>BELGRADE, 22 August 2000 C O N T E N T S : YUGOSLAVIA - RUSSIA - PRESIDENT >MILOSEVIC EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO PRESIDENT > >FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA - YUGOSLAVIA'S CHIEF OF STAFF GIVES >INTERVIEW ON MILITARY DOCTRINE - YUGOSLAV ELECTORAL COMMISSION CHIEF INITIATES >PREPARATIONS FOR POLLS > >YUGOSLAVIA - INDIA - YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER JOVANOVIC SENDS MESSAGE TO >INDIAN COUNTERPART > >YUGOSLAVIA - DENMARK - YUGOSLAVIA AND DENMARK HOLD CONSULTATIONS IN COPENHAGEN > >YUGOSLAVIA - UNHCR - UNHCR TO CARRY OUT A NEW REFUGEE CENSUS IN YUGOSLAVIA >THIS YEAR > >KOSOVO AND METOHIJA - INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS - SCHARPING EXPRESSES CONCERN >ABOUT SITUATION IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA > >SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA - SERBIAN MINISTER: U.N. >KOSOVO-METOHIJA ENVOY UNDER INVESTIGATION - U.N.-STORMED TREPCA'S WORKERS >CONTINUE PROTESTS * * * > >YUGOSLAVIA - RUSSIA PRESIDENT MILOSEVIC EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO PRESIDENT PUTIN >BELGRADE, Aug 22 (Tanjug).- Following the tragic death of the crew of Russian >submarine Kursk, Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic addressed to his >Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin a message expressing his deepest >condolences to the Russian people and the families of the deceased on behalf >of Yugoslavia's people and leadership. > >FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA YUGOSLAVIA'S CHIEF OF STAFF GIVES >INTERVIEW ON MILITARY DOCTRINE BELGRADE, Aug 21 (Tanjug).- Yugoslavia's >recently adopted military doctrine is a science-based and experience-tested >system of organizing, training, deployment and safety of the Yugoslav Army in >war and peace both at present and in the future, Chief of General Staff >General Nebojsa Pavkovic said in an interview published Monday by the Belgrade >daily Politika. Pavkovic underlined that the doctrine duly takes into account >Yugoslavia's general capabilities, is founded on international law and >humanitarian law, abides by all international charters, resolutions and >agreements, and reflects Yugoslavia's lasting and traditional adherence to >peace and freedom. The public has demonstrated a great interest in the >document in the present situation characterized by the use of military force >in international relations and the attempts of the single world super-power - >the US - to create a unipolar world, Pavkovic said. The military doctrine is >neither a policy, an economy, a technology nor a science, it is a document >comprising specific instructions to the military profession on its place, >role, purpose and tasks in confronting various forms and methods of military >threats to national security and takes into account the achievements of all >the mentioned fields of human endeavour, Pavkovic said. Underlining that the >fundamental message of Yugoslavia's military doctrine is peace as the basic >precondition for general development of all world nations and states, Pavkovic >noted that the military option unfortunately increasingly prevails today in >international relations. Defensive strategies and doctrines are applied by >countries favouring peace and peaceful settlement of all issues, and by >countries which are unable to keep the pace of contemporary trends of >development of the deadliest armament systems, Pavkovic said. Contemporary >strategies and doctrines are conditioned by the aspirations of neighbouring >states and by the present possibilities of manufacturing or acquiring modern >combat systems, Pavkovic said. One article of the doctrine analyses all >elements of world military factors and sums up the experience of last year's >NATO aggression on Yugoslavia. This was done in an objective manner, taking >into account both the positive and negative aspects, with a special emphasis >on the outstanding achievement of the unity of the people, the state >leadership, the Yugoslav Army and the police, Pavkovic said. As regards >Yugoslavia's strategic position, it is based on an all-round analysis of all >military and political factors which - as a changing category - influence the >training, the organization and the deployment of the Yugoslav Army. It is >obvious that all attempts to threaten Yugoslavia's security at first focus on >the so-called unarmed methods of destabilizing the country from the inside, >which then escalate into armed rebellion as a specific form of internal >aggression - an external blow dealt internally, Pavkovic said. That so-called >indirect strategy consisting of threats to national security through finding >hostile forces within the country which was the victim of aggression, was >realized most brutally in Yugoslavia, where ethnic Albanian terrorism, >powerfully backed by external factors, had brought about the armed aggression >by NATO, Pavkovic said. The Yugoslav military doctrine points to the presence >of latent threats to national security by both internal and external factors >in both unarmed and armed forms, Pavkovic said. An armed aggression such as >the one launched against Yugoslavia is also possible in a local or world war, >in which military operations would depend on the relative power of parties to >the conflict, the goals of the aggressor, the focus of military operations, >the kind of combat means and other factors, Pavkovic explained. Yugoslavia's >military doctrine specifies that the defense system comprises the general >organization, preparedness and functioning of all defense forces and subjects >with the aim of protecting national sovereignty, territory, independence and >constitutional order, Pavkovic said. The basic goals of Yugoslavia's defense >system are: 1. preventing and eliminating internal crises, 2. dissuading a >potential aggressor from undertaking aggression, 3. preventing a strategic >surprise and 4. successful warfare, Pavkovic said. Referring to the doctrine >section on war, Pavkovic said that Yugoslavia has no territorial pretensions >towards any country and never designates an aggressor in advance. Any war that >Yugoslavia may fight if it is imposed on this country will be defensive, >conventional, contemporary and offensive. Yugoslavia deems such a war as just >and will fight it in abidance with all provisions of international war and >humanitarian laws in order to reduce to a minimum its own losses and >devastation to the country and to achieve a maximum defense effect, Pavkovic >said. A special and central section of the doctrine is devoted to the Yugoslav >Army. As a defense army, its priority tasks are deterring a potential >aggressor, fighting against terrorist and rebel forces, and armed combat >throughout the country in any conditions of aggression on Yugoslavia, Pavkovic >said. The Yugoslav Army is organized in line with its purpose and its tasks, >international agreements, and demographic, economic, material and territorial >factors, keeping in mind all international norms and experiences of other >contemporary armies, Pavkovic said. The size of the Yugoslav Army in war and >peace has been realistically assessed on the basis of an all-round analysis of >all factors, especially economic capabilities. It retains its three principal >armies - the land army, the airforce and the anti-aircraft defense, and the >navy, and priorities have been set as regards equipment and modernization >which will enable it to carry out its constitutional role and tasks in >contemporary combat conditions, Pavkovic said. The doctrine precisely defines >the command structure, ranging from the strategic - commanding the army in war >and peace - to the tactical. The president of the republic commands the >Yugoslav Army in war and peace as supreme commander, Pavkovic said. The >doctrine defines the use of the army as regards function and tasks, he said, >underlining that the Yugoslav Army is the fundamental force for deterring a >potential aggressor and for armed combat, and that its parts can be engaged in >combatting terrorism or rebellion in cooperation with the police, Pavkovic >said. Referring to the recent public reactions to the military doctrine, >Pavkovic agreed that the military doctrine must be a part of the defense >doctrine, but underlined that the military doctrine is a professional document >which cannot be made dependent on the political will of any political party, >as it would then have to be changed after any elections. A serious military >organization must be conceived in such a way as to ensure the carrying out of >consititional tasks, regardless of the political views of authorities in power >or of the identity and power of a potential aggressor. The military doctrine >was not adopted hastily or as part of the pre-election campaign, but through a >normal procedure and as part of the overall process of reorganizing the >national defense force in line with internal and international conditions, >Pavkovic said. Yugoslavia's military doctrine was drawn up and adopted in line >with all legal regulations and procedures and constitutes one of the regular >and basic issues in the reorganization of the Yugoslav Army. It was drawn up >on the basis of known military doctrines of various states and takes into >account the real national situation and capabilities, Pavkovic said. Like all >military doctrines in the world, Yugoslavia's military doctrine is temporary >in nature and can be changed according to changes in relevant factors, General >Pavkovic concluded. > >YUGOSLAV ELECTORAL COMMISSION CHIEF INITIATES PREPARATIONS FOR POLLS BELGRADE, >Aug 21 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav electoral commission chief has urged the >premiers of the country's two republics, Serbia and Montenegro, to use the >authority vested in their administrations in order to create conditions for >unhindered holding of the federal elections, said the PR office of the >Yugoslav parliament on Monday. In his letter to Serbian Premier Mirko >Marjanovic, Borivoje Vukicevic recommended that offices in buildings owned by >the Serbian government should be made available to electoral commissioners in >the republic's constituencies, as well as to members of electoral boards. >Vukicevic reminded Montenegro's Premier Filip Vujanovic of the fact that the >Yugoslav electoral commission contacted chiefs of all municipalities in >Montenegro on Aug. 10, requesting information on activities concerning the >forthcoming elections. As no more than 7 municipalities responded until Aug. >18, Vujanovic should take measures to help the electoral bodies complete their >tasks, Vukicevic said. He also informed Vujanovic of the fact that some >officials of Montenegro's Interior Ministry and other institutions had not >responded to the electoral candidates' applications for documents vital to the >electoral procedure. According to legal regulations, the institutions in >question must provide assistance in that respect. The presidential and local >elections, as well as the elections for Yugoslavia's two parliamentary >chambers, are scheduled for Sept. 24 this year. The ruling coalition in >Montenegro has decided against contesting. > >YUGOSLAVIA - INDIA YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER JOVANOVIC SENDS MESSAGE TO INDIAN >COUNTERPART BELGRADE, Aug 21 (Tanjug) - Ambassador at the Yugoslav Foreign >Ministry Milena Vlahovic has delivered Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic's >personal message to his Indian counterpart Jashvanth Singh in New Delhi, said >a statement from the Ministry on Monday. The topics of ensuing talks were the >forthcoming Millennium summit in New York, the 55th session of the U.N. >General Assembly, as well as activities related to the Non-Aligned Movement. >Both sides stressed the importance of improving bilateral relations, as well >as political, economic, and other aspects of cooperation. International >relations can be based exclusively on strict adherence to sovereignty and >territorial integrity, as well as on non-interference in internal affairs of >other countries. Democratization of decision-making within the U.N., as well >as the organization itself, should have a distinctive role to play in >international relations, and the Non-Aligned Movement can make a significant >contribution in that respect. The Indian officials reiterated their support >for Yugoslav standpoints on the situation in the Serbian Kosovo-Metohija >province, expressing great concern about the ongoing violation of the U.N. >Security Council Resolution 1244. They also condemned all forms of separatism >and terrorism leading to destabilization of pro-democratic countries, as well >as the policy of double standards. > >YUGOSLAVIA - DENMARK YUGOSLAVIA AND DENMARK HOLD CONSULTATIONS IN COPENHAGEN >BELGRADE, Aug 22 (Tanjug) - Yugoslavia and Denmark held consultations at the >level of foreign ministry political directors in the Danish capital of >Copenhagen on Monday, a Yugoslav government statement said on Tuesday. The two >sides had an exhaustive exchange of views on the state of affairs in bilateral >relations. They reviewed also the situation in the Yugoslav republic of >Serbia's U.N.-administered Kosovo-Metohija province in the light of U.N. >Resolution 1244 violations, and the situation in the region. Other subjects of >discussion included the upcoming U.N.-sponsored Millennium Summit and meeting >of the U.N. General Assembly. Denmark urged consistent respect for Resolution >1244 and the curbing of violence in Kosovo-Metohija and of the ethnic >cleansing of the province of its Serbs and other non-Albanians. Both sides >showed an interest in more frequent exchanges of views and in continuing >dialogue with a view to improving mutual understanding and enhancing respect >for the positions of the other, the statement said. > >YUGOSLAVIA - UNHCR UNHCR TO CARRY OUT A NEW REFUGEE CENSUS IN YUGOSLAVIA THIS >YEAR BELGRADE, Aug 22 (Tanjug) - In the year 2000, the United Nations High >Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will carry out a census of refugees in the >territory of Yugoslavia, the UNHCR Belgrade office spokeswoman Maki Shinohara >told media on Tuesday. In cooperation with the Serbian Refugees Commissioner >and the Montenegro Commissioner for Displaced Persons, the UNHCR carried out >the first census in 1996. It showed that there were 600,000 refugees and >displaced persons from Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. Preparations are being >made for a media campaign promoting the return of refugees from Yugoslavia to >Bosnia-Herzegovina. UNHCR Sarajevo office Chief Werner Glother has recently >met with Yugoslav Minister for Refugees Bratislava Morina to discuss this >issue. The Serbian province of Kosovo-Metohija is not a safe environment for >non-Albanian communities, and their position is very grave, Shinohara said. >She went on to say that since the arrival of Eric Morris, the new envoy for >Yugoslavia whose office is in Pristina, the UNHCR is no longer part of the >U.N. mission in Kosovo-Metohija (UNMIK), and will operate independently in >future. Conditions for the safe return of the Kosovo-Metohija refugees have >not been ensured. Therefore, the UNHCR does not encourage the return to the >province, not only for security reasons, but because of insufficient >accommodation as well, Shinohara explained. She added that the UNHCR is >focusing on help for non-Albanian communities that have remained in the >province. > >KOSOVO AND METOHIJA - INTERNATIONAL REACTIONS SCHARPING EXPRESSES CONCERN >ABOUT SITUATION IN KOSOVO-METOHIJA BERLIN, Aug 21 (Tanjug) - German defense >minister Rudolph Scharping expressed on Monday in Prizren his concern about >security ahead of the controversial local elections in the Serbian >Kosovo-Metohija province, scheduled for Oct. 28 by UNMIK Chief Bernard >Kouchner. The Serb population of the province and the Yugoslav government >strongly oppose the elections, maintaining that not even the minimum >prerequisites are there for safe polling. The Russian Foreign Ministry has >issued a statement conveying similar views. Although the incidents in question >were individual acts of violence not conducive to a surge of hostilities, >there certainly are reasons for concern, Scharping said, according to the >German DPA news agency. Scharping, one of the main protagonists of last year's >NATO aggression on Yugoslavia (March-June 1999), and author of notorious >untruths about alleged Serbian atrocities, came to Prizren on Monday to >inspect the Kfor German contingent. Repeated media reports on beatings and >killings of not only non-Albanians, but also officials of moderate >ethnic-Albanian parties opposing ethnic-Albanian nationalists and extremists, >are a refutation of Kuchner's claims to the effect that there is no surge of >hostilities in the province. According to DPA, a German army officer informed >Scharping that the German officers had been quite busy making predominantly >futile attempts to suppress gangs of ethnic Albanians involved in smuggling, >drug trafficking, and other offenses typical of organized crime. > >SERBIAN PROVINCE OF KOSOVO AND METOHIJA SERBIAN MINISTER: U.N. KOSOVO-METOHIJA >ENVOY UNDER INVESTIGATION BELGRADE, Aug 22 (Tanjug) - The Pristina District >Court in Serbian (Yugoslav) U.N.-run Kosovo-Metohija is investigating U.N. >mission (UNMIK) chief Bernard Kouchner for crimes of genocide against Serbs, >Serbia's justice minister said on Tuesday. "Since he came to our southern >province, Bernard Kouchner has, by commission or omission and together with >UNMIK and the international force KFor, been the perpetrator of or an >accessory to numerous crimes punishable under the laws of Yugoslavia and its >republic of Serbia", Dragoljub Jankovic told TANJUG. The court has started >proceedings on the orders of the district prosecutor in Pristina, Jankovic >explained. "To the wide pallette of his crimes Kouchner has recently added >further crimes of inciting or failing to prevent the storming of the Trepca >lead smelter at Zvecan, drive-by bombing of Serb children and bombing of the >Yugoslav U.N. liaison office," he added. He went on to say that these actions >perpetuate the process of ethnic cleansing of Kosovo-Metohija and are designed >to prevent Kosovo-Metohija residents from voting in Yugoslav parliamentary and >presidential elections called for Sept. 24. > >U.N.-STORMED TREPCA'S WORKERS CONTINUE PROTESTS ZVECAN, Aug 22 (Tanjug) - >Trepca lead smelter employees and people in divided Kosovska Mitrovica held a >peaceful rally early on Tuesday in protest against the Kosovo-Metohija plant's >violent takeover by the international force KFor on Aug. 14. The assembled >protesters, who have been rallying outside factory gates since the day of the >takeover, were addressed by Trepca Assistant General Manager Vojislav >Radulovic. "We are gathering here daily because we are not allowed to work. We >ask that we be returned to our jobs, to go back to doing what we have been >doing", Radulovic said. According to Radulovic, environmental concerns pleaded >as the reason for KFor's occupation of Trepca (in the north of the Yugoslav >republic of Serbia's U.N.-administered Kosovo-Metohija province) are a pretext >to justify the outrage in the eyes of the world. "But Trepca was not built >yesterday, and all of us who have worked here are alive and our health is >unimpaired," he stressed, urging the people to keep up the peaceful protests. _______________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________
