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EMBASSY OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
5 Lexham Gardens, London W8 5JJ
tel. (020) 7370 6105, fax (020) 7370 3838,
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Y U G O S L A V I A
-Daily Survey-
London, 31. May 2001
C O N T E N T S :
YUGOSLAVIA-NATO-EU
- YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER EXPLAINS FOREIGN POLICY
PRIORITIES
- SVILANOVIC MEETS IN BUDAPEST WITH ROBERTSON, IVANOV,
KUKAN
- NATO WELCOMES YUGOSLAV READINESS TO JOINT
PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE
FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
- YUGOSLAVIA SPECIAL GUEST AT CONGRESS OF LOCAL,
REGIONAL AUTHORITIES
- YUGOSLAVIA'S DEMOCRATISATION BRINGS GOOD CHANGE TO
STABILITY PACT
- SURVIVAL OF YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT DEPENDS ON
COOPERATION WITH THE HAGUE
- SOLUTION TO PROBLEM IN SIGHT
- FINAL STAND OF SOCIALIST PEOPLE'S PARTY ON
COOPERATION WITH HAGUE ON JUNE 3.
- LAW ON COOPERATION WITH ICTY - CONDITION FOR DONORS
CONFERENCE.
KOSOVO METOHIJA-SOUTHERN SERBIA
- DJINDJIC-RESOLUTION 1244 MUST BE IMPLEMENTED
- SECTOR BRAVO RETURN BEGINS
- HALIMI BELIEVES IN PEACEFUL TAKEOVER OF PART OF ZONE
- KOSOVAR LEADERS TO ADDRESS OSCE COUNCIL
- DORIS PACK - MACEDONIAN CRISIS PREPARED IN KOSOVO
YUGOSLAVIA-NATO-EU
YUGOSLAV FOREIGN MINISTER EXPLAINS FOREIGN POLICY
PRIORITIES BUDAPEST, May 30 (Tanjug) - Belgrade's
foreign policy priorities are to have Yugoslavia join
the European Union, to upgrade regional cooperation,
to establish balanced relations with the eight most
highly developed countries (G-8) and to maintain
friendly ties with all countries in mutual interest,
Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic said
Wednesday in Budapest. Yugoslavia has successfully
reintegrated all most important international
organizations and is considering joining the
Partnership for Peace, Svilanovic told a session of
the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), held
within the framework of the NATO-EU ministerial
conference which started Tuesday in the Hungarian
capital. Svilanovic described Yugoslavia's
participation in the EAPC work for the first time as a
guest as a result of the democratic changes in the
country and of the renewed support to its new
democratic government. Although all countries in the
region have democratically elected governments, which
contributes to regional stability, there are new
challenges that must be faced immediately. Reinforcing
regional stability is therefore extremely important
and endeavors to that end should be based on
respecting the sovereignty and integrity of all
countries in the region in line with the Helsinki
Final Act, Svilanovic said.
Svilanovic consequently urged all governments to
clearly and unequivocally condemn violence, extremism
and terrorism and to secure the respect of human and
minority rights. Referring to the situation in
Kosovo-Metohija, Svilanovic noted that the Yugoslav
government has already informed the head of the UN
Civilian Mission in the province (UNMIK) Hans
Haekkerup of its views on his Constitutional Framework
for Kosovo. The Yugoslav government believes that the
necessary conditions for holding elections in
Kosovo-Metohija have not been secured, but has
nevertheless decided to support the process of
registration of voters for the elections scheduled for
November 17, expecting at the same time that several
pre-conditions will be secured before it can agree to
the participation of Serbs, Svilanovic said. These
pre-conditions include better safety for all
inhabitants of Kosovo-Metohija, the return of refugees
and displaced persons, completion of the
demobilization process and progress in resolving the
issue of missing persons, Svilanovic said. In
addition, Yugoslavia insists on a full and consistent
implementation of the Security Council Resolution
1244, including its provisions on the return of
Yugoslav forces to Kosovo and on full protection of
Serbs, other minorities and all honest people living
in the province. Yugoslavia would also like to sign
with KFor and UNMIK agreements on status, privileges
and immunities. Finally, the arms embargo imposed by
the Security Council Resolution 1160 should be lifted,
Svilanovic said. Referring to the situation in
southern Serbia, Svilanovic said that Yugoslav forces
are successfully executing their re-entry into the
Ground Safety Zone Sector B, and that Yugoslav and
Serbian authorities are ready for dialogue with
representatives of the local ethnic Albanian
community.
Demilitarization and multi-ethnic police have an
outstanding importance for the full implementation of
the plan drawn up by Nebojsa Covic, head of the state
coordinating team for southern Serbia, Svilanovic
said, adding that should a full integration of the
ethnic Albanian community in political and social
structures be achieved, one could say that a step
forward has been made. Yugoslavia supports Macedonia's
sovereignty and territorial integrity and the
endeavors of its new government and of the
international community for stabilizing the situation,
Svilanovic said, warning that KFor should halt arms
trafficking across the borders and boundaries in the
region. An end must be put to the era of
disintegration in the region, Svilanovic said, and
underlined that the Yugoslav government believes that
a process should be initiated to upgrade regional
stability, guarantee inviolability of present borders,
secure the respect of human and minority rights and
provide a strong impetus to the integration of the
region and its countries with Europe, and that a
conference could be held to that end. As a start, the
basic principles and norms of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) which
guarantee the sovereignty and integrity of all states
must be reaffirmed, after which talks can be held on
minority issues and the status of ethnic communities
which have become a key problem in some parts of the
region.
This process should secure full protection of
minorities and halt all forms of extremism,
intolerance or violence. Simultaneously, the issue of
minorities can be considered to be a security issue
and in some cases bilateral agreements on minority
rights can be concluded. This process should be
accompanied by economic and infrastructure projects
and by confidence-building measures, Svilanovic said
in conclusion.
SVILANOVIC MEETS IN BUDAPEST WITH ROBERTSON, IVANOV,
KUKAN BUDAPEST, May 30 (Tanjug) - At a meeting of the
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) Yugoslav
Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic held brief separate
meetings with NATO Secretary General George Robertson,
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and Slovakian
counterpart Kukan. In all the talks, Svilanovic told
Tanjug, dominated regional topics. During the meeting
with Robertson, who on several occasions welcomed the
Yugoslav delegation to the meeting held under the
auspices of the Western military alliance, was
discussed the situation in Macedonia, and also the
situation in southern Serbia and in Kosovo and
Metohija.
Robertson praised the cooperation of the two
sides during the entry of the Yugoslav security forces
into sector B in southern Serbia. In the talks between
Svilanovic and Ivanov, who is expected to arrive June
17 on an official visit to Belgrade, were exchanged
opinions about circumstances in Kosovo and Metohija
and about relations between Serbia and Montenegro.
Kosovo-Metohija was the main subject of the talks
between Svilanovic and Kukan.
Svilanovic underlined that the meeting in Budapest,
besides lending support to the authorities in
Belgrade, also raised the issue of tighter cooperation
of Yugoslavia with The Hague tribunal. All
participants in the meeting - from senior officials of
NATO and the European Union to Russia and other
countries - urged the continuance of democratic
Montenegro within democratic Yugoslavia, Svilanovic
said.
NATO WELCOMES YUGOSLAV READINESS TO JOINT PARTNERSHIP
FOR PEACE BUDAPEST, May 30 (Tanjug) - Senior NATO
officials welcomed in Budapest Wednesday the readiness
of Yugoslavia to join the Partnership for Peace,
noting that official Belgrade should confirm its
intention by concrete steps. Positive reactions ensued
after Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic at a session
of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), which
rallies all 19 NATO members and 26 states of Europe
and Central Asia, said that the Yugoslav government
wants the country to join Partnership for Peace.
Representatives of the Western Alliance unofficially
welcomed such an intention of Belgrade, but pointed
out that Yugoslavia should confirm it by concrete
steps and that at this moment NATO was not in position
to give any kind of response. Participants in the
meeting unanimously supported democratic changes in
Yugoslavia, indicating that in only two years the
country has practically turned from an opponent into a
NATO ally and a factor of stability in the region.
Also welcomed was the announced adoption of a new
Yugoslav law enabling not only tighter cooperation
between Yugoslavia and The Hague, but also the
extradition of war crime suspects. Underscored finally
was the swift improvement of relations between NATO
and Belgrade, which was indicated also on several
occasions by NATO Secretary General George Robertson.
FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA
YUGOSLAVIA SPECIAL GUEST AT CONGRESS OF LOCAL,
REGIONAL AUTHORITIES STRASBOURG, May 30 (Tanjug) -
Yugoslavia acquired Wednesday the status of special
guest in the Congress of Local and Regional
Authorities of Europe, one of three bodies of the
Council of Europe. A decision about that was taken at
the eight session of the Congress, underway in
Strasbourg, without a single vote against, and only
two abstentions. Yugoslavia already has the status of
special guest in the Parliamentary Assembly of
43-member Council of Europe, the oldest European
integration institution, whose goal is the promotion
of human rights and of democracy in Europe. In
Strasbourg arrived Wednesday also Yugoslav Interior
Minister Zoran Zivkovic, who is expected to address
session participants Thursday.
YUGOSLAVIA'S DEMOCRATISATION BRINGS GOOD CHANGE TO
STABILITY PACT SOFIA, May 31 (Tanjug) - Yugoslavia's
democratisation has brought a good change to the
South-East Europe Stability Pact and Yugoslavia has
become one of the most enthusiastic countries to
approach the Pact's role in the region, Stability Pact
Deputy Coordinator Donald Kursch said in Sofia on
Wednesday. During the first day of an economic forum
on infrastructure development in the Balkans, Kursch
said that a large donors conference for Yugoslavia
would be organised in late June, which would prove
that other regional countries had no reason to fear
that the donations for them would go to somebody
else's pocket. The SP deputy coordinator said that it
was much easier to find funds and donors for the
development of democratic processes and institutions
than for the realisation of infrastructure projects.
LAW ON COOPERATION WITH ICTY - CONDITION FOR DONORS
CONFERENCE. BRUSSELS, May 30 (Beta) - European
Commission officials told BETA in Brussels, on May 30,
that the EU and the World Bank want the donors
conference to be a "complete success" in order to aid
the reconstruction and long-term recovery of
Yugoslavia. However, the U.S. and several EU countries
demanded, as a condition for their participation in
the conference, that the Yugoslav parliament adopt a
law on cooperation with the International Criminal
Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). European
Commission spokesman Gunnar Wiegand, told BETA that
the donors conference is "very important for the
long-term perspective of Yugoslavia's economic
development and political stabilization" and that this
is the reason "the EU and the European Commission are
closely watching all the steps being taken to fulfill
Yugoslavia's obligation to cooperate fully with the
ICTY."
SURVIVAL OF YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT DEPENDS ON COOPERATION
WITH THE HAGUE BELGRADE, May 30 (Tanjug) - Serbian
Premier Zoran Djindjic said Wednesday that, in the
event that the bill on cooperation with The Hague
tribunal is not adopted, the federal state and
government would fall into a crisis, calling into
question the donors conference, as well as the
stand-by arrangement and the reprogramming of our
debts. Djindjic told reporters in Serbian parliament
that "refusal of cooperation with The Hague tribunal
would greatly deteriorate our position in
international relations." "By contrast, the passing of
the bill would enable the continuing of the process of
the gradual return of Yugoslavia into international
relations, which would in general reflect on our
international position," he said. Djindjic underlined
that the main hurdle in the talks between coalition
partners at the federal level - the Socialist People's
Party (SNP) of Montenegro and the Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS)
- is the position at what level should be adopted
regulations about concrete cooperation with The Hague
tribunal. The bill on cooperation with The Hague
tribunal would have to envisage extradition, according
to Djindjic.
SOLUTION TO PROBLEM IN SIGHT
BELGRADE, May 31 (Tanjug) - After a meeting between
the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) and the
Socialist National Party (SNP) late on Wednesday,
there is more ground for optimism and a solution to
the problem we are facing, not through our fault, is
in sight, the Yugoslav president's office said in a
statement. After the Executive and Main Boards
meetings, SNP
representatives came up with some very constructive
proposals, which largely take care of national and
state reasons, needs of our state and the obligations
it has as a signatory to the Dayton Accords and a UN
member. They will make additional consultations at
their municipal boards, the statement said and added
that there was ground to expect that a final agreement
on a bill on cooperation with the Hague war crimes
tribunal would be reached on Sunday.
FINAL STAND OF SOCIALIST PEOPLE'S PARTY ON COOPERATION
WITH HAGUE ON JUNE 3. BELGRADE, May 30 ( Beta) - The
Serbian Justice Minister Vladan Batic stated on May 30
that the talks between the leaders of the Democratic
Opposition of Serbia (DOS) and the Socialist People's
Party of Montenegro, on cooperation with the Hague
Tribunal, will continue in the evening of June 3, if
the municipal boards and then the Steering Committee
of the Socialist People's Party opt for the adoption
of the law on cooperation with the Tribunal. After the
talks between representatives of DOS and of the
Socialist People's Party in Belgrade, Batic stated
that, if their Montenegrin partners send a positive
reply, the draft law on cooperation with the Hague
Tribunal will be discussed by the federal government
on June 4 and, if not, "everyone will bear the
consequences". Batic said he hoped that a delay in the
process of adopting this law would not jeopardize the
donors' conference for Yugoslavia. One of the
representatives of the Socialist People's Party Srdja
Bozovic said that the party leadership will decide on
this issue by June 3. "After tonight's meeting with
the representatives of the Socialist People's Party,
there is more reason for optimism. The solution to the
problem that we face, which is not through our own
doing, is at hand," it was stated by the office of the
Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica after the
meeting. According to the statement, the
representatives of the Socialist People's Party "came
to the meeting with very constructive proposals, which
take care of national and state interests and the
needs of our union, as well as of the obligations
which our country is under as a signatory of the
Dayton agreement and a member of the UN." "We have
many reasons to expect a final agreement on Sunday,"
it was concluded in the statement.
KOSOVO METOHIJA-SOUTHERN SERBIA
DJINDJIC-RESOLUTION 1244 MUST BE IMPLEMENTED
BELGRADE, May 30 (Tanjug) - Serbian Prime Minister
Zoran Djindjic said on Wednesday that the
international community must be asked to ensure peace
and security in Kosovo and Metohija, with strict
respect for United Nations Security Council Resolution
1244. Speaking at an extraordinary session of the
Serbian parliament devoted to the situation in Kosovo
and Metohija, Djindjic said "the Serbian government
proceeded from that Security Council document as the
highest interim decision, and consequently adopted
conclusions in connection with the announced elections
and constitutional frameworks for temporary
self-administration in the province." The conclusions
present the smallest common denominator which has been
backed by all sides through joint talks - the
governments of Yugoslavia and Serbia, and Kosovo Serb
organizations, he said.
The Serbian government insists that the
international community, before establishing temporary
institutions in the province, first secure the first
two conditions of Resolution 1244 which refer to its
guarantees for the safety of all citizens. Speaking
about the de facto situation, the prime minister said
the international community had undertaken
responsibility, but then passed it on to ethnic
Albanian extremist circles, and failed to implement
Resolution 1244. "Things are neither clear nor
explained, and the international community is avoiding
to answer why it is not protecting peace and security
and not implementing the resolution," Djindjic said.
Djindjic said it was not possible to secure the return
of expelled persons and that Serbs would not take part
in Kosovo elections unless progress was made in
guaranteeing their safety. This is why the government
demands additional guarantees, the introduction of
national councils and greater authority for
municipalities, which would enable Serbs to have their
executive organs in places where they are the majority
population, the prime minister said.
SECTOR BRAVO RETURN BEGINS
BUJANOVAC, May 31 (B92) - Yugoslav troops this
morning began their return to the central section of
Sector Bravo. Commander Ninoslav Krstic told Radio B92
that the joint security forces are entering the last
remaining section of the Kosovo border buffer zone
from seven directions. Serbian police and the Yugoslav
Army will today take control of roads from southern
Serbia to Gnjilane via Konculj and Lucane. Local
Albanian leader Riza Halimi said yesterday that he
believed the takeover would proceed smoothly. "I'm an
optimist; I don't think there will be any incidents or
any new exodus into Kosovo," he said.
HALIMI BELIEVES IN PEACEFUL TAKEOVER OF PART OF ZONE
BUJANOVAC, May 30 (Tanjug) - Leader of a local
Albanian community in southern Serbia Riza Halimi said
Wednesday in Bujanovac he considered that the next
day, when the entry of Yugoslav security forces was
planned into subsector center of buffer zone sector B
will "pass without incidents." Preparations have been
made for the entry Thursday of the security forces and
it will be followed by a large number of
representatives of the international community, Halimi
told reporters, who is mayor of Presevo. Halimi
pointed out that inside subsector center of sector B
were four villages with a large number of inhabitants
and that the situation in those villages will be
followed by officials of the federal and Serbian
governments as well as by an international observer
mission. "I am personally an optimist and believe
everything will go ahead without major incidents and
that there will be no new mass movements of people in
the direction of Kosovo," Halimi said. The joint
security forces will take over a subsector of the
buffer zone along the administrative boundary with
Kosovo and Metohija, of a surface of about 50 sq.km.
The subsector stretching to the west and north-west of
Bujanovac municipality, is inhabited by ethnic
Albanians, and inside it are the Mali Trnovac, Konculj
and Dobrosin villages.
The line of subsector center of the ground safety
zone passes through Lucane, Turija and Veliki Trnovac
villages, and the area borders on subsectors south and
north of subsector B, which were taken over by the
joint security forces on May 24.
KOSOVAR LEADERS TO ADDRESS OSCE COUNCIL
VIENNA, May 31 (B92) - A delegation from Kosovo's
Temporary Administrative Council arrived in Vienna
last night. The multiethnic delegation is to attend a
meeting of the OSCE's Permanent Council at the
invitation of the organisations Kosovo chief, Daan
Everts. Rada Trajkovic, the only Serb member of the
delegation, said that she would raise the issue of the
general elections planned for Kosovo later this year.
She warned that she would ask how the elections could
be described as "democratic" when it was not possible
for Serb refugees to return to Kosovo, when they had
no freedom of movement and were not in a position to
run a political campaign. Trajkovic added, however
that she believed that Serbs should register as voters
as a gesture of cooperation with the international
community. After that, she said, it remained to be
seen what the international community would do for
Serbs in Kosovo.
DORIS PACK - MACEDONIAN CRISIS PREPARED IN KOSOVO
PRAGUE, May 30 (Tanjug) - The Macedonian crisis
has doubtless been prepared in Kosovo, European
Parliament's Committee for South-East Europe head
Doris Pack has said. Pack said that NATO and the
European Union were able to isolate ethnic Albanian
extremists in Macedonia, but that she was not certain
whether they were prepared to do so. Speaking to Radio
Free Europe, Pack explained this lack of readiness to
isolate ethnic Albanian extremists.
The problem lies in the fact that so many
extremists can cross from Kosovo into Macedonia
without any major problems, Pack said and added that
this showed that the borders were not unpermeable.
When KFOR troops return to their barracks at night,
this becomes a very dangerous and unsafe zone, she
said and added that it was clear that the protection
of American or German troops was more important to
NATO than the resolution of the problem. Speaking
about the resolution of the Kosovo crisis, Pack said
that Serbs and ethnic Albanians had to find a
negotiated settlement to the crisis.
--
Yugoslav Embassy
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