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Serbia Today, 97-04-10
Serbia Today
CONTENTS
[01] MEASURES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF CAPITAL PROJECTS
[02] BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT AN ATTEMPT TO INTERNATIONALIZE KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
[03] LIQUIDATION LISTS - THE LATEST PRESSURE ON THE SERBS
[04] UNTAES ACCEPTED THE DEMANDS MADE BY THE VUKOVAR ASSEMBLY
[05] YUGOSLAVIA IS NOT A CONFLICT COUNTRY
[06] "BELGRADE" RAILROADS AND "VALDUNES" AGREEMENT
[07] JOINT SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS MIGHT BE FORMED
[08] NO REARRANGEMENT OF SERBIA
[01] MEASURES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF CAPITAL PROJECTS
At the cabinet session chaired by Prime Minister Mirko Marjanovic, the
Serbian Government discussed and adopted two important documents regulating
the construction of capital infrastructure projects in Serbia this year.
The program for the construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of water
supply installations in Serbia in 1997, envisages the continuation of
building water supply systems in the Republic of Serbia, with the objective
to satisfy the growing demand for drinking water, ensure adequate
protection from floods and river ice and suitable systems for irrigation
and prevention of erosion. By passing the decision on consent for the
construction project regarding highway segments in Serbia in 1997, the
Government has ensured all the necessary conditions for the continuation of
the construction of the Yugoslav road network. In discussing the current
questions concerning agriculture, the Government adopted two major measures
ensuring better conditions for the sowing and incitement for cattle
breeding.
Serbia Today, 1997-04-10 ; Politika, 1997-04-10
[02] BULLETIN SUPPLEMENT AN ATTEMPT TO INTERNATIONALIZE KOSOVO AND METOHIJA
For the past three days in New York, Serbian opposition representatives
have been sitting at the same table with officials of various groups of
ethnic Albanians from Kosovo and Metohija, under the watchful eye of State
Department officials, and taking part in talks that constitute an attempt
to internationalize the question of Kosovo and Metohija and to disintegrate
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
The so-called "round table", ending today, has formally been organized with
the sponsorship of a private organization called "National Relations
Project" and the Carnegie Foundation, which are - as it is well known - the
extended arm of the US Administration, as the presence and direct
participation of US officials in the talks on KosMet best confirmed. Even
though - for obvious reasons - Serbian opposition leaders persistently
tried to prove that this is merely an informal meeting which should help
the two sides to get "better acquainted", it is perfectly clear that such
an explanation is just a feeble attempt to cloud the true character of the
"round table" on Albanian-Serbian relations in Kosovo and Metohija, which
had all the attributes of a conference for remodeling the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia.
The leaders of the "Zajedno" coalition, did what they obviously believe is
the only way for them to rise to power. In fact, they asked the aid of a
foreign country - the only remaining super-power in the world, so that they
might somehow gain power in their country. For such a favor, involving a
deep and direct US involvement in the internal affairs of FR Yugoslavia,
the "Zajedno" coalition to give something in return. This time Kosovo and
Metohija was the stake. The American side - following its well-know
pragmatic approach - offered a "package deal" linking the visit of the
leaders of the "Zajedno" opposition coalition and their talks with US
officials to their non-negotiable participation at the New York "round
table", planned as the first step towards the internationalization of the
question of Kosovo and Metohija. After meeting with State Secretary Madlene
Albright - who informed them that the US is fully supporting the democratic
process in Serbia, and appealing to Washington for even stronger pressure
on the current Serbian administration to make it "give in", in the second
part of their US visit, coalition leaders were given and accepted the role
of a direct participant in talks behind closed doors on the reshaping of FR
Y territory and jeopardizing its territorial integrity.
They were openly informed about the stands of the ethnic Albanian
representatives, namely that they have decided to secede from Serbia and FR
Yugoslavia. Ethnic Albanians from Kosovo and Metohija were given the chance
- this time officially and in direct talks taking place in foreign
territory - to talk about secession without risk of being called
separatists. They openly stated that their goal is "independent Kosovo" and
that they will not renounce to it. Clearly their task was to use the New
York talks to open a process that will lead to the secession of KosMet.
In realizing their secessionist goal, coinciding with the objectives and
efforts of several foreign factors - to continue the disintegration of
states in our region - ethnic Albanians used the Serbian opposition. It is
quite clear that such a choice was made various political groups of the
Albanian minority in Kosovo and Metohija estimated that the Serbian
opposition is the force that can make their job easier - among other things
by creating an unstable situation in Serbia. Such evaluations are based, on
clear indications that the opposition determined to topple the existing
government in the country, will not hesitate to betray national interests
if needed.
The participation of Serbian opposition representatives - in particular of
"Zajedno" leaders - granted the necessary legitimacy to the so-called
"round table" used to discuss issues that it was not entitled (let alone
well-intentioned) to review. Circles close to the organizers of the meeting
revealed with surprise that the Serbian opposition was occasionally
astonished by the "harsh" stands voiced by the Albanian side. It seems that
they deemed normal to discuss in foreign land the issue of Kosovo and
Metohija - a purely internal question of Serbia and FR Yugoslavia - under
the patronage of a foreign power and with those parties that displayed
complete readiness to satisfy the demands of powerful America, at the price
of selling out national interests of the Serbian people.
Serbia Today, 1997-04-10 ; Tanjug, 1997-04-10
[03] LIQUIDATION LISTS - THE LATEST PRESSURE ON THE SERBS
As April 13th draws near, the day when the Serbs from the Srem-Baranja
Region are to go to the ballots and thus definitely confirm that they will
stay on in Croatia, a growing number of omens and messages are coming from
other parts of Croatia with the aim to undermine the determination of the
Serbs to stay. One of the latest examples is the sentence of the so-called
"Ustasha Croatian Armed Formation" court. The liquidation list submitted to
various media including those in the Srem-Baranja Region and FR Yugoslavia,
contains the names of 11 reputable Serbs, politicians and Serbian
administration officials, and even the UN Transition Administrator Jacques
Klein. According to the sentence faxed to the press, the death sentence has
been passed for all these people by the court martial in Livno "for acts
against the Croatian state and people", and they are to be liquidated by
July 15th this year. The "execution date" coincides with the end of the
UNTAES mandate.
Serbia Today, 1997-04-10 ; Vecernje Novosti, 1997-04-10
[04] UNTAES ACCEPTED THE DEMANDS MADE BY THE VUKOVAR ASSEMBLY
Mr. Philip Arnold - Spokesman o the UN Transition Administration in Eastern
Slavonija stated that the UN accepted the demands put forth two days ago by
the Assembly of the Srem-Baranja Region. "What the Regional Assembly asked,
fully coincides with what we want - that as many people having the right to
vote should use this democratic right," Mr. Arnold said. He also remarked
that the UN will extend the deadline for registration of voters until the
very start of the elections in Croatia due on April 13th. All the civilians
from the Region, that have not yet received their documents, should take
them in one of the document bureaus set up in the Region, before April
13th. Mr. Arnold specified that there are some 14.000 such cases. Refugees
that arrived in the Region before January 15th 1996, and having Croatian
personal documents, but not included in voting lists are merely to register
before the elections, specified Mr. Arnold. "We believe that we have solved
all legitimate problems regarding the difficult task of issuing 120-130
thousand citizenship certificates and personal ID cards", the UNTAES
spokesman observed.
Serbia Today, 1997-04-10 ; Politika, 1997-04-10
[05] YUGOSLAVIA IS NOT A CONFLICT COUNTRY
Judging by the speech delivered yesterday at the Palace of Nations in
Geneva by the head of the Dutch delegation - Mr. Peter Van Vulften, the
European Union does not consider Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to be a
conflict country as far as the respect of human rights are concerned. The
Dutch official spoke on behalf of EU at the annual session of the UN Human
Rights Committee. As Mr. Vulften said, in the EU grouping of countries and
regions - compiled according to human rights criteria, FR Yugoslavia has
been included in the third group encompassing pluralistic and transition
countries, whilst the first group of conflict countries includes Croatia
and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Part of the statement delivered by the Dutch
diplomat - concerning FR Yugoslavia, leads to the conclusion that the
existence of democracy in Yugoslavia is not denied, but a speedy evolution
of democratization is suggested. No objection has either been made to the
existence of autonomy of Kosovo and Metohija within Yugoslavia, but a
greater degree of autonomy is insisted upon for this province within the
Yugoslav framework.
Serbia Today, 1997-04-10 ; Borba, 1997-04-10
[06] "BELGRADE" RAILROADS AND "VALDUNES" AGREEMENT
Yesterday at the Belgrade Railroad Co. a business and technology
cooperation agreement has been signed with one of the most reputable world
producers of railroad car wheels and axles, the French "Valdunes" company.
The contract, worth some 80 million French Francs, will provide Belgrade
Railroads with a stable long-term supply of best quality wheels for
passenger cars, boxcars, locomotives and motorized trains, based on
industrial cooperation, expert counseling, technology transfer and joint
investments. Welcoming the business partners and guests from France, Mr.
Milomir Minic - Chairman of the Managing Board of the Belgrade Railroads,
stressed that "this contract constitutes only the first step towards the
future cooperation between the two companies, which will have major bearing
not only for Yugoslavia, but for the entire Balkan region". Mr. Minic
stressed that the plans involve the creation of a joint investment company
which will build a modern railroad industry in Yugoslavia, linking it to
the European railroad industry, and thus capable of covering the needs of
the entire Balkan market and further afield. He also added that the
contract will greatly help the expansion of production capacities of
subcontracting firms and ancillary industries.
Serbia Today, 1997-04-10 ; Borba, 1997-04-10
[07] JOINT SCIENTIFIC PROJECTS MIGHT BE FORMED
Yesterday, Serbian Minister of Science and Technology - Academy Member
Dusan Kanazir received Prof. Akiro Nagashima - Vice President of the KEO
University from Japan, currently visiting Belgrade as guest of the "Vinca"
Nuclear Physics Institute. Academician Kanazir informed the illustrious
guest about the scientific and technological policy in Serbia and FR
Yugoslavia, stressing that Prof. Nagashima's visit is well timed, because
Japanese experience in nuclear physics is precious to our country. During
the talks it has been stressed that joint scientific projects might be
formed linking developed Eastern and Western countries and having multiple
importance, because it would allow young researchers and scientists to
evolve professionally and study abroad, while developed countries would
have a chance of using the intellectual potential from FR Yugoslavia.
During his stay in Belgrade, Prof. Nagashima held a lecture on Japanese
science policy.
Serbia Today, 1997-04-10 ; Politika, 1997-04-10
[08] NO REARRANGEMENT OF SERBIA
The Kosovo and Metohija Executive board of the Socialist Party of Serbia
(SPS), assumed the stand that the so-called "round table" on KosMet,
currently taking place in New York behind closed doors, does not represent
an informal meeting, but rather one which is highly binding all those
taking part in it. The statement issued by the Executive Board, expresses
amazement due to the fact that representatives of Serbian opposition
parties are actually partaking in the disintegration of FR Yugoslavia. The
leadership of socialists from Kosovo and Metohija believe that this
constitutes a specific treason and that - in exchange for US support at the
forthcoming elections - opposition leaders have given away Kosovo. SPS
believes that Kosovo and Metohija represents a quintessential state and
national issue which must be discussed in Serbia and in accordance with the
Serbian Constitution - stresses the same statement.
Serbia Today, 1997-04-10 ; Borba, 1997-04-10
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