with Belgrade's Radio B-92. He said that some private media had abused freedo m of the press and had placed themselves in the service of foreign master s waging psychological war on and openly acting against the state. "In this strained security situation, we shall not allow anyone to work against the state and cramp our efforts to protect the state and national interests," he said. "The Government will prevent foreign spies' programs being broadcast thr ough our media," said Seselj, stressing that these programs were part of a propaganda war aimed at conditioning the mind of the people to western interests. He said that the Government had circulated to the media a recommendation not to transmit broadcasts by foreign spies and that a binding document to this effect was due Wednesday or Thursday, which would specify punishm ent for its violation. This punishment would entail banning of a newshouse, seizure of equipmen t and possible prosecution, said Seselj. He explained that this was not persecution but valid enforcement of the law. NATO wants Serbia's southern Province of Kosovo and Metohija, but the Go vernment is determined that there will be no bargaining about territory, said Seselj. He said that the Government had practically defeated ethnic Albanian ter rorism in Kosovo and Metohija, which was something NATO had not expected. He went on to explain that there may not have been threats of air strike s if the Government had not so thoroughly crushed the ethnic Albanian ter rorism. "The parties in power are united on what we can and what we cannot accep t, " said Seselj. "If we give Kosovo away, we lose everything," he said an d stressed that the people and all major political parties were agreed th at the state must be defended by all available means. "The threat of air strikes is serious and the state is getting ready for defense," he said and hoped that China and Russia would veto a motion in the U.N. Security Council to attack our country, "because by defending u s they will be defending themselves." Seselj vowed that, in case of an aggression, Serbia would strike back ag ainst the nearest targets. [15] LUKASHENKO SAYS BELARUS IS READY TO ASSIST YUGOSLAVIATanjug, 1998-10-06Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday said his country was r eady to assist Yugoslavia in all ways, including militarily. "We will len d Yugoslavia all the support and assistance that our brothers Slavs may n eed, and will do so unconditonally," Lukashenko told the Russian news age ncy Itar-Tass. The Belarus President specified that Minsk was ready to aid Belgrade mil itarily too. Yugoslav Daily Survey Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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