Yugoslav Daily Survey, 99-01-18

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

Yugoslav Daily Survey

CONTENTS

[01] SERBIAN GOVERNMENT ON THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

[01] SERBIAN GOVERNMENT ON THE SITUATION IN KOSOVO AND METOHIJA

Tanjug, 1999-01-15

The Serbian Government reviewed during a session held in Pristina, chief city of Kosovo and Metohija, the political, security, economic and socia l situation in Serbia's southern province.

President of Kosovo and Metohija's Provisional Executive Council Zoran A ndjelkovic submitted at the session, chaired by Premier Mirko Marjanovic, a report on the situation in the province.

A failure to take part in the political dialogue by a part of the Albani an national minority that opposes a political solution and obstructs the political process for the province directly encourages crimes by terroris t gangs, said a statement issued by the Serbian Information Ministry.

The government stresses that the calming of the situation in Kosovo and Metohija creates conditions for the resumption and acceleration of the po litical process, in the interests of all living in the province, and that all perpetrators of acts of terrorism must be punished for the crimes th ey have committed, the statement said.

Terrorism is an evil to all. The government demands that the internation al community puts an end to its double-standard policy, condemns terroris m and makes it impossible for the terrorists to enjoy support from abroad , the statement said.

The government expects the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE, 1998) Verification Mission to Kosovo and Metohija to act in line with its mandate and present the truth to the world public about re al causes of problems in Kosovo and Metohija, the terrorists' crimes, and efforts by Serbia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to find a polit ical solution to problems in the province and in this way consistently co mply with their commitments provided for by the agreement reached between the Yugoslav Government and the OSCE, the statement said.

Kosovo and Metohija is Serbia's strategic interest and its major issue. The preservation of Kosovo and Metohija is a goal upon which the people a re unanimous. The province's future rests in full equality of all living in it. The key to the political resolution of the issue and stable peace and situation in Kosovo and Metohija lies in equality of all citizens and ethnic communities. All responsible political factors have tried to give full contribution, based on the principle, to the reaching of a joint ag reement among ethnic communities. The government clearly demonstrated thi s stand through the political platform and principles of October 13, 1998 , that can constitute a basis for a lasting, just and democratic solution to problems in the province. They are fully in line with the agreement t hat Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has reached with the internatio nal community, the statement said.

The government reiterates its commitment to the resolution of problems i n Kosovo and Metohija through political dialogue only as well as through the respect of Serbia's and Yugoslavia's territorial integrity and sovere ignty and the principle of full equality of citizens and ethnic communiti es. The government calls again on representatives of ethnic Albanian poli tical parties to join the political dialogue with representatives of all ethnic communities living in the province, to condemn and renounce terror ism and find together with all others political solutions that will secur e equality and eliminate the possibility of an ethnic group being outvote d or discriminated in any way, the statement said.

The government reiterates that, this year, it will continue, within its overall economic policy and reforms, intensive measures for the revival o f production, economic recovery, and construction of houses and infrastru ctural facilities with an aim of creating better living conditions for al l living in Kosovo and Metohija, by activating trained personnel and econ omic and natural resources. Projects to this end will secure a speedier d evelopment of this part of Serbia, more jobs and higher living standards for all regardless of their ethnic or religious origin, the statement sai d.

The statement said the government had paid tribute to Yugoslav Army troo ps and Serbian police for their professional, brave, honourable and patri otic conduct in fulfilling obligations, stressing that they should contin ue protecting the people and the state in line with their constitutional and legal responsibilities and obligations.

The government positively assessed activity to date by Kosovo and Metohi ja's Provisional Executive Council in strengthening civilian bodies of po wer, the functioning of the adminstration, and in speedier and more effic acious resolution of citizens' vital problems, the statement said.

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