> Yugoslav Daily Survey > >-------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > (Morning edition) > > BELGRADE, 16 March 2000 > > > FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA > > a.. YUGOSLAV PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR RECEIVES IRAQI AMBASSADOR > b.. LILIC RECEIVES ARGENTINEAN AMBASSADOR FOR FAREWELL VISIT > c.. SERBIAN GOVERNMENT SEES EARLY ECONOMIC RESULTS AS >PROMISING > d.. SERBIAN RECONSTRUCTION DIRECTORATE CHIEF MEETS BELARUS >OFFICIAL > KOSOVO-METOHIJA - UNREST > > a.. UNREST IN U.N.-ADMINISTERED KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, 15 SERBS >HURT > b.. FRENCH PEACEKEEPERS TO WITHDRAW TO PREVIOUS POSITIONS IN >MITROVICA > KOSOVO-METOHIJA - UNMIK > > a.. KOSOVSKA MITROVICA'S SERBS MEET WITH UNMIK CHIEF KOUCHNER > b.. KOUCHNER MEETS SEPARATELY WITH MITROVICA'S SERBS, ETHNIC >ALBANIANS > NATO - KOSOVO-METOHIJA > > a.. NATO COUNCIL WANTS STRONGER INTERNATIONAL KOSOVO-METOHIJA >FORCE KFOR > NATO - RUSSIA - KOSOVO-METOHIJA > > a.. NATO, RUSSIA CALL FOR POLICE REINFORCEMENTS FOR KOSOVO AND >METOHIJA > FRANCE - US - KOSOVO-METOHIJA > > a.. CHIRAC, CLINTON CALL FOR MEETING OF SIX-NATION 'CONTACT >GROUP' > > > * * * > > > FROM THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA > > YUGOSLAV PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR RECEIVES IRAQI AMBASSADOR > > BELGRADE, March 15 (Tanjug) - Special Yugoslav presidential >advisor Zoran Lilic received on Wednesday Iraq's Ambassador in Belgrade Sami >Sadoun, at the Ambassador's request, a Government statement said. > > They exchanged views on the situation in bilateral relations and >noted a need for them to be intensified, to mutual benefit, for which they saw >good prospects on both sides. > > They stated dissatisfaction with and condemned the conduct of the >United States, which blocks business contracts between Yugoslav and Iraqi >companies within the Oil for Food programme, although the U.N. Sanctions >Committee has issued all the necessary permits. > > This kind of behaviour on the part of the United States of America >further exacerbates the grave economic situation in the two countries and is >directly aimed at the Iraqi people, increasing their suffering, it was noted. > > The behaviour of the United States best shows that it leads the >pack in human rights violation while paying lip service to human rights >protection and using human rights as a pretext for its policy of force against >small nations, the statement said. > > The Iraqi Ambassador renewed the invitation to the Socialist Party >of Serbia (SPS) to send representatives to Iraqi parliamentary elections, >slated for later in March. > > LILIC RECEIVES ARGENTINEAN AMBASSADOR FOR FAREWELL VISIT > > BELGRADE, March 15 (Tanjug) - The Yugoslav President's special >adviser, Zoran Lilic, on Wednesday received Argentinean Ambassador to >Yugoslavia Nicolas Adrian Sonschein for a farewell visit, a Government >statement said. > > Ambassador Sonschein said he was happy and proud to have >maintained his mission in Yugoslavia over the past four years, and that his >friendly feelings are best confirmed in the fact that he had not left >Yugoslavia even at the time of the last year's NATO aggression (March-June). > > Paying tribute and expressing gratitude to the Argentinean >Ambassador for his courage and feelings of friendship, Lilic set out the >consistent policy practised by Argentina in connection with the developments >in the territory of Yugoslavia. > > Speaking about the presence of some 200 Argentinean policemen in >Serbia's Kosovo and Metohija province within the United Nations civilian >mission UNMIK, Lilic said they were in the best position to know the real >truth in Kosovo and Metohija. It is their obligation to protect and affirm >that truth in the best way by implementing U.N. Security Council Resolution >1244, he said. > > Lilic underscored that it is possible to preserve a multi-ethnic >Kosovo and Metohija only through the strict realization of Resolution 1244 and >the full cooperation of the international force KFOR and UNMIK with Yugoslav >state organs, which is also an obligation of the United Nations and the >Security Council permanent members, as well as the Yugoslav leadership. > > SERBIAN GOVERNMENT SEES EARLY ECONOMIC RESULTS AS PROMISING > > BELGRADE, March 15 (Tanjug) - Results achieved in production and >export in February promise that the economic policy targets for the year 2000 >will be attained, according to Serbia's Vice Premier in Belgrade on Wednesday. > > > Vice Premier Dragan Tomic said production had risen by 22.4 >percent over January, nearing the level of before NATO's aggression last >spring, and the Government was sure production would exceed the planned 15 >percent-increase by the year's end. > > Export, too, had risen - by 23.4 percent over January, which was >an indication that export results for each successive month would be better >than the last, Tomic told a news conference. > > He further said the country's post-NATO aggression reconstruction >was continuing as planned, with all factories ravaged in the air strikes >successfully providing for their jobless workers. > > Programmes for starting small and medium-sized companies have also >been launched, according to him. > > SERBIAN RECONSTRUCTION DIRECTORATE CHIEF MEETS BELARUS OFFICIAL > > BELGRADE, March 15 (Tanjug) - A delegation of the Belarus >Parliament, headed by Council of the Republic President Pavel Sipuk, met in >Belgrade on Wednesday with Serbian Reconstruction Directorate chief Milutin >Mrkonjic. > > Mrkonjic informed the guests about the results of post-NATO >aggression reconstruction to date, the current second stage of reconstruction, >and development projects of the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia. > > The two sides agreed there was huge cooperation potential in >several fields of mutual interest. > > The delegation praised Yugoslavia's achievements to date and said >Belarus was interested in taking part in the reconstruction work and helping >eliminate the consequences of last Spring's NATO aggression, as well as in >other development projects. > > The meeting was attended by Milutin Stojkovic, who chairs the >Yugoslav Parliament's Chamber of Citizens (lower house) Defence and Security >Committee. > > KOSOVO-METOHIJA - UNREST > > UNREST IN U.N.-ADMINISTERED KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, 15 SERBS HURT > > KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, Serbia, March 15 (Tanjug) - Fifteen Serbs were >hurt, two of them seriously, in Wednesday morning's attack on around 1,000 >Serbs in north Kosovska Mitrovica, on whom French KFor troops fired stun >bombs. > > According to a local hospital official, nine Serbs have been >hospitalised, and one has been rushed to the Belgrade Military Teaching >Hospital (VMA). > > The Serbs were protesting against the decision of regional >international KFor force Commander Pierre de Saqui de Sannes to create a >buffer zone in their part of the divided city, which would practically >increase the area under ethnic Albanian control. > > The stun bombs were used after French troops had moved their >checkpoints another 100 metres into the Serb city sector, triggering a popular >reaction which repulsed them back to their original positions. > > After Serb and KFor representatives agreed that the French troops >should stay in their old positions and the protesters disperse, a large group >of ethnic Albanians crossed over from the south part of the city and >demolished the offices of the Serbian National Forum. > > The attack was made in plain view of KFor, which took no action, >and the attackers were finally chased away by Serbian security. > > The situation in the city continues tense in expectation of the >outcome of talks between Serb representatives and U.N. civilian mission >(UNMIK) chief Bernard Kouchner and KFor General Klaus Reinhardt. > > FRENCH PEACEKEEPERS TO WITHDRAW TO PREVIOUS POSITIONS IN MITROVICA > > KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, March 16 (Tanjug) - Head of Kosovska >Mitrovica's Serb National Forum's executive board Oliver Ivanovic has said >that the Serb side has taken the obligation that it will not cause any >incidents although it has never caused any incidents before. > > Addressing reporters after meeting with Commander of French troops >participating in the U.N. peacekeeping force KFOR Gen. Pierre de Saqui de >Sannes, late on Wednesday, Ivanovic said that the general had pledged that the >French peacekeepers would withdraw to the positions they had held until >Tuesday. > > KOSOVO-METOHIJA - UNMIK > > KOSOVSKA MITROVICA'S SERBS MEET WITH UNMIK CHIEF KOUCHNER > > KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, March 15 (Tanjug) - Serbs want to halt >violence and have been seeking to do so for the nine months since the >international community has had a presence in Serbian (Yugoslav) >Kosovo-Metohija, a Serb official said on Wednesday. > > Oliver Ivanovic, leader of the Serbian National Forum in divided >Kosovska Mitrovica, was speaking after meeting with the U.N. civilian mission >(UNMIK) chief Bernard Kouchner. > > "We explained that Serbs must stay in these lands. This means that >the Serbs in north Kosovska Mitrovica must not be harassed in any way," >Ivanovic told reporters. > > He added the Forum would care for security and try to protect the >2,000 or so ethnic Albanians living in the north part of the troubled city. > > He stressed that the international KFor force and UNMIK had again >on Wednesday given the Serbs assurances of security, but that the Serbs no >longer trusted these promises. > > "What we need are specific measures. All Serbs have been driven >out of south Kosovska Mitrovica, while KFor is creating a `safe' zone in the >north of the city for ethnic Albanians," Ivanovic said. > > KOUCHNER MEETS SEPARATELY WITH MITROVICA'S SERBS, ETHNIC ALBANIANS > > KOSOVSKA MITROVICA, March 16 (Tanjug) - Head of the U.N. civilian >mission to Kosovo and Metohija (UNMIK) Bernard Kouchner said on Wednesday that >he had discussed the security situation and confidence-building measures in >Kosovska Mitrovica, in separate meetings with representatives of the town's >Serbs and ethnic Albanians. > > Kouchner told reporters after the meetings that the easing of >tensions in the town was a time-consuming process, voicing confidence that the >town's residents would nevertheless start cooperating. > > Kouchner's optimism appears to be incongruous in the light of an >incident that occurred on Wednesday morning when French troops participating >in the U.N. peacekeeping force KFOR fired stun grenades on Serb civilians, >wounding 15. He only briefly commented that he felt sorry for the people who >had been wounded earlier in the day. > > NATO - KOSOVO-METOHIJA > > NATO COUNCIL WANTS STRONGER INTERNATIONAL KOSOVO-METOHIJA FORCE >KFOR > > BRUSSELS, March 15 (Tanjug) - NATO's Permanent Council supported >in Brussels on Wednesday a motion by Paris and Rome for sending another 1,100 >troops to divided Kosovska Mitrovica to reinforce the international KFor force >in U.N.-ruled Kosovo-Metohija. > > At the ambassadorial-level meeting, the Council described as very >positive the initiative launched by France and Italy for reinforcing KFor with >two more battalions, a spokesman said. > > The other NATO members are "still analyzing" the urging of NATO >Commander Europe Wesley Clark for reinforcing KFor, after some countries have >withdrawn a part of their forces from that Serbian (Yugoslav) province over >the past months. > > Britain's NATO Ambassador pledged two helicopters and a batch of >police and customs officers to reinforce the U.N. civilian mission (UNMIK), >while the United States said it would give pilotless reconnaissance planes. > > At the closed session, NATO Secretary General George Robertson >asked for stepping up the reinforcement of KFor, the spokesman said. Two weeks >ago, he had affirmed that an increase was unnecessary and the situation under >control. > > Late in February, Paris offered another 700 troops after a series >of incidents in Kosovska Mitrovica and ethnic Albanian sniper attacks in which >two French troopers were wounded. > > At present, KFor is believed to have 37,200 troops from 36 >countries, 30,000 of them from the 19 NATO states. Last autumn, NATO had >35,000 troops in Kosovo-Metohija, while the entire KFor had 42,000. > > NATO - RUSSIA - KOSOVO-METOHIJA > > NATO, RUSSIA CALL FOR POLICE REINFORCEMENTS FOR KOSOVO AND >METOHIJA > > BRUSSELS, March 16 (Tanjug) - NATO's Permanent Council and Russia >have urged the world community to send immediately civilian police >reinforcements to Kosovo and Metohija to help the U.N. civilian mission >(UNMIK) implement U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244. > > A statement issued after a meeting between the Council members and >Russian officials in Brussels on Wednesday, which lasted for more than five >hours, said that the meeting had dealt with cooperation between the Alliance >and Russia within the U.N. peacekeeping force KFOR in the Yugoslav Republic of >Serbia's southern province. > > The Council stressed the need for the international community to >achieve fully the goals cited in the resolution, the statement said. > > The Council underlined NATO's and Russia's readiness to cooperate >closely in the protection of communities that are in the minority in Kosovo >and Metohija, the statement said. > > The international community will tolerate no provocative actions >nor other attempts to undermine the peace process for the Province, the >statement said. > > Consequently, it is vital that the international community ensure >an additional number of civilian policemen as soon as possible, the statement >said. > > FRANCE - US - KOSOVO-METOHIJA > > CHIRAC, CLINTON CALL FOR MEETING OF SIX-NATION 'CONTACT GROUP' > > PARIS, March 16 (Tanjug) - French President Jacques Chirac and his >U.S. counterpart Bill Clinton have discussed over the phone the situation in >Kosovo and Metohija, urging the six-nation 'Contact Group' to meet again, a >spokesperson for the French Presidential Palace has said. > > Spokesperson Catherine Colonna said that late on Wednesday's >telephone conversation had been initiated by Clinton. > > Colonna said that Chirac and Clinton had stressed that it was >vital to step up coordination of actions among countries involved in the >crisis in the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia's southern province. She said that >they had agreed that the 'Contact Group' comprising France, Italy, Germany, >Russia, the United States and Britain should meet at the ministerial level. > > They also said that U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244 remained >a basic framework for the resolution of the crisis in Kosovo and Metohija. > > Collona said that Clinton had thanked France for its decision to >send reinforcements to its troops participating in the U.N. peacekeeping force >KFOR stationed in Kosovska Mitrovica, located in the north of Kosovo and >Metohija. __________________________________ 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] ___________________________________
