>BELGRADE, October 04, 2000 C O N T E N T S : YUGOSLAVIA - ELECTIONS DOS >IMPLEMENTING SCENARIO WHICH NATO FAILED TO REALIZE, MINISTER MATIC AMBASSADOR >MILOSEVIC: RUSSIA DOING UTMOST TO HELP DIENSTBIER ADVOCATES RESPECT OF >ELECTORAL WILL OF YUGOSLAV PEOPLE STATEMENT OF THE RUSSIAN DUMA COMMUNIST >PARTY OF UKRAINE URGES OFFICIAL DECLARATION ON EVENTS IN YUGOSLAVIA SOVIET >OFFICERS SUPPORT YUGOSLAVIA'S MILOSEVIC > >YUGOSLAVIA - BELARUS YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO BELARUS >PRESIDENT > >KOSOVO-METOHIJA ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS KILL SERB SHEPHERD > >* * * YUGOSLAVIA - ELECTIONS DOS IMPLEMENTING SCENARIO WHICH NATO FAILED TO >REALIZE, MINISTER MATIC BELGRADE, October 4 (Tanjug) - Yugoslav Information >Minister Goran Matic said on Wednesday that he expected a good turnout for the >second round of elections for state president on October 8, and that the >electorate will express their will and vote for the candidate of their choice >in a free and democratic manner, without pressures or interference from >outside or within. Speaking in a broadcast by YU-Info television, Matic said >elections held in Yugoslavia on September 24 "were overexposed in the >international public from the very beginning of the election campaign." >"Practically, they were given importance which elections in other countries do >not have according to the nature of things. It is evident that a large deposit >had been made for these elections," he said. Through these elections, the >countries which committed the aggression on Yugoslavia had wanted to secure >amnesty for the crimes they committed against the civilian population in >Yugoslavia and, generally, for that entire shameful, uncivilized and illegal >aggression for which there was no basis in any legal act or international >document, Matic said. The Minister singled out as especially interesting that >foreign correspondents of media such as the BBC, Sky News, NTV, ARD, CDF, did >not hide their disappointment that no conflicts had broken out already on the >day of elections, even bloodshed, in the streets of Belgrade and other places >in Yugoslavia, and that the elections had passed in a peaceful and democratic >atmosphere. "This was a great disappointment for them and they invested >everything to provoke this in other ways," Matic said, illustrating this with >a statement by well-known British reporter John Simpson who, when asked from >his BBC headquarters to give the actual figures for the first round of >presidential elections, replied that figures were naturally important, but >that the possibility to paralyse the country was far more important. Returning >to the subject of the second round of presidential elections, Matic asked: >"What is the secret behind (DOS presidential candidate Vojislav) Kostunica's >fear to participate in a run-off" if he had an advantage of 600,000 votes in >the first round, in which case the second round would be a mere formality for >him. "Perhaps the secret is that DOS (Democratic Opposition of Serbia) stole >votes and manipulated the elections by substituting boxes with presidential >candidate ballots. Therefore, let us see who is the actual forger in these >elections, and not believe it when they cry wolf, because that story is >familiar," Matic said. Speaking about activities by home media in the present >situation, Matic said the papers Vijesti, Glas javnosti, Blic, Danas, and some >others "have become DOS's political pamphlets whose objective is to realize >the scenario which Simpson had clearly announced as the homework of the BBC, >which is a British state company and reflects the positions of Britains's >state policy." > >AMBASSADOR MILOSEVIC: RUSSIA DOING UTMOST TO HELP MOSCOW, October 4 (Tanjug) - >We believe Russia is doing everything it can in this situation in order to >help toward the soonest possible peaceful solution to the Yugoslav crisis, >Yugoslav Ambassador to the Russian Federation Borislav Milosevic said on >Tuesday. After a meeting with Duma International Committee chief Dmitry >Rogozin, Milosevic said in an interview to the Itar-Tass news agency that >Russia's principled stand, non-interference in Yugoslavia's internal affairs, >and its frequent appeals to the west to refrain from such interference "is, in >our opinion, the only correct and most constructive stand of all possible >stands." Moscow had reiterated on several occasions that only Yugoslavs alone, >within legal procedures, can determine their fate, Ambassador Milosevic said. >Asked about the possible arrival in Moscow of the Yugoslav president and the >leader of the Democratic Opposition of Serbia, at the invitation of Russian >President Vladimir Putin, Milosevic said such a visit was possible in >principle, Itar-Tass said. Ambassador Milosevic said Yugoslav President >Slobodan Milosevic would participate in the second round of elections, even if >opposition candidate Vojislav Kostunica refused to take part in the second >round set for October 8. Regarding Russia's possible mediation, the situation >does not call for any such mediation since the election process is proceeding >through all legal steps. Interfax pointed out, however, that Ambassador >Milosevic did not rule out the possibility of negotiations with the >participation of Russia. When asked about possible further developments, >Ambassador Milosevic admitted a "bloody alternative" of developments was >probable "if extremist forces - from inside or outside" set off into actions >of violence, said Interfax. This would provoke adequate counter measures by >the authorities, the ambassador said. In his talk with Russian reporters, >Ambassador Milosevic also observed that the actions of civil disobedience >which are currently under way could also have serious consequences. > >DIENSTBIER ADVOCATES RESPECT OF ELECTORAL WILL OF YUGOSLAV PEOPLE BELGRADE, >October 3 (Tanjug) - Special rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Commission for >Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Yugoslavia Jiri Dienstbier said Tuesday in >Belgrade referring to the Yugoslav presidential and parliamentary elections >that the will of the people must be respected. At the end of his six-day visit >to Yugoslavia, Dienstbier told the press that he was in favor of recounting >the votes for the presidential candidate in the polls held on September 24, in >the presence of international experts and representatives of all parties that >had taken part in the elections. Explaining his views in answer to questions >by reporters how he sees election results made public by the opposition and >how one can be certain that opposition candidate Vojislav Kostunica has won >over 50 percent of the votes in the first round, Dienstbier said he had a >general feeling that there had been manipulations with the results, and denied >that his stance meant he was laying the blame on anyone in particular. > >STATEMENT OF THE RUSSIAN DUMA MOSCOW - The State Duma unanimously adopted a >Statement concerning the elections in Yugoslavia. The draft Statement was >submitted by the Committee for International Relations of the State Duma. In >the reports of the Russian media, the positions from the Statement are >emphasized in which the West is called upon to stop with all forms of >pressures on Yugoslavia, to immediately lift all economic sanctions and enable >Yugoslavia to take its legitimate place in the international community. It is >also emphasized that in the pre-election period, the FR of Yugoslavia was >exposed to unprecedented outside pressures, including political and economic, >and even NATO armed forces. It was demanded that such practice and threat of >intervention, provoking divisions in the Yugoslav society and threatening with >destabilization of the Balkans, be totally discontinued. The Duma is of the >opinion that the existing differences concerning the election results should >be resolved in a civilized manner, strictly in accordance with the law and on >the basis of well-documented facts. A new President of Yugoslavia should be >determined in a democratic procedure recognized by the entire society. The >statement supports the proposal of the President of the Russian Federation to >assist in launching a political dialogue between the representatives of major >political forces in Yugoslavia. The President of Duma, Guenadi Selezniov >stated that in the current situation in Yugoslavia it is of utmost importance >for the current President and the opposition leader to agree among themselves, >since they are both from the same country, that the majority of Yugoslavs >wants independence and do not want to be under the influence of NATO forces. >Selezniov also emphasized that no one has the right to interfere into internal >affairs of Yugoslavia. That is why he was dismayed by the conduct of Western >European heads of State who even before the election results were officially >made public by the Federal Election Commission, congratulated victory to the >opposition leader. That is, according to Selezniov a nonsense and another >proof that the West is applying double standards. > >COMMUNIST PARTY OF UKRAINE URGES OFFICIAL DECLARATION ON EVENTS IN YUGOSLAVIA >MOSCOW, October 4 (Tanjug) - Communist Party of Ukraine (KPU) Pyotr Simenenko >demanded at Tuesday's parliamentary session that the President and the >Parliament of Ukraine formulate an official standpoint concerning events in >Yugoslavia. Addressing deputies of the parliament, Simenenko read a KPU >statement saying that the establishment of a pro-American regime in Yugoslavia >could be considered a new division on Europe's political map. Having failed to >accomplish their goals in Yugoslavia through military aggression, the U.S. is >now interfering in Yugoslavia's internal affairs, spending hundreds of >millions of dollars in order to help the so-called democratic opposition come >to power, the statement said. Obviously, after an overturn, the country would >be governed by U.S. advisors, the statement also said. > >SOVIET OFFICERS SUPPORT YUGOSLAVIA'S MILOSEVIC MOSCOW, October 3 (Tanjug) - >The international organization of Soviet officers and the organization of >Soviet officers of Russia sent a message to the Yugoslav people on Tuesday to >urge them to go to the second round of the presidential election on October 8 >and to vote for the candidate of patriotic forces, incumbent President >Slobodan Milosevic. Milosevic had showed courage, patriotism and political >will during last year's NATO aggression. He organized the defense of the >country, preserved the combat capability of the army and the independence of >the country, the message said. Foreign observers, Russians among them, were >able to witness that the Yugoslav elections were absolutely democratic, >despite the West's claims that the elections were rigged, the message said. >Russia and Lithuania friendship society has sent a message expressing respect >and support to Yugoslav President Milosevic signed by its President Alvrosiy >Prokofyev. > >YUGOSLAVIA - BELARUS YUGOSLAV AMBASSADOR PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO BELARUS >PRESIDENT MINSK, October 4 (Tanjug) - Yugoslavia's new Ambassador to Belarus >Milorad Radevic has presented his credentials to Belarus President Alexander >Lukashenko, according to the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry. Ambassador Radevic >conveyed to Lukashenko Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic's greetings and >best wishes for the welfare and prosperity of the friendly people of Belarus. >Radevic thanked President Lukashenko for his generous help and his visit to >Yugoslavia at the time of last year's NATO aggression on Yugoslavia, which was >a brave and honourable thing to do and something Yugoslavs would never forget. >Lukashenko, in turn, thanked Radevic, saying the people of Belarus and >Yugoslavia would continue to promote their friendship and cooperation, in >light of their closeness as Slavic nations. He hoped the level of economic >cooperation would soon reach that of their highly developed and friendly >political relations. He went on to speak about the current unprecedented and >undemocratic pressure being brought to bear on Yugoslavia by the United States >and its European allies. He said the long years of Western sanctions against >Yugoslavia, and last year's NATO aggression, were a warning to all countries, >and vowed that Belarus would help Yugoslavia and so defend universal >civilizational values. Lukashenko condemned Western interference in >Yugoslavia's elections which, according to Belarus observers, were held in a >peaceful and democratic climate. He stressed that the West's interference in >the internal affairs of a sovereign country was impermissible, and that the >Yugoslav people alone must decide about their future. He said he hoped the >Yugoslav presidential run-off vote would be held in a peaceful climate, just >like the first round of polling on Sept. 24, and added that Belarus would be >sending observers to Yugoslavia to monitor the run-off, the ministry's >statement said. > >KOSOVO-METOHIJA ETHNIC ALBANIAN TERRORISTS KILL SERB SHEPHERD PRISTINA, >October 4 (Tanjug) - Ethnic Albanian terrorists shot to death Serb Petko >Ivkovic, 64, on Tuesday afternoon and his body was found in the region around >Strpce, near the village of Vrbestica, later in the day, said a statement >issued by the Police Department of Pristina, Kosovo and Metohija province. >Ivkovic took his herd to pasture in the morning, but failed to return to the >village by nightfall, so that villagers set off in search of him. Some cattle >were found several kilometres away from the village, and the lifeless body of >the old shepherd nearby. The villagers immediately alerted the local >international force KFOR and the UNMIK international police about the >incident. However, by late evening, they still had not appeared on the scene >to conduct an investigation into this ethnic Albanian crime, the statement >said. _______________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi _______________________________________________________ Kominform list for general information. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Anti-Imperialism list for anti-imperialist news. Subscribe/unsubscribe messages: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________________
