Informazione
NOTA: sia questo articolo che quello da noi diffuso nel messaggio
precedente (di Black e Herman) sono leggibili sul sito della Fondazione
Pasti, rispettivamente alle URL:
> http://www.pasti.org/tribonu.htm e
> http://www.pasti.org/lavalle.htm
---
Un tribunale che viola il diritto internazionale
Una giustizia tribale
di Raniero la Valle
da �Liberazione� del 4 aprile 2001
Se l'arresto di Milosevic fosse un affare interno della Repubblica
Jugoslava, non ci sarebbe niente da eccepire. Nessuno ha mai pensato
che nel conflitto jugoslavo, dove tutti hanno compiuto crimini, dai
capi delle fazioni armate ai negoziatori di Rambouillet, il presidente
jugoslavo fosse l'unico immune da colpe. L'obbligatoriet� dell'azione
penale e l'indipendenza della magistratura dal potere politico, che
rivendichiamo quando � sotto attacco in Italia, devono valere per
tutti, anche nei Balcani.
Ma l'arresto di Milosevic � intervenuto per una volont� esterna, e come
un'azione sostitutiva, escogitata dal nuovo potere di Belgrado, invece
della consegna di Milosevic al tribunale dell'Aja, che sarebbe stata
patita come un'umiliazione della sovranit� jugoslava. In questi
termini, questa giustizia � una vergogna. Lo � in quanto esercitata su
impulso del Tribunale dell'Aja, che dovendo giudicare i crimini
commessi nei conflitti jugoslavi, non ha giudicato la distruzione del
diritto compiuta dalla Nato, che ha violato tutte le norme del diritto
internazionale e del diritto umanitario di guerra, perfino ammazzando i
giornalisti, bombardando la sede della Televisione jugoslava. Il
Tribunale dell'Aja ha aperto e subito chiuso l'inchiesta sulla Nato,
non trovando nulla riguardo a cui procedere. Dunque � la giustizia dei
vincitori.
Ma prima ancora che dalla responsabile della Procura internazionale
dell'Aja, l'arresto � stato reclamato dall'America di Bush, e con un
ultimatum che scadeva il 31 marzo, giorno in cui � stato eseguito, in
cambio di una elargizione di 50 milioni di dollari, pari a 100 miliardi
di lire. Cento miliardi sono una cifra irrisoria, pari alla somma che,
secondo la prima delle notizie che ha voluto pubblicare L'Unit�
tornando in edicola, viene spesa da Berlusconi per la sua campagna
elettorale per acquistare il potere in Italia. Cento miliardi per
comprarsi la Jugoslavia e per venderla, � una cifra irrisoria; al
cambio sono meno di 30 danari.
Ma non � una taglia su un colpevole. E' una vendetta, per l'unico vero
delitto che l'America non pu� perdonare, che � il delitto di aver
resistito all'America, e che Milosevic non ha compiuto da solo. Si pu�
dire che anche noi, che ci siamo opposti alla guerra, ne siamo stati
complici. Un delitto che fin troppo a lungo non � stato perdonato al
Vietnam, che non � stato perdonato in Salvador a mons. Romero e a
quanti si sono opposti al regime voluto dagli Stati Uniti, che non �
stato perdonato a Saddam Hussein e all'intero popolo iracheno, che
continua a pagarne il prezzo in una guerra che per i vincitori non �
mai finita, e in uno strangolamento che ammazza i bambini e si perpetua
da una generazione all'altra di iracheni, anche nati dopo i fatti
imputati come reato. Dunque si tratta di una giustizia tribale, che
pretende la vendetta del sangue senza discernimento dei colpevoli e
senza distinzione tra i padri ed i figli.
Quando dopo una lunga storia di diritti negati e di popoli calpestati
la comunit� internazionale ha riconosciuto e affermato i diritti umani,
quando col patto di Roma si � tentato di istituire un Tribunale penale
internazionale permanente che gli Stati Uniti si rifiutano di accettare
e impediscono che nasca perch� non vogliono sottoporsi ad alcuna
giurisdizione, rivendicando l'impunit� dei loro poteri imperiali, si
pensava a una ben diversa istituzione e sovranit� del diritto, si
sperava in una ben diversa giustizia, si intendeva un'oggettivit� e
un'imparzialit� dei giudizi, senza vendette, senza imputati
precostituiti e senza sentenze manipolate dal potere. Nulla di tutto
ci� si riscontra nel modo in cui Milosevic, come si dice, viene
ora "assicurato" alla giustizia, grazie a un salario di cento miliardi
e con il mondo intorno a fare il tifo come in uno stadio. E' una brutta
pagina per la civilt� del diritto, � un'ulteriore umiliazione per
l'Europa.
---
Questa lista e' provvisoriamente curata da componenti della
ASSEMBLEA ANTIMPERIALISTA (ex Coord. Naz. "La Jugoslavia Vivra'"):
> http://www.tuttinlotta.org
I documenti distribuiti non rispecchiano necessariamente le
opinioni delle realta' che compongono questa struttura, ma
vengono fatti circolare per il loro contenuto informativo al
solo scopo di segnalazione e commento ("for fair use only").
Archivio:
> http://www.domeus.it/circles/jugoinfo oppure:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/messages
Per iscriversi al bollettino: <jugoinfo-subscribe@...>
Per cancellarsi: <jugoinfo-unsubscribe@...>
Per inviare materiali e commenti: <jugocoord@...>
Sito WEB (non aggiornato):
> http://digilander.iol.it/lajugoslaviavivra
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Una newsletter personale,
un forum web personale,
una mailing list personale, ...?
Gratis sotto
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Se vuoi cancellarti da questo gruppo, clicca qui: http://www.domeus.it/info/unsubscribe
precedente (di Black e Herman) sono leggibili sul sito della Fondazione
Pasti, rispettivamente alle URL:
> http://www.pasti.org/tribonu.htm e
> http://www.pasti.org/lavalle.htm
---
Un tribunale che viola il diritto internazionale
Una giustizia tribale
di Raniero la Valle
da �Liberazione� del 4 aprile 2001
Se l'arresto di Milosevic fosse un affare interno della Repubblica
Jugoslava, non ci sarebbe niente da eccepire. Nessuno ha mai pensato
che nel conflitto jugoslavo, dove tutti hanno compiuto crimini, dai
capi delle fazioni armate ai negoziatori di Rambouillet, il presidente
jugoslavo fosse l'unico immune da colpe. L'obbligatoriet� dell'azione
penale e l'indipendenza della magistratura dal potere politico, che
rivendichiamo quando � sotto attacco in Italia, devono valere per
tutti, anche nei Balcani.
Ma l'arresto di Milosevic � intervenuto per una volont� esterna, e come
un'azione sostitutiva, escogitata dal nuovo potere di Belgrado, invece
della consegna di Milosevic al tribunale dell'Aja, che sarebbe stata
patita come un'umiliazione della sovranit� jugoslava. In questi
termini, questa giustizia � una vergogna. Lo � in quanto esercitata su
impulso del Tribunale dell'Aja, che dovendo giudicare i crimini
commessi nei conflitti jugoslavi, non ha giudicato la distruzione del
diritto compiuta dalla Nato, che ha violato tutte le norme del diritto
internazionale e del diritto umanitario di guerra, perfino ammazzando i
giornalisti, bombardando la sede della Televisione jugoslava. Il
Tribunale dell'Aja ha aperto e subito chiuso l'inchiesta sulla Nato,
non trovando nulla riguardo a cui procedere. Dunque � la giustizia dei
vincitori.
Ma prima ancora che dalla responsabile della Procura internazionale
dell'Aja, l'arresto � stato reclamato dall'America di Bush, e con un
ultimatum che scadeva il 31 marzo, giorno in cui � stato eseguito, in
cambio di una elargizione di 50 milioni di dollari, pari a 100 miliardi
di lire. Cento miliardi sono una cifra irrisoria, pari alla somma che,
secondo la prima delle notizie che ha voluto pubblicare L'Unit�
tornando in edicola, viene spesa da Berlusconi per la sua campagna
elettorale per acquistare il potere in Italia. Cento miliardi per
comprarsi la Jugoslavia e per venderla, � una cifra irrisoria; al
cambio sono meno di 30 danari.
Ma non � una taglia su un colpevole. E' una vendetta, per l'unico vero
delitto che l'America non pu� perdonare, che � il delitto di aver
resistito all'America, e che Milosevic non ha compiuto da solo. Si pu�
dire che anche noi, che ci siamo opposti alla guerra, ne siamo stati
complici. Un delitto che fin troppo a lungo non � stato perdonato al
Vietnam, che non � stato perdonato in Salvador a mons. Romero e a
quanti si sono opposti al regime voluto dagli Stati Uniti, che non �
stato perdonato a Saddam Hussein e all'intero popolo iracheno, che
continua a pagarne il prezzo in una guerra che per i vincitori non �
mai finita, e in uno strangolamento che ammazza i bambini e si perpetua
da una generazione all'altra di iracheni, anche nati dopo i fatti
imputati come reato. Dunque si tratta di una giustizia tribale, che
pretende la vendetta del sangue senza discernimento dei colpevoli e
senza distinzione tra i padri ed i figli.
Quando dopo una lunga storia di diritti negati e di popoli calpestati
la comunit� internazionale ha riconosciuto e affermato i diritti umani,
quando col patto di Roma si � tentato di istituire un Tribunale penale
internazionale permanente che gli Stati Uniti si rifiutano di accettare
e impediscono che nasca perch� non vogliono sottoporsi ad alcuna
giurisdizione, rivendicando l'impunit� dei loro poteri imperiali, si
pensava a una ben diversa istituzione e sovranit� del diritto, si
sperava in una ben diversa giustizia, si intendeva un'oggettivit� e
un'imparzialit� dei giudizi, senza vendette, senza imputati
precostituiti e senza sentenze manipolate dal potere. Nulla di tutto
ci� si riscontra nel modo in cui Milosevic, come si dice, viene
ora "assicurato" alla giustizia, grazie a un salario di cento miliardi
e con il mondo intorno a fare il tifo come in uno stadio. E' una brutta
pagina per la civilt� del diritto, � un'ulteriore umiliazione per
l'Europa.
---
Questa lista e' provvisoriamente curata da componenti della
ASSEMBLEA ANTIMPERIALISTA (ex Coord. Naz. "La Jugoslavia Vivra'"):
> http://www.tuttinlotta.org
I documenti distribuiti non rispecchiano necessariamente le
opinioni delle realta' che compongono questa struttura, ma
vengono fatti circolare per il loro contenuto informativo al
solo scopo di segnalazione e commento ("for fair use only").
Archivio:
> http://www.domeus.it/circles/jugoinfo oppure:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/messages
Per iscriversi al bollettino: <jugoinfo-subscribe@...>
Per cancellarsi: <jugoinfo-unsubscribe@...>
Per inviare materiali e commenti: <jugocoord@...>
Sito WEB (non aggiornato):
> http://digilander.iol.it/lajugoslaviavivra
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Una newsletter personale,
un forum web personale,
una mailing list personale, ...?
Gratis sotto
http://www.domeus.it/ad1844140/www.domeus.it
Se vuoi cancellarti da questo gruppo, clicca qui: http://www.domeus.it/info/unsubscribe
LA R.F. DI JUGOSLAVIA NEL "SALOTTO BUONO" ?
Prosegue a ritmo serrato l'inglobamento della Jugoslavia nei "salotti buoni"
del dominio finanziario globale: dal Fondo Monetario Internazionale (IMF), che
ha ricominciato a concederle i suoi prestiti usurari, alla Banca Mondiale,
dove la RFJ e' stata appena riammessa dopo otto anni, alla Banca Europea per la
Ricostruzione e lo Sviluppo (BERS), alla cui ultima sessione londinese di
fine Aprile il nuovo governo jugoslavo ha presentato lo stato della ristrutturazione
dell'economia in senso liberista ed antipopolare, invitando gli investitori
stranieri a farsi sotto. Ed ancora lla Organizzazione Mondiale del Commercio
(WTO), che ha gia' ammesso la RFJ come osservatore, al Consiglio d'Europa, che
impone le sue condizioni, che sono insieme economiche e politiche, fino alla
stessa NATO ed alla sua "anticamera" denominata "Partnership for Peace".
Nel frattempo, si prepara la legge sulle privatizzazioni che consentira' la
svendita delle ricchezze nazionali agli acquirenti stranieri.
Riportiamo di seguito i dispacci della Tanjug e di altra fonte su questo
fiorire di rapporti e di scambi di visite, con gli esponenti della nuova leadership
(anti)jugoslava impegnati a fare passerella nei centri piu' esclusivi
dell'Occidente "umanitario", da Londra a Davos, da Berlino a New York.
(a cura del CRJ)
---
PAPPA-E-CICCIA CON LE DELEGAZIONI DI ISRAELE E DEL WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS
OFFICIALS PLEASED WITH VISIT OF ISRAELI DELEGATION TO BELGRADE
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Assistant Yugoslav Foreign Trade
Minister Boran Karadjole and Israeli Ministry of Industry and Trade
Director General Ruven Horesh told Tanjug on Thursday after talks in the
Federation Palace that they were extremely satisfied with the results so
far of the visit by the Israeli stateeconomic delegation to Yugoslavia.
Karadjole said a large number of businessmen of the two countries
had established contacts immediately through the chamber of commerce. He
pointed out that this was the first visit of an Israeli stateeconomic
delegation to Yugoslavia in almost 30 years.
"We have presented to the Israeli side copies of draft agreements
on avoiding double taxation and on protecting investments from
noncommercial risks, so that we can soon begin talks on the concluding of
these documents," Karadjole said.
Horesh said it had become evident after the second day of the
delegation's visit that the two countries have a common economic interest.
It has been decided that the two states set up new foundations for
future economic relations, primarily in the areas of trade and investments,
so as to enable Yugoslav and Israeli businessmen to take advantage of the
existing economic reforms and economic opening of Yugoslavia, Horesh said.
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA WITH DELEGATION OF WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS
BELGRADE, February 12 (Tanjug) Yugoslav President Vojislav
Kostunica talked Monday in Belgrade with a delegation of the World Jewish
Congress about internal development in FR Yugoslavia and prospects of
further democratization of the country.
According to the statement from the presidential cabinet, in the
lengthy cordial conversation with members of the delegation headed by the
secretary general of the World Jewish Congress, Israel Singer, guests
stated their support for the Serbian people in removing the consequences of
a decade of authoritarian rule, years of isolation and a negative media
campaign.
Also present at the meeting was the president of the association
of Jewish municipalities of Yugoslavia, Aca Singer, the statement said.
YUGOSLAV HEALTH MINISTER CONFERRED WITH WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS
DELEGATION
BELGRADE, February 12 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Minister of Health and
Social Policy Miodrag Kovac and President of the World Jewish Congress
Israel Singer discussed Monday the prospects for providing health aid to
the holocaust victims in Yugoslavia and for a program of aid to the reform
of the Yugoslav health and social security sectors.
Kovac pointed to Yugoslavia's readiness for full cooperation with
the WJC and the Jewish community in Belgrade on these projects.
Providing health care to holocaust victims would be financed from
funds the WJC has received from Germany as compensation.
The program of aid to the Yugoslav health sector should be
realized jointly as the Jewish and Yugoslav peoples have shared a similar
fate throughout history. Keeping in mind this historical experience and
friendship, the WJC has always been backing Yugoslavia's integrity, Singer
said.
YUGOSLAVIA-ISRAEL
ISRAEL TO HELP YUGOSLAVIA PRIVATISE TELECOMMUNICATIONS
TEL AVIV, April 19 (Tanjug) Israeli Telecommunications Minister
Reuven Rivlin has promised his Yugoslav counterpart Boris Tadic that his
country will help privatise Yugoslav telecommunications by providing expert
services and information, the Jerusalem Post newspaper said on Thursday.
In a report about the Yugoslav minister's visit to Israel, which
was issued only after the holidays during which no newspapers were printed,
the Jerusalem Post said that Tadic had tried to make use of the Israeli
knowhow and experience in the privatisation of the important infrastructure
sector.
Tadic was quoted as saying that he had useful talks with numerous
Israeli companies and that Yugoslavia seriously planned to develop
bilateral cooperation in the field of telecommunications.
PRIMI INCONTRI CON LE DELEGAZIONI DI IMF E BANCA MONDIALE
YUGOSLAVIA'S REPRESENTATIVE IN IMF WILL BE SLAVOLJUB ANTIC
BELGRADE, January 21 (Tanjug) Yugoslav National Bank (central
bank) Governor Mladjan Dinkic has appointed Srboljub Antic, a financial
expert, to be Yugoslavia's representative in the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), the Governor's Cabinet said on Sunday.
Antic will be adviser to the Executive Director of the Swiss
Constituency which will represent Yugoslav interests within IMF and will
begin his duties immediately, the statement said.
YUGOSLAV CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR MEETS IMF, WORLD BANK OFFICIALS
NEW YORK, January 25 (Tanjug) Yugoslav National (central) Bank
Governor Mladjan Dinkic has ended a twoday working visit to Washington, in
the course of which he met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World
Bank officials.
The talks were also attended by Srboljub Antic, Yugoslavia'a
future representative with the IMF. The two sides mostly focused on
creditrelated cooperation between Yugoslavia and the IMF, and Yugoslavia's
admission to the World Bank.
After eight years of absence, Yugoslavia rejoined the IMF on Dec.
20 last year. In order to renew membership in the World Bank, the country
must first regulate its overdue debts, estimated at 1.7 billion dollars.
YUGOSLAVIA AND IMF BEGIN TALKS
BELGRADE, February 2 (Tanjug) Representatives of the Yugoslav and
Serbian governments opened talks in Belgrade on Friday with members of a
mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about Yugoslavia's
capabilities to service its foreign debt and on the elements of the
macroeconomic policy for the year 2001.
The first in a series of twoweek meetings was attended by federal
VicePrime Minister Miroljub Labus, Yugoslav National Bank Governor Mladjan
Dinkic and the finance ministers of Serbia and Montenegro, Bozidar Djelic
and Miroslav Ivanisevic respectively, while the IMF delegation was headed
by mission chief Emmanuel Zervoudakis, the federal Information Secretariat
said.
The meeting focused on the amount of the foreign debt and the
preparation of a joint strategy for its servicing, as well as the
forthcoming reform of Yugoslavia's banking system, privatization, and the
fiscal and monetary policy of this country.
It was announced that the IMF mission will hold a series of
meetings with Yugoslav and Serbian government experts. At the end of the
visit, on February 13 or 14 a new round of plenary sessions will be held
followed by an announcement about the results of the joint activities.
COVIC MET WITH IMF AND WORLD BANK DELEGATIONS
BELGRADE, February 11 (Tanjug) Serbian Deputy Premier Nebojsa
Covic received on Sunday a delegation of the International Monetary Fund
headed by European sector chief Emanuel Zervudakis, said a statement issued
by the deputy premier's cabinet.
The statement said that the talks were devoted to a "standby"
arrangement, coordinating measures in economic fields and in micoreconomic
frameworks which are a basis for a realistic projection of the budget of
Serbia for this year.
Also analyzed were pay raises, increased production and inflation
factors, and the way to narrow the budget deficit by reforming the tax
system and expenditure, so as to obtain a budget of Serbia for this year
that would be as balanced as possible.
Along with the Minister of Energy and Mining Goran Novakovic,
Covic also talked with officials from the World Bank energy sector about
the plan for the longterm solution of the energy crisis in Serbia.
The topic of the talks, in which took part Felix Martin, Hank Bush
and Dejan Ostojic, was aid for resolving problems of the electric power
system and preparations for overhauling Serbian power stations, to be ready
for next winter season.
"It was mutually concluded that a program should be worked out in
the shortest possible period for the shortterm, mediumterm and longterm
overhauling of the electric power system in Serbia," said the statement
issued by the cabinet of the deputy premier.
LABUS: YUGOSLAVIA EXPECTS IMF CREDIT IN JUNE
NEW YORK, April 11 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Deputy Premier Miroljub
Labus told the Voice of America Wednesday that he expects the International
Monetary Fund to earmark an extensive credit to Yugoslavia next month, with
a first instalment being available already on June 1.
Yugoslavia hopes that the promised IMF and World Bank aid of 300
million dollars will enable Belgrade to collect the one billion dollars it
needs for development, the radio said.
Six months after the democratic change in Belgrade, the rate of
implementation of economic reforms is still very slow. Most of the
industrial facilities damaged in the NATO bombing in 1999 have not been
repaired yet and plants are hardly working, the radio noted. Meanwhile, the
Yugoslav National (central) bank is trying to recover several hundred
million dollars believed to have been taken out of the country by former
president Slobodan Milosevic and his associates. The architects of Yugoslav
policies are seeking considerable foreign aid and hoping at the same time
to attract foreign investments to prevent dependence from aid, as has been
the case of some other countries in the region, the radio said.
PREPARATIONS FOR CONFERENCE OF DONORS FOR YUGOSLAVIA
BELGRADE, April 24 (Tanjug) World Bank and European Commission
representatives presented to Yugoslav officials Tuesday in Belgrade draft
documents on preparations for the forthcoming conference of donors for
Yugoslavia.
About 50 experts of the World Bank, the International Monetary
Fund and other organizations have for several months been working on
detailed analyses and reports on the current situation and on programs for
Yugoslavia's economic recovery and transition process, the federal
information secretariat said.
The Yugoslav delegation was headed by Assistant Minister of
Foreign Trade Milica Uvalic, the WB delegation by its Washington
representative Mary Sheehan and the EC delegation by Therese Sobieski.
The programs to be presented at the conference concern reform
policies, especially as regards macroeconomic reforms, the private sector,
the improvement of the social situation and the strengthening of state
institutions, Sheehan said.
The conference of donors is to be convened by the WB and the EC,
and its date will hopefully be set within a few days, she said.
The meeting also focused on social policy, health care, education
and the underprivileged. The talks on other issues will continue
Wednesday.
DINKIC:FIRST IMF LOANS DUE IN YUGOSLAVIA EARLY JUNE
WASHINGTON, April 30 (Tanjug) Having settled all issues that
have been in dispute with the International Monetary Fund (IMF),
Yugoslavia will already by early June get a 260milliondollar IMF loan as
part of a standby arrangement, Yugoslav National (central) Bank Governor
Mladjan Dinkic has said.
Dinkic is attending the annual IMF and World Bank meeting in
Washington, where he has had a number of meetings with top IMF and WB
officials over the past few days. He is also to confer with State
Department representatives.
The Yugoslav Central Bank governor told reporters that an
agreement has been struck with the IMF management, and that it should be
approved at Monday's session of IMF's task force for Yugoslavia, to be
attended also by G7 countries.
YUGOSLAV NATIONAL BANK GOVERNOR: STANDBY ARRANGEMENT WITH IMF
WASHINGTON, April 30 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia can count by the end of
the year on three of the total of four instalments from the standby
arrangement worth 260 million dollars of the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), National Bank of Yugoslavia Governor Mladjan Dinkic confirmed at
the end of the visit to Washington.
"We hope that the first 65million dollar instalment of the
standby arrangement will arrive in Yugoslavia as early as June," the
Dinkic said, pointing out that by the end of the year will arrive two more
out of the total of four instalments."
The governor explained that the working group, comprising
representatives of the IMF, the World Bank and Group 7, held a meeting in
Washington on Monday from which was issued a joint statement on the
economic policy of Yugoslavia, or, on the standby arrangement, which means
that, as he stressed, all problems relating to the agreement have been
removed.
One more formality remains that the IMF board confirms the
agreement by the end of May this year.According to the Yugoslav governor,
the standby arrangement has multiple importance for Yugoslavia. It opens
the way, as he said, for successful talks with the Paris and London Clubs
for the writeoff of a part of the Yugoslav foreign debt which is around 12
billion dollars, Dinkic said, adding that Yugoslavia is requiring the
writeoff of two thirds of the debt.
Dinkic reminded that the ratio between the Yugoslav GDP and the
foreign debt was 145 percent, and that with the eventual writeoff of two
thirds of the debt to the Paris Club the ratio would be 70 percent.
Referring to the results of his visit to Washington, where the
spring session of the IMF and the World Bank is underway and where he held
a large number of meetings, Dinkic said he was satisfied with what was
achieved in the past two days. This concerns particulary the proposal of
the World Bank and the European Commission for the donors conference for
Yugoslavia to be held on June 1 this year in Brussels.
"We expect from the donors conference over a billion dollars,"
Dinkic said.
As for the World Bank, the Yugoslav governor said, it is quite
certain that the board of that institution will on May 8 take the decision
to renew the membership of Yugoslavia in the World Bank.
DJINDJIC: YUGOSLAV MEMBERSHIP IN WORLD BANK TO BE RESOLVED SOON,
PARIS, April 30 (Tanjug) Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic in talks
Monday with French Premier Lionel Jospin was assured that in a very short
period, maybe in a few days, will be resolves the issue of membership of
Yugoslavia in the World Bank, and that Paris will support the
reprogramming of the Yugoslav debt to the Paris Club.
"We received very clear support of France for our membership in
the World Bank. We have a promise that in the next few days the issue will
be resolved," Djindjic said after talks in Paris with Jospin and his aides
in charge of the economy and international relations.
The Serbian premier underlined that he also received the support
of France for the rescheduling of the Yugoslav debt to the Paris Club.
"For us it is very important that we first reduce our outstanding
debts that are very high, and then to reprogram them with an interest rate
that will be seven or eight times lower than the current ones, so as to
free our economy of the pressure of interest rates and outstanding debts,"
Djindjic explained. "If we achieve that in May, the following period would
practically be the time of large investments into our country," the
Serbian premier said in conclusion.
Premier Djindjic, accompanied by Finance and Economy Minister
Bozidar Djelic, Minister for Economic Relations with Foreign Countries
Goran Pitic, Minister for Privatization and Restructuring Aleksandar
Vlahovic and Yugoslav Ambassador to France Radomir Diklic, discussed with
Lionel Jospin and his aides the bilateral engagement of France and
economic aid.
"I am very satisfied and expect that relations between France and
Serbia will be intensified after our visit," the Serbian prime minister
said.
SARA' LA BANCA MONDIALE A RISOLVERE I CONFLITTI INTERETNICI?!?
WORLD BANK TO HELP HARMONISE INTERETHNIC RELATIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) At the request of international
donors and the European Commission, the World Bank has sent to Yugoslavia a
team charged with drafting a programme of urgent aid for surmounting
interethnic hostilities and accelerating democratisation.
Steven Holteman, who heads the team, was meeting with Yugoslav
Minister for minority affairs Rasim Ljajic. Holteman said he had come to
Ljajic for information about vital questions concerning certain regions and
the country as a whole, which he would forward to the donors to help them
draw up specific assistance programmes.
LA RF DI JUGOSLAVIA RIAMMESSA NELLA BANCA MONDIALE
World Bank Re-admits Yugoslavia After Eight Years
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2001
-- (Reuters) Yugoslavia rejoined the World Bank on Tuesday, eight years
after being expelled for its involvement in Balkan wars, paving the way
for future loans to help the impoverished country's economic recovery.
"The government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has fully satisfied
the requirements for Bank membership," said World Bank Director Christiaan
Poortman. "We look forward to working together on reviving the country's
economy and improving living conditions for all the people of Yugoslavia."
Yugoslavia was cut off by the International Monetary Fund in 1992 and the
World Bank in 1993. It rejoined the IMF in December 2000, two months after
former leader Slobodan Milosevic was ousted. As part of the membership
package, the World Bank's executive board approved temporary eligibility
to the International Development Association (IDA).The bank said that up
to $540 million in IDA lending could now be made available over a
three-year period. IDA is a World Bank's arm that lends to poor states
whose lack of credit-worthiness precludes borrowing on market terms. In
return, the borrower must implement policies that promote economic growth
and reduce poverty. The board-approved package also included a plan for
clearing the country's arrears to the Washington lender. But it would take
"several additional months" to actually resolve the $1.7 billion arrears,
the bank said. Yugoslavia's Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus, speaking
at the end of April ahead of the expected announcement, said these two
components of the package should give Yugoslavia a net capital inflow of
between $30 and $50 million a year. The bank confirmed that in March 2001,
it set up a $30 million trust fund for Yugoslavia for near-term
assistance. This is designed to help the country improve economic
conditions in the short run and to help the government to shape its
longer-term policy agenda. The bank said it will now be able to support
Yugoslavia's economic development through a Transitional Support Strategy
which will set out a program for the fiscal year 2002. With a planned
donor conference in sight, the lending institution said it is putting
together a comprehensive Emergency Recovery and Transition Program. This
is still being worked on with the government but should be ready for the
tentatively planned June 1 conference in Brussels. The first step toward
this conference came at the end of April, when the IMF agreed a memorandum
on economic and financial policies. Officials are hoping to raise $1.2
billion at the event which will be sponsored by the World Bank and the
European Commission. But the United States, which has significant
influence over the purse strings of institutions such as the IMF and the
World Bank, has threatened to withdraw backing of the conference if
Belgrade does not cooperate with an international court in The Hague that
wants to try Milosevic for alleged war crimes. Two U.S. senators from the
Foreign Operations Subcommittee, Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mitch McConnell
(R-KY), have written to World Bank President James Wolfensohn, urging him
to ensure that cooperation with the international court be a condition of
lending. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell met on Tuesday with the
chief prosecutor of the court. They were expected to discuss putting more
pressure on Belgrade to transfer Milosevic to court. The country's
improved relations with the outside world have already led to promises of
new financing. Subject to the resolution of some problems with the
Yugoslav budget, the IMF has pledged a $260 million stand-by loan. An IMF
agreement also opens the doors for negotiations with the Paris Club of
creditors on debt restructuring. Yugoslavia has requested a write-down of
around two-thirds of a total $5.0 billion debt owed
to Paris Club members.
VERSO LA NUOVA LEGGE SULLE PRIVATIZZAZIONI
SERBIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTED CHANGES TO PRIVATIZATION LAW
BELGRADE, February 13 (Tanjug) The Serbian parliament adopted on
Monday changes to the Law on Property Transformation freezing the
privatization of companies in Serbia for at least ten months when a new law
is expected.
During the almost sixhour debate, Serbian Privatization Minister
Aleksandar Vlahovic said that privatization is a means for realizing market
reforms and achieving the strategic aim of a more efficient economy.
Vlahovic stated that the process of privatization has recently
been intensified with 400 companies entering the process until November
2000. In the past two months another 500 firms opted to go private thus
boosting this figure to 900.
According to Vlahovic, the ruling Democratic Opposition of Serbia
(DOS) believes that a privatization based on the model of distributing free
shares to the majority owners should be halted. He proposed the stopping of
privatization based on the autonomous transformation model.
Vlahovic said that a new privatization law would be submitted to
the parliament in three months.
YUGOSLAVIA: SERBIA EYES NEW PRIVATIZATION LAW BY APRIL
Serbia's new privatization minister said he was preparing new
legislation allowing the use of different models in the planned sell-
off of some 7,000 state or socially-owned firms in Serbia.
Speaking a few days after Serbia's new reformist government took
office, the minister Aleksandar Vlahovic said he expected the law to
be ready by April.
He said it would largely abandon the privatization model used by
Slobodan Milosevic's ousted authorities.
The new privatization law will partly mean abandoning the insider
privatization concept. It will be a combination of different
approaches and models.
Under the existing ownership transformation law, passed by
Milosevic's government in 1997, up to 60 percent of a company's
capital is given to its workers and pensioners in the form of shares
and the rest sold to investors in exchange for cash.
Vlahovic said this way of selling state firms did not allow for
growth and development because it was unclear who the majority owner
was and who ran the company, saying workers would be better off with
a successful firm than with worthless shares.
Out of some 7,000 Serb companies to be privatized, 631 had started
the process with an estimated book value of $1 billion. There would
be no revisions of privatizations conducted so far, only if there had
been flagrant violations of the law.
He said priorities were to bring in new strategic partners and create
an environment for the development of small businesses, seen as
crucial to help the Serbian economy recover after a decade of
conflict and economic sanctions.
There would be no deadline for privatization as some companies could
start the process immediately and others, such as large energy
companies, needed more time.
"I expect that four years from now socially-owned capital will be
completely eliminated, we will have private and state ownership and
we will start privatization of big systems but it will still be under
way in some cases," Vlahovic said.
Vlahovic was speaking at the end of a two-day seminar to discuss
privatization experience in other ex-communist European countries,
attended by representatives of the World Bank and experts from
Poland, Hungary, Estonia and Slovenia.
Their experiences will be valuable when Yugoslavia draws up its own
privatization concept...
(The Balkan Economic Bulletin - http://epc-eu.net/balkan/)
SI FA STRADA ANCHE L'ACQUIRENTE ITALIANO...
YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PREMIER RECEIVES ITALIAN OFFICIALS
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Deputy Premier and Foreign
Trade Minister Miroljub Labus conferred in Belgrade on Thursday with Deputy
Italian Foreign Minister Umberto Ranieri and Balkan Stability Pact senior
official Fabrizzio Saccomani on possibilities for promoting bilateral and
regional cooperation, a federal government statement said.
Labus pointed out that Yugoslavia expects an international donor
conference on the renewal of infrastructure to be held soon, as a
confirmation of political and economic support. Yugoslavia is making
significant efforts to join international financial institutions and thus
create conditions to realize the expected aid, he said.
The visiting officials said Italy would support Yugoslavia's
transition bilaterally, but also through the Balkan Stability Pact.
They emphasized the keen interest of Italian businessmen in the
Yugoslav market and strengthening ties with Yugoslav companies. Talks also
covered the realization of the aid granted to Yugoslavia earlier for
securing fuels, said the statement by the Secretariat of Information.
YUGOSLAV DIPLOMAT AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSITION
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Assistant to the Yugoslav Foreign
Minister Aleksandra Joksimovic will participate, at the invitation of the
Italian Foreign Ministry, in an international conference opening on Friday
on postcommunist transition in European countries.
The conference "Postcommunist transition ten years
later challenges and results for Europe and the role of the
CentralEuropean Initiative (CEI)" will be held in the Italian town of Forli.
At the conference will be presented the results of the twoyear
work of scientists and experts from Italy, CEI states, and the European
Union and the United States in a project that analyzed ten years of
postcommunist transition in CEI countries.
SERBIAN VICEPREMIER RECEIVES ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Serbian VicePremier Zarko Korac
received on Wednesday an Italian parliamentary delegation, headed by
Francesco Carelli, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health.
The Italian parliamentarians members of the Green Party offered
help in environmental protection, where the situation in Serbia
(Yugoslavia) has deteriorated in the wake of NATO's 1999 air campaign.
Korac showed an interest in Italian regulations and the training
of Serbian experts in the area.
YUGOSLAV, ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS MEET
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Lower House Parliament
officials Aleksandar Pravdic and Miroslav Filipovic met in Belgrade on
Thursday with a delegation of the Italian Parliament, headed by Francesco
Carella of the Senate's Health Committee.
The Italian delegation said Italy was urging for expanding the
European Union and that Yugoslavia could soon become a member after
consolidating democracy, which would be conducive to economic prosperity
and social security, and offered help to this end.
Pravdic, in turn, agreed that Italy could continue its efforts for
promoting Yugoslavia's return to the European and global family of nations,
with a simultaneous expansion of bilateral economic cooperation.
ITALY SUPPORTS BELGRADE'S NEW POLITICAL COURSE
BELGRADE, February 2 (Tanjug) Italy will support the efforts of
the new Yugoslav and Serbian governments for economic and institutional
renewal, according to Italy's deputy foreign minister in Belgrade on Thursday.
Meeting with Serbian VicePremier Nebojsa Covic, Umberto Ranieri
said Italy appreciated the new political course set by Belgrade, which he
described as an affirmation of democracy and the democratic forces voted
into power at Serbia's Dec. 23 parliamentary elections.
According to Ranieri, the Yugoslav federation and its federal unit
Serbia are facing a major challenge of an economic and institutional
renewal of the country.
He added that Italy and the rest of the international community
would support the efforts in this direction of both the new Yugoslav
authorities, headed by President Vojislav Kostunica, and the new government
of Serbia.
He went on to say that Italy had been making efforts for including
Yugoslavia and Serbia in the reconstruction drives mounted by the Balkan
Stability Pact.
He said that the Belgrade talks had confirmed Italy in its belief
that the problem of KosovoMetohija's future should be dealt with within the
framework set by U.N. Resolution 1244.
Il Manifesto, 17 Marzo 2001
Tra i Balcani e il mare
Ad Ancona conferenza dei paesi balcanici e adriatici
GIULIANO DEL GIUDICE - ANCONA
Per la prima volta, a dieci anni dalla prima guerra nei
Balcani, tutti i protagonisti di quei conflitti si sono
confrontati e incontrati: chi le guerre le ha volute, chi
le ha subite e chi comunque vi ha preso parte. Appuntamento
ieri ad Ancona nel summit dei ministri dell'ambiente di
Adriatico e Jonio, a pochi giorni dal deludente vertice del
G8 a Trieste e a 10 mesi dalla prima conferenza
dell'Adriatico e dello Jonio, sempre ad Ancona nel maggio
2000. Partecipanti Italia, Slovenia, Croazia, Bosnia,
Albania, Grecia e Jugoslavia.
Tre i tavoli: le conseguenze ambientali (uranio impoverito
in particolare) derivanti dalle guerre e dalle bombe Nato,
le azioni e i programmi nazionali per combattere la siccità
e la desertificazione nel bacino Mediterraneo, gli accordi
di cooperazione necessari all'attuazione delle convenzioni
Onu sull'ambiente. E subito un primo problema ha riguardato
il monitoraggio e la bonifica dell'Adriatico dalle cluster
bomb e dai missili vari. Non c'è maggiore radioattività -
ha rilevato un rapporto dell'Icram - o contaminazione da
uranio impoverito. Ma l'istituto di ricerca ha monitorato
solo, come suo compito, le acque territoriali. Quelle dove,
secondo quanto reso noto due giorni fa dal Dipartimento
militare marittimo, sono stati sganciati dagli aerei Nato
128 ordigni (tra mine, bombe, siluri e proiettili di grosso
calibro), 113 dei quali ritrovati dai cacciamine in aree di
sgancio con fondali inferiori ai 200 metri.
Comunque, se quelle italiane non sono acque contaminate,
cosa sappiamo dell'altra sponda dell'Adriatico o, più in
giù, dello Jonio? Così, il primo dei tre documenti finali
afferma che il monitoraggio deve proseguire perché non è
certo solo un sospetto la contaminazione di terreno, aria e
falde acquifere derivata dalla distruzione di tanti
impianti industriali.
Come sempre le dichiarazioni finali sono costruite con
formule generiche come "impegno" e "desiderio" per la
collaborazione della tutela ambientale dell'Adriatico. Come
ha ricordato il sottosegretario italiano all'ambiente,
Valerio Calzolaio, una settimana fa il parlamento ha
approvato una legge per la stabilità, la ricostruzione e lo
sviluppo dei Balcani. Atto di buona volontà, che stanzia le
prime concrete risorse. Ma che come gli impegni presi ieri
ad Ancona - collaborazioni per il monitoraggio, la bonifica
e soprattutto per la ricostruzione - è stato demandato per
la ratifica dei governi all'appuntamento di Spalato, la
conferenza dei governi dell'area, il prossimo 24 e 25
maggio. E allora forse l'Italia avrà un governo diverso, e
altre idee sulla ricostruzione in quelle aree.
Il summit di Ancona ha segnato però intanto un importante
riavvicinamento. Contrariamente a quanto successe un anno
fa ad Ancona con la prima Conferenza dell'Adriatico, questa
volta alla conferenza ufficiale hanno preso parte anche le
Ong. Dall'Arcs alla Comunità di Capodarco, dall'Ics a
Legambiente, dall'Osservatorio permanente sui Balcani al
Cvm: una lunga tavola rotonda con Calzolaio, per il governo
italiano, per concordare richieste e denunce comuni. Come
l'accusa che gli stanziamenti previsti dall'Unione europea
per la bonifica dei territori balcanici contaminati sono
assolutamente insufficienti, mentre gli interventi
procedono con grave lentezza, senza che sia ancora
cominciata l'opera di informazione e monitoraggio sanitario
delle popolazioni interessate.
OSPITI D'ONORE AL SUMMIT DI DAVOS!
LABUS: DAVOS TALKS SUCCESSFUL
BELGRADE, January 30 (Tanjug) A highranking Yugoslav delegation
that attended the World Economic Forum had very productive and successful
discussions, Yugoslav VicePremier Miroljub Labus said late Monday on
returning to Belgrade from Davos.
The Yugoslav delegation was headed by President Vojislav
Kostunica, who cut short his visit to the Swiss resort centre due to an
escalation of ethnic Albanian terrorism in southern Serbia.
VicePremier Labus, who is also the Federal Minister of Foreign
Trade, told reporters at Belgrade airport that he had met with top
officials of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
He went on to say that the restructuring of Yugoslav debts, and
the three financial organizations' aid to Yugoslavia, were among the topics
touched upon.
In particular, possibilities of standby arrangements, and the
reprogramming of Yugoslavia's foreign debts were discussed with IMF
officials, Labus explained.
LIBERALIZZAZIONE DEI PREZZI, VIA ALLA SVALUTAZIONE DELLA MONETA!
YUGOSLAV CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR ANNUNCES PLAN FOR LIBERALIZING PRICES
BELGRADE, January 30 (Tanjug) Yugoslav National (central) Bank
(NBJ) Governor Mladjan Dinkic said he would during the week submit to the
Serbian Government a plan for liberalizing the prices of electric power,
public and railway transport, oil, and telecommunications services.
In a statement to Tuesday's issue of the Politika daily, Dinkic
explained that an NBJ research team was reviewing all prices that have been
curbed, but are still high due to the population's low buying power, since
their liberalization in the past three months was random. This is a great
blow to the standard of living, he added.
He went on to say that the Government would first have to place
under control some of the prices, such as those of public services, and
that the NBJ would propose administrative control over the price of natural
gas, currently sold at a price higher than that on the world market.
Dinkic also announced that millions of dollars of foreign
financial support was expected to arrive soon and aid Yugoslavia's recovery
after many years of economic crisis.
The greatest problem is to get past the period before autumn, when
the first credits are due, Dinkic said, and noted that he had during his
recent talks at the US State Department called for a corresponding donation
programme in the first six months of the year.
IDILLIACI RAPPORTI CON GLI STATI UNITI D'AMERICA:
KOSTUNICA "UOMO POLITICO DELL'ANNO" (PER AVERE VENDUTO MILOSEVIC)
CLINTON'S DECREE ON LIFTING ANTIYUGOSLAV SANCTIONS REMAINS IN FORCE
BELGRADE, Jan 27 (Tanjug) The decision of former US president
Bill Clinton to lift the antiYugoslav sanctions remains in force and is not
being reconsidered, the US embassy in Belgrade said Friday evening.
The decree on lifting antiYugoslav sanctions, except those
concerning some individuals, was signed by Clinton on Jan 17 and came into
force on Jan 19, 2001. It was published in the Federal Gazette on Jan 23
and remains in force. It is not being reconsidered, the embassy said.
The only decisions under reconsideration are US federal
regulations, not presidential decrees, the embassy said in a statement
presented to Tanjug.
Another statement issued earlier Friday by the embassy said that
the new US president had decided, in line with the usual practice, to
reconsider all presidential decrees issued by the Clinton administration
last week, including the lifting of the antiYugoslav sanctions.
SERBIAN PREMIER TO MEET US SECRETARY OF STATE ON FRIDAY
WASHINGTON, February 1 (Tanjug) Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic,
who is due in Washington later on Thursday, will meet US Secretary of State
Colin Powell on Friday, according to the State Department.
Djindjic and Powell are expected to review the security situation
in southern Serbia, the future of the Serbian (Yugoslav) UNrun
KosovoMetohija province, bilateral economic cooperation, and Yugoslavia's
cooperation with the Haguebased war crimes court.
State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said Powell would also
on Friday meet three Kosovo Albanian leaders, but did not elaborate.
YUGOSLAV PREMIER ARRIVES IN US FOR IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS
NEW YORK, March 5 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Premier Zoran Zizic arrived
late on Sunday in New York at the invitation of the influential US Council
for international relations.
At the Council's round table on Wednesday Zizic will speak about
the situation in KosovoMetohija, relations within the Yugoslav federation,
and relations between the Belgrade authorities and international
organizations.
The Yugoslav Premier is also due to meet with UN SecretaryGeneral
Kofi Annan, and members of the UN Security Council.
After discussions at the United Nations headquarters, Zizic will
hold a press conference and meet with the Yugoslav diaspora in the United
States.
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA GETS STATESMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
NEW YORK, April 19 (Tanjug) The prestigious USEuropean EASTWEST
Institute has selected Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica as the winner
of its Statesman of the Year award.
The award will be presented to Kostunica on May 8, at a
celebration dinner in New York.
The Statesman of the Year award is given each year to a person
whose qualities as a leader and statesman have made a significant
contribution to peace and democracy in Europe.
Kostunica beat the last European dictator in free and fair
elections and his endeavors have contributed to a successful transformation
of warravaged and economically devastated Yugoslavia into a democratic
state which is returning to the European family of nations, the Institute
said.
YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA ARRIVES IN UNITED STATES
NEW YORK, May 8 (Tanjug) Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica,
accompanied by VicePremier Miroljub Labus, Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic and other federal officials, on Tuesday arrived in the United
States on his first visit to this country.
In New York, Kostunica will confer with UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi
Annan and then have a luncheon at the very influential International
Relations Council.
At a closeddoor meeting, the Yugoslav president will address
Council members on the situation in Yugoslavia, and Yugoslav government
efforts aimed at resolving the problems in KosovoMetohija. Later in the
day, Kostunica will attend a galadinner given in his honour by the
EastWest Institute.
According to UN sources, Kostunica may also meet UN civilian
mission in KosovoMetohija (UNMIK) chief Hans Haekkerup, who is to deliver
a report to the UN Security Council on the situation in KosovoMetohija on
Wednesday.
After the visit to New York, Kostunica will leave for Washington
where, according to Tanjug's sources, he is to meet with US President
George W. Bush, VicePresident Richard Cheney, State Secretary Colin Powell
and National Security Adviser Condoleza Rice.
SVILANOVIC ABOUT VISIT TO US
PRAGUE, May 7 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic said that Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, with aides,
will use his stay in New York Tuesday also to meet with UN Secretary
General Koffi Anan.
Svilanovic, in an interview to Radio Free Europe, said he will
discuss with Annan "problems on the table," first and foremost the legal
framework for Kosovo.
One day later, Svilanovic said, the Yugoslav president will hold
talks in Washington also with top representatives of the US Administration
and on the table will be all topics, from cooperation with The Hague
tribunal, the donors conference for Yugoslavia, to bilateral relations.
"I think this is one of the key efforts made by the Yugoslav
government and the Yugoslav president, since taking office to date, with a
view to the country that is facing huge difficulties on the economic,
social and political level. In that way, the absolute readiness of all of
us is demonstrated to help the people in this country," Svilanovic said.
Asked whether Kostunica would also meet with US President George
Bush, Svilanovic said he believes the meeting will take place, although,
he said, it was not an official visit.
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA SEES NEW AGE OPENING IN RELATIONS WITH USA
NEW YORK, May 10 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia's president described on
Thursday his visit to the United States, which has just ended, as
extremely important and as signalling a new age in bilateral relations.
Vojislav Kostunica was in the United States on Tuesday and
Wednesday to receive the Statesman of the Year award.
Kostunica told the Voice of America that the results were
especially satisfactory in view of what BelgradeWashington relations had
been until recently, and that bilateral diplomatic relations were resumed
barely months ago.
"A certain constraint remains, some memories of a lost decade
that is behind us", he said, adding that some of his partners in talks had
"referred to this with regret". He went on to say that there was clearly
an awareness in the U.S. administration "of the importance of Yugoslavia,
the fact that our state after the changes of October last really is a
factor of stability, that it is very important geopolitically and that the
government has so far demonstrated its democratic orientation".
Asked about the shadow cast on his visit by the United States'
demand for Belgrade's cooperation with the Haguebased war crimes court as
prerequisite for U.S. support for a donor conference for Yugoslavia, he
replied this was "an important and sensitive issue".
He added, however, he was sure it would be "settled
satisfactorily".
"What I know is that the (Yugoslav) federal government will draft
a bill by the end of the month and forward it to parliament, and that,
once there is proper legislation, cooperation with the Hague court will be
possible", he said.
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA: US VISIT OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE
BELGRADE, May 10 (Tanjug) Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica
said on Thursday that his visit to the United States had been of historic
importance.
Addressing reporters at Belgrade airport after his return from
the United States where the EastWest Institute had presented him with the
Statesman of the Year award, Kostunica said "the United States cares for a
normalization of relations with Yugoslavia just as much as we need that
normalization."
Kostunica said he had spoken in Washington with U.S. President
George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell and that he had invited
them both to visit Yugoslavia, and with other high officials of the new
U.S. administration.
Kostunica said Bush had opened the issue of the NATO air strikes
on Yugoslavia, speaking about the material damage and casualties and
wanting to know the extent of the antiAmerican sentiments caused by the
air strikes.
"I answered him that we cannot forget them, but that we cannot
live in the past, either, and must turn to the future," Kostunica said,
adding that his visit to the United States had also had that dimension of
the future.
"Cooperation with The Hague tribunal presents a problem not only
for our side, but for the American as well. The Hague tribunal, for our
side, presents almost the only serious obstacle to our cooperation with
the international community," he said.
In talks with U.S. officials, Kostunica said he had stressed the
necessity to determine legal frameworks for cooperation with The Hague
tribunal. He said he had expressed readiness that the federal government
establish a draft law on cooperation with this tribunal by the end of the
month.
"This was not sufficient for our collocutors, so that the
question of the U.S. participation in the donor conference remains open,
for the present," he said.
The issue of relations within the Yugoslav federation was raised
in the talks, and clear, unequivocal and absolute U.S. support was again
given to redefining relations within the federal state, with full urging
of democratic dialogue, with the participation of all constitutional
factors, Kostunica said.
Full support was also given to "our approach to resolving
problems in southern Serbia, which means also to the entry (of joint
security forces) into Sector B" of the Ground Safety Zone, he said.
Kostunica said his talks with U.N. SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan,
Balkans special envoy Carl Bildt, and UNMIK chief Hans Haekkerup had
focused on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija.
They had also discussed the amendments to the draft legal
frameworks for Kosovo proposed by Yugoslav representatives, he said.
"Certain concessions were made for our side in New York to Serbs and other
nonAlbanians, actually the minority in Kosovo and Metohija" and they
accepted the suggestion that it was necessary to find adequate
institutional mechanisms so that the majority in the province could not
outvote the minority, Kostunica said.
Annan said he was confident the minority would be guaranteed
protection and that displaced persons would be able to return to Kosovo
and Metohija, he said.
The question of missing persons had also been raised in the
talks, Kostunica said, and announced that progress could be expected in
that area.
Kostunica said Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic had
held separate talks with Haekkerup on the legal frameworks, and that it
was underscored on that occasion that Yugoslavia wants Serbs
and other nonAlbanians to take part in the elections in Kosovo and
Metohija planned for the end of this year.
Participation in these elections can hardly be imagined without
solid guarantees for protection of minority rights, Kostunica said.
UFFICIALE RICHIESTA DI AMMISSIONE AL WTO
YUGOSLAVIA OFFICIALLY REQUESTS ADMISSION TO WTO
GENEVA, January 23 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia presented an official
request for admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Tuesday in Geneva.
The Yugoslav delegation headed by Assistant Foreign Trade Minister
Boran Karadzole was received by WTO DirectorGeneral Mike Moor, Yugoslavia's
permanent mission at the UN in Geneva said.
Moor welcomed the Yugoslav Government's decision to present this
request and confirmed WTO's readiness to initiate negotiations on
admission. Yugoslavia's admission to the WTO would be an element of
stabilization and improvement of relations within Yugoslavia and in the
region and the world, he said.
The Yugoslav delegation held a separate meeting with WTO General
Council Chairman, Norwegian Ambassador Kare Brin.
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION DECIDES TO INITIATE YUGOSLAV MEMBERSHIP
GENEVA, February 8 (Tanjug) The general council of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) decided at a session in Geneva on Thursday to set
up a working group for Yugoslavia, thus formally opening the process of
negotiations with Yugoslavia for WHO membership.
At the session, the Yugoslav delegation was headed by federal
Transport Minister Zoran Sami.
Sami said that Yugoslavia's clearly expressed intention to begin
the process of joining WTO marks the start of the realization of one of
the priority aims of its foreign economic policy inclusion in the
multilateral trade system.
All participants of today's session hailed Yugoslavia's decision
to start the process of joining WTO, expressing hopes that this process
will soon be underway.
Specially underscored was that the opening the process of
Yugoslav membership in WTO is important for the promotion of economic
cooperation in the region of southeast Europe, which will also contribute
to strengthening security in the region.
YUGOSLAVIA GETS OBSERVER STATUS IN WTO
BELGRADE, February 8 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia was granted observer
status in the World Trade Organization at the session of its general
council Thursday, which officially initiates the process of its admission
as full WTO member, Yugoslav Minister of Transports Zoran Sami said.
On his return from the council session in Geneva, Sami said this
was an important step for Yugoslavia, as the observer status gives it all
rights in the WTO except the right to vote.
The presentation of the Yugoslav delegation at the session was
very successful, Sami said, adding that the proposal to grant it observer
status was welcomed by many speakers.
Yugoslav Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade Boran Karadjole, member
of the Yugoslav delegation, said that the process of gaining full
admission to the WTO membership takes several years. Yugoslavia's goal
is to be admitted to the WTO by the end of 2002 or the beginning of 2003
at the latest, he said.
YUGOSLAVIA: WTO SETS UP BODY TO NEGOTIATE YUGOSLAVIA'S ENTRY
The World Trade Organization agreed last week to set up a working
party to negotiate terms of entry for Yugoslavia.
The old Yugoslavia was a member of the WTO's predecessor body, the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), until it was suspended
in 1992 as a country disintegrated in war.
The former Yugoslav republics of Slovenia and Croatia are already WTO
members. Bosnia and Macedonia have applied but still not started
detailed negotiations. (http://epc-eu.net/balkan/)
LA NATO RESTERA' A LUNGO NEI BALCANI...
NATO WILL STAY IN BALKAN REGION FOR LONG TIME
SKOPJE, January 23 (Tanjug) NATO Military Committee chief,
Admiral Guido Venturoni has said in Skopje that a satisfactory stability
and security in the region have not been achieved yet, and that this is why
NATO should remain in Bosnia and KosovoMetohija for a long time.
After the meeting with Macedonian Defence Minister Ljuben
Paunovski, Venturoni stressed that controversies on depleted uranium
ammunition used during the NATO campaign against Yugoslavia are exaggerated
and deliberately launched in order to increase tensions.
DEFENCE MINISTRY: YUGOSLAVIA SHOULD JOIN PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE
BELGRADE, March 22 (Tanjug) Accession to the Partnership for
Peace would ensure a speedy and successful return of Yugoslavia to
international political, economic, and other associations, and alleviate
the danger of new flashpoints in the region, also giving the country a
more important role in new regional security concepts, the Collegium of
the Yugoslav Defence Ministry has declared.
According to a statement released on Thursday from the defence
minister's cabinet, the Collegium passed the declaration unanimously after
reviewing a comprehensive study devised by the military and political
experts of the Defence Ministry and the Yugoslav Army Chief of Staff.
The Collegium will soon submit a report for approval to the
Yugoslav government, which will shape Yugoslavia's new defence policy
accordingly, the statement said.
On the basis of a government initiative for rationalizing and
enhancing Yugoslavia's overall defence system, efforts have been steppedup
to formulate new bills and amendments regulating this sphere, according to
the statement.
The draft law on the Yugoslav Army incorporates the most recent
initiative of the Chief of Staff to reduce the term of compulsory military
service from 12 to 10 months. New bills on defence, military courts, and
the military prosecutor's office, were also proposed.
The defence minister decided that the changes and amendments to
the regulations must be worked out by late April, so that they could be
submitted for approval to the Yugoslav parliament in June 2001.
The Collegium decided to intensify the work on Yugoslavia's
defense doctrine, which must reflect the state's future orientation in
defense policy, the statement said.
YUGOSLAVIA AND PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE
BELGRADE, April 29 (Tanjug) Assistant Yugoslav Defense
Minister, Lt.Gen. Jovan Milanovic said on Sunday that Yugoslavia's
joining the Partnership for Peace program was one of the country's
strategic goals.
"Yugoslavia's joining NATO's Partnership for Peace program
should be viewed within the context of our strategic state interests,"
Lt.Gen. Milanovic said in an interview to the Belgrade daily Vecernje
novosti.
The 1999 NATO aggression on Yugoslavia would have been avoided
if Yugoslavia had been involved in this program earlier, he said.
Asked if it was Yugoslavia's objective to become a full member
of
NATO, he said: "Not only is it an objective, but it is the solution."
STATUS SPECIALE AL CONSIGLIO D'EUROPA, DISCRIMINAZIONE CONTRO
IL SOLO RAPPRESENTANTE DEL PARTITO SOCIALISTA SERBO
COUNCIL OF EUROPE PARLIAMENT GRANTS YUGOSLAVIA SPECIAL STATUS
STRASBOURG, January 22 (Tanjug) The Bureau of the Council of
Europe Parliamentary Assembly decided unanimously at a session in
Strasbourg on Monday morning to grant Yugoslavia special guest status in
the Council of Europe.
The decision has to be verified formally by the Parliamentary
Assembly at a session on Tuesday.
Yugoslavia will appoint seven MPs and seven assistant MPs to take
part in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly. They will have all the
rights and obligations of other MPs, with the exception of voting rights.
Today's decision of the Bureau opened doors to Yugoslavia's full
membership in the Council of Europe, which could take place already by the
end of the year.
COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S RUSSELLJOHNSTON GREETS YUGOSLAVS, EXCEPT ONE
STRASBOURG, France, January 22 (Tanjug) Opening Monday's meeting
of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, its president Lord
RussellJohnston especially welcomed the Yugoslav delegation, which was
earlier on Monday given special guest status in the body.
Welcoming the Yugoslav delegation and its leader Dragoljub
Micunovic, Lord RussellJohnston stressed the importance of the victory of
the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) bloc and Yugoslav President
Vojislav Kostunica in Serbia and Yugoslavia.
He added, however, that his welcome did not extend to the
delegation member from the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), in this case Mr
Dmitar Segrt.
Segrt said later he was very unpleasantly surprised by this
attitude taken by RussellJohnston, adding he would not have been on the
delegation if he had known a thing like this could happen.
MICUNOVIC: EXCEPTIONAL RECEPTION AT COUNCIL OF EUROPE
BELGRADE, April 28 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia was received at the
Council of Europe in the best possible way and it successfully joined in
the work of its Parliamentary Assembly, the Yugoslav parliament's Chamber
of Citizens Speaker Dragoljub Micunovic said late Friday.
Speaking to reporters at Belgrade airport on his return from
Strasbourg, Micunovic pointed out that Yugoslav MPs had for the first
time taken part in all Parliamentary Assembly committees since Belgrade's
return to international institutions from which it had been exiled over
the past 10 years.
According to Micunovic, the first steps have been taken for
Yugoslavia becoming a permanent member of the Council of Europe. Two
prominent lawyers have been appointed to work with Yugoslav experts next
month on coordinating European and domestic laws.
IL NUOVO GOVERNO JUGOSLAVO PRESENTA IL COMPITINO ALLA BERS:
"ECCO LE RIFORME, GLI INVESTITORI STRANIERI STIANO TRANQUILLI"
YUGOSLAV REFORMS PRESENTED WELL AT EBRD
LONDON, April 25 (Tanjug) The Yugoslav delegation to the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) annual meeting has
made a very successful presentation of Yugoslavia's economic potential and
reforms, Yugoslav VicePremier Miroljub Labus, who headed the delegation,
said in London on Tuesday. Government plans and reform projects met with
great understanding and full support at the presentation and in meetings
with international experts, Labus said in a statement to Tanjug.
In addition to the regular program of the EBRD meeting, the
Yugoslav delegation had a number of very useful discussions with
investment funds and banks, as well as with officials of the world's
leading countries, Labus said. He specially stressed the discussions with
US and German officials.
After the EBRD annual meeting, the Yugoslav delegation had
fruitful and important discussions Tuesday afternoon with experts of J. P.
Morgan, one of the world's major investment banks.
LABUS: FOREIGN INVESTORS BALK AT POLITICAL RISK
BELGRADE, April 25 (Tanjug) Political risk must be eliminated if
foreign investors are to be attracted, according to Yugoslavia's
vicepremier in Belgrade on Wednesday.
Miroljub Labus was speaking to reporters on returning from
London, where he had attended an annual assembly of the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Labus said Belgrade and Podgorica should open serious talks at
once on reorganising the federal state, which should involve Serbian,
Montenegrin and Yugoslav institutions, including Yugoslav President
Vojislav Kostunica.
The best solution, from the point of view of investment risk,
would be to maintain the common state, with changes in the powers of the
federal government, which position was supported also at the EBRD meeting,
he stressed.
He went on to say that international financial officials and
investors were expecting that the issue of relations in the federation
"should be cleared out of the way" in the near future, "within two or
three months".
YUGOSLAV ECONOMY PRESENTED AT EBRD ASSEMBLY
LONDON, April 24 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia's economic potential and
initiated reforms were presented in a special programme at an annual
assembly of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in
London on Tuesday.
Yugoslav VicePremier and Minister of Foreign Trade Miroljub
Labus, who heads the government delegation, spoke of the national
economy's prospects of reintegration in global economic processes,
stressing that all initiated reforms were geared to this end.
This is the first EBRD assembly to be attended by Yugoslavia, and
interest has been great in its economic potential and reforms.
Also in the delegation are executives of leading banks, as well
as National (central) Bank Governor Mladjan Dinkic and ViceGovernor
Radovan Jelasic, who are there to attend a regular forum of EBRD central
bank governors.
The Yugoslav delegation has had numerous separate meetings with
leading investment bankers in London.
A special presentation has been scheduled at London's Millennium
Hotel for later on Tuesday, organised by one of the world's biggest
investment funds, J.P. Morgan.
The twoday EBRD assembly ends later on Tuesday.
LA JUGOSLAVIA APRE ALLA RAPINA STRANIERA
YUGOSLAVIA, COUNTRY FAVOURABLE FOR INVESTMENTS
PARIS, April 30 (Tanjug) Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic said in
Paris Monday after a meeting in the largest association of French
employers MEDEF, he was certain that the businessmen now perceive that
Yugoslavia is a country where investments should be made.
"It was an opportunity to present to the representatives of the
largest French companies, which are also among the largest world
companies, our concept of economic development, to explain to them where
we stand now, what conditions we are preparing so that they can invest and
to encourage them to venture to be among the first ones to invest, even in
our current situation, when all the conditions have not been created yet,"
the Serbian premier said.
He also said that the MEDEF delegation was seized of
macroeconomic priorities of Yugoslavia, the laws that are in preparation
or are adopted. Asked whether there were any concrete business proposals,
the Serbian premier said that during the day were planned bilateral
meetings with the representatives of several companies.Djindjic underlined
that talks were underway about the car industry, fruit processing, and
large investment works for repairing water supply, the privatization of a
cement factory and several other fields.
YUGOSLAVIA IS RELIABLE PLACE FOR FOREIGN INVESTMENTS
BELGRADE, May 10 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce and
Industry President Slobodan Korac on Thursday opened a twoday business and
investment summit, attended by more than 150 representatives of banks,
investors and companies from the country and 17 European states, US and
Japan.
Welcoming the participants on behalf of Yugoslav President
Vojislav Kostunica, Korac said that in the region of southeastern Europe,
which had been unjustly neglected in the past 10 years, the GNP had
dropped and that it now accounted to just 50 percent of its 1989 value.
In order to restore our links with the rest of Europe, we will
have to construct transport infrastructure, remove customs and all other
barriers, Korac said and added that according to World Bank estimates, the
idea of a free trade zone among Balkan countries could come to life in
southeastern Europe in the next three or four years.
ANCHE CON LA GERMANIA I RAPPORTI SONO IDILLIACI
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA ENDS VISIT TO GERMANY
BERLIN, May 15 (Tanjug) Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica
ended Tuesday afternoon his oneday official visit to Germany, during which
he conferred in Berlin with German President Johannes Rau, Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.
Kostunica also conferred in the afternoon with the leader of the
largest opposition party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela
Merkel, and visited the foreign policy committee of the German parliament
lower house.
The president was accompanied by Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic and his Assistant Radojko Bogojevic.
At the end of his visit, Kostunica also visited the Serb Orthodox
church in Berlin and conferred with Yugoslav nationals living in Berlin.
The top German officials expressed their full understanding and
support for Yugoslavia's endeavors to stabilize the political and economic
situation. These endeavors should enable Yugoslavia to become what Europe
expects a powerful factor of political and economic stabilization of the
entire southeastern Europe, Kostunica told the press.
He pointed to the importance of the traditionally good and
intensive economic cooperation with Germany and urged German businessmen
to invest in Yugoslavia.
Rau, Schroeder and Fischer expressed their full and unconditional
support to Yugoslavia's aspirations to join the European Union, in which
the first step should be the signing of an agreement on association and
stabilization. Kostunica and Schroeder expressed hope that the conference
of donors for Yugoslavi<br/><br/>(Message over 64 KB, truncated)
Prosegue a ritmo serrato l'inglobamento della Jugoslavia nei "salotti buoni"
del dominio finanziario globale: dal Fondo Monetario Internazionale (IMF), che
ha ricominciato a concederle i suoi prestiti usurari, alla Banca Mondiale,
dove la RFJ e' stata appena riammessa dopo otto anni, alla Banca Europea per la
Ricostruzione e lo Sviluppo (BERS), alla cui ultima sessione londinese di
fine Aprile il nuovo governo jugoslavo ha presentato lo stato della ristrutturazione
dell'economia in senso liberista ed antipopolare, invitando gli investitori
stranieri a farsi sotto. Ed ancora lla Organizzazione Mondiale del Commercio
(WTO), che ha gia' ammesso la RFJ come osservatore, al Consiglio d'Europa, che
impone le sue condizioni, che sono insieme economiche e politiche, fino alla
stessa NATO ed alla sua "anticamera" denominata "Partnership for Peace".
Nel frattempo, si prepara la legge sulle privatizzazioni che consentira' la
svendita delle ricchezze nazionali agli acquirenti stranieri.
Riportiamo di seguito i dispacci della Tanjug e di altra fonte su questo
fiorire di rapporti e di scambi di visite, con gli esponenti della nuova leadership
(anti)jugoslava impegnati a fare passerella nei centri piu' esclusivi
dell'Occidente "umanitario", da Londra a Davos, da Berlino a New York.
(a cura del CRJ)
---
PAPPA-E-CICCIA CON LE DELEGAZIONI DI ISRAELE E DEL WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS
OFFICIALS PLEASED WITH VISIT OF ISRAELI DELEGATION TO BELGRADE
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Assistant Yugoslav Foreign Trade
Minister Boran Karadjole and Israeli Ministry of Industry and Trade
Director General Ruven Horesh told Tanjug on Thursday after talks in the
Federation Palace that they were extremely satisfied with the results so
far of the visit by the Israeli stateeconomic delegation to Yugoslavia.
Karadjole said a large number of businessmen of the two countries
had established contacts immediately through the chamber of commerce. He
pointed out that this was the first visit of an Israeli stateeconomic
delegation to Yugoslavia in almost 30 years.
"We have presented to the Israeli side copies of draft agreements
on avoiding double taxation and on protecting investments from
noncommercial risks, so that we can soon begin talks on the concluding of
these documents," Karadjole said.
Horesh said it had become evident after the second day of the
delegation's visit that the two countries have a common economic interest.
It has been decided that the two states set up new foundations for
future economic relations, primarily in the areas of trade and investments,
so as to enable Yugoslav and Israeli businessmen to take advantage of the
existing economic reforms and economic opening of Yugoslavia, Horesh said.
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA WITH DELEGATION OF WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS
BELGRADE, February 12 (Tanjug) Yugoslav President Vojislav
Kostunica talked Monday in Belgrade with a delegation of the World Jewish
Congress about internal development in FR Yugoslavia and prospects of
further democratization of the country.
According to the statement from the presidential cabinet, in the
lengthy cordial conversation with members of the delegation headed by the
secretary general of the World Jewish Congress, Israel Singer, guests
stated their support for the Serbian people in removing the consequences of
a decade of authoritarian rule, years of isolation and a negative media
campaign.
Also present at the meeting was the president of the association
of Jewish municipalities of Yugoslavia, Aca Singer, the statement said.
YUGOSLAV HEALTH MINISTER CONFERRED WITH WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS
DELEGATION
BELGRADE, February 12 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Minister of Health and
Social Policy Miodrag Kovac and President of the World Jewish Congress
Israel Singer discussed Monday the prospects for providing health aid to
the holocaust victims in Yugoslavia and for a program of aid to the reform
of the Yugoslav health and social security sectors.
Kovac pointed to Yugoslavia's readiness for full cooperation with
the WJC and the Jewish community in Belgrade on these projects.
Providing health care to holocaust victims would be financed from
funds the WJC has received from Germany as compensation.
The program of aid to the Yugoslav health sector should be
realized jointly as the Jewish and Yugoslav peoples have shared a similar
fate throughout history. Keeping in mind this historical experience and
friendship, the WJC has always been backing Yugoslavia's integrity, Singer
said.
YUGOSLAVIA-ISRAEL
ISRAEL TO HELP YUGOSLAVIA PRIVATISE TELECOMMUNICATIONS
TEL AVIV, April 19 (Tanjug) Israeli Telecommunications Minister
Reuven Rivlin has promised his Yugoslav counterpart Boris Tadic that his
country will help privatise Yugoslav telecommunications by providing expert
services and information, the Jerusalem Post newspaper said on Thursday.
In a report about the Yugoslav minister's visit to Israel, which
was issued only after the holidays during which no newspapers were printed,
the Jerusalem Post said that Tadic had tried to make use of the Israeli
knowhow and experience in the privatisation of the important infrastructure
sector.
Tadic was quoted as saying that he had useful talks with numerous
Israeli companies and that Yugoslavia seriously planned to develop
bilateral cooperation in the field of telecommunications.
PRIMI INCONTRI CON LE DELEGAZIONI DI IMF E BANCA MONDIALE
YUGOSLAVIA'S REPRESENTATIVE IN IMF WILL BE SLAVOLJUB ANTIC
BELGRADE, January 21 (Tanjug) Yugoslav National Bank (central
bank) Governor Mladjan Dinkic has appointed Srboljub Antic, a financial
expert, to be Yugoslavia's representative in the International Monetary
Fund (IMF), the Governor's Cabinet said on Sunday.
Antic will be adviser to the Executive Director of the Swiss
Constituency which will represent Yugoslav interests within IMF and will
begin his duties immediately, the statement said.
YUGOSLAV CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR MEETS IMF, WORLD BANK OFFICIALS
NEW YORK, January 25 (Tanjug) Yugoslav National (central) Bank
Governor Mladjan Dinkic has ended a twoday working visit to Washington, in
the course of which he met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World
Bank officials.
The talks were also attended by Srboljub Antic, Yugoslavia'a
future representative with the IMF. The two sides mostly focused on
creditrelated cooperation between Yugoslavia and the IMF, and Yugoslavia's
admission to the World Bank.
After eight years of absence, Yugoslavia rejoined the IMF on Dec.
20 last year. In order to renew membership in the World Bank, the country
must first regulate its overdue debts, estimated at 1.7 billion dollars.
YUGOSLAVIA AND IMF BEGIN TALKS
BELGRADE, February 2 (Tanjug) Representatives of the Yugoslav and
Serbian governments opened talks in Belgrade on Friday with members of a
mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about Yugoslavia's
capabilities to service its foreign debt and on the elements of the
macroeconomic policy for the year 2001.
The first in a series of twoweek meetings was attended by federal
VicePrime Minister Miroljub Labus, Yugoslav National Bank Governor Mladjan
Dinkic and the finance ministers of Serbia and Montenegro, Bozidar Djelic
and Miroslav Ivanisevic respectively, while the IMF delegation was headed
by mission chief Emmanuel Zervoudakis, the federal Information Secretariat
said.
The meeting focused on the amount of the foreign debt and the
preparation of a joint strategy for its servicing, as well as the
forthcoming reform of Yugoslavia's banking system, privatization, and the
fiscal and monetary policy of this country.
It was announced that the IMF mission will hold a series of
meetings with Yugoslav and Serbian government experts. At the end of the
visit, on February 13 or 14 a new round of plenary sessions will be held
followed by an announcement about the results of the joint activities.
COVIC MET WITH IMF AND WORLD BANK DELEGATIONS
BELGRADE, February 11 (Tanjug) Serbian Deputy Premier Nebojsa
Covic received on Sunday a delegation of the International Monetary Fund
headed by European sector chief Emanuel Zervudakis, said a statement issued
by the deputy premier's cabinet.
The statement said that the talks were devoted to a "standby"
arrangement, coordinating measures in economic fields and in micoreconomic
frameworks which are a basis for a realistic projection of the budget of
Serbia for this year.
Also analyzed were pay raises, increased production and inflation
factors, and the way to narrow the budget deficit by reforming the tax
system and expenditure, so as to obtain a budget of Serbia for this year
that would be as balanced as possible.
Along with the Minister of Energy and Mining Goran Novakovic,
Covic also talked with officials from the World Bank energy sector about
the plan for the longterm solution of the energy crisis in Serbia.
The topic of the talks, in which took part Felix Martin, Hank Bush
and Dejan Ostojic, was aid for resolving problems of the electric power
system and preparations for overhauling Serbian power stations, to be ready
for next winter season.
"It was mutually concluded that a program should be worked out in
the shortest possible period for the shortterm, mediumterm and longterm
overhauling of the electric power system in Serbia," said the statement
issued by the cabinet of the deputy premier.
LABUS: YUGOSLAVIA EXPECTS IMF CREDIT IN JUNE
NEW YORK, April 11 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Deputy Premier Miroljub
Labus told the Voice of America Wednesday that he expects the International
Monetary Fund to earmark an extensive credit to Yugoslavia next month, with
a first instalment being available already on June 1.
Yugoslavia hopes that the promised IMF and World Bank aid of 300
million dollars will enable Belgrade to collect the one billion dollars it
needs for development, the radio said.
Six months after the democratic change in Belgrade, the rate of
implementation of economic reforms is still very slow. Most of the
industrial facilities damaged in the NATO bombing in 1999 have not been
repaired yet and plants are hardly working, the radio noted. Meanwhile, the
Yugoslav National (central) bank is trying to recover several hundred
million dollars believed to have been taken out of the country by former
president Slobodan Milosevic and his associates. The architects of Yugoslav
policies are seeking considerable foreign aid and hoping at the same time
to attract foreign investments to prevent dependence from aid, as has been
the case of some other countries in the region, the radio said.
PREPARATIONS FOR CONFERENCE OF DONORS FOR YUGOSLAVIA
BELGRADE, April 24 (Tanjug) World Bank and European Commission
representatives presented to Yugoslav officials Tuesday in Belgrade draft
documents on preparations for the forthcoming conference of donors for
Yugoslavia.
About 50 experts of the World Bank, the International Monetary
Fund and other organizations have for several months been working on
detailed analyses and reports on the current situation and on programs for
Yugoslavia's economic recovery and transition process, the federal
information secretariat said.
The Yugoslav delegation was headed by Assistant Minister of
Foreign Trade Milica Uvalic, the WB delegation by its Washington
representative Mary Sheehan and the EC delegation by Therese Sobieski.
The programs to be presented at the conference concern reform
policies, especially as regards macroeconomic reforms, the private sector,
the improvement of the social situation and the strengthening of state
institutions, Sheehan said.
The conference of donors is to be convened by the WB and the EC,
and its date will hopefully be set within a few days, she said.
The meeting also focused on social policy, health care, education
and the underprivileged. The talks on other issues will continue
Wednesday.
DINKIC:FIRST IMF LOANS DUE IN YUGOSLAVIA EARLY JUNE
WASHINGTON, April 30 (Tanjug) Having settled all issues that
have been in dispute with the International Monetary Fund (IMF),
Yugoslavia will already by early June get a 260milliondollar IMF loan as
part of a standby arrangement, Yugoslav National (central) Bank Governor
Mladjan Dinkic has said.
Dinkic is attending the annual IMF and World Bank meeting in
Washington, where he has had a number of meetings with top IMF and WB
officials over the past few days. He is also to confer with State
Department representatives.
The Yugoslav Central Bank governor told reporters that an
agreement has been struck with the IMF management, and that it should be
approved at Monday's session of IMF's task force for Yugoslavia, to be
attended also by G7 countries.
YUGOSLAV NATIONAL BANK GOVERNOR: STANDBY ARRANGEMENT WITH IMF
WASHINGTON, April 30 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia can count by the end of
the year on three of the total of four instalments from the standby
arrangement worth 260 million dollars of the International Monetary Fund
(IMF), National Bank of Yugoslavia Governor Mladjan Dinkic confirmed at
the end of the visit to Washington.
"We hope that the first 65million dollar instalment of the
standby arrangement will arrive in Yugoslavia as early as June," the
Dinkic said, pointing out that by the end of the year will arrive two more
out of the total of four instalments."
The governor explained that the working group, comprising
representatives of the IMF, the World Bank and Group 7, held a meeting in
Washington on Monday from which was issued a joint statement on the
economic policy of Yugoslavia, or, on the standby arrangement, which means
that, as he stressed, all problems relating to the agreement have been
removed.
One more formality remains that the IMF board confirms the
agreement by the end of May this year.According to the Yugoslav governor,
the standby arrangement has multiple importance for Yugoslavia. It opens
the way, as he said, for successful talks with the Paris and London Clubs
for the writeoff of a part of the Yugoslav foreign debt which is around 12
billion dollars, Dinkic said, adding that Yugoslavia is requiring the
writeoff of two thirds of the debt.
Dinkic reminded that the ratio between the Yugoslav GDP and the
foreign debt was 145 percent, and that with the eventual writeoff of two
thirds of the debt to the Paris Club the ratio would be 70 percent.
Referring to the results of his visit to Washington, where the
spring session of the IMF and the World Bank is underway and where he held
a large number of meetings, Dinkic said he was satisfied with what was
achieved in the past two days. This concerns particulary the proposal of
the World Bank and the European Commission for the donors conference for
Yugoslavia to be held on June 1 this year in Brussels.
"We expect from the donors conference over a billion dollars,"
Dinkic said.
As for the World Bank, the Yugoslav governor said, it is quite
certain that the board of that institution will on May 8 take the decision
to renew the membership of Yugoslavia in the World Bank.
DJINDJIC: YUGOSLAV MEMBERSHIP IN WORLD BANK TO BE RESOLVED SOON,
PARIS, April 30 (Tanjug) Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic in talks
Monday with French Premier Lionel Jospin was assured that in a very short
period, maybe in a few days, will be resolves the issue of membership of
Yugoslavia in the World Bank, and that Paris will support the
reprogramming of the Yugoslav debt to the Paris Club.
"We received very clear support of France for our membership in
the World Bank. We have a promise that in the next few days the issue will
be resolved," Djindjic said after talks in Paris with Jospin and his aides
in charge of the economy and international relations.
The Serbian premier underlined that he also received the support
of France for the rescheduling of the Yugoslav debt to the Paris Club.
"For us it is very important that we first reduce our outstanding
debts that are very high, and then to reprogram them with an interest rate
that will be seven or eight times lower than the current ones, so as to
free our economy of the pressure of interest rates and outstanding debts,"
Djindjic explained. "If we achieve that in May, the following period would
practically be the time of large investments into our country," the
Serbian premier said in conclusion.
Premier Djindjic, accompanied by Finance and Economy Minister
Bozidar Djelic, Minister for Economic Relations with Foreign Countries
Goran Pitic, Minister for Privatization and Restructuring Aleksandar
Vlahovic and Yugoslav Ambassador to France Radomir Diklic, discussed with
Lionel Jospin and his aides the bilateral engagement of France and
economic aid.
"I am very satisfied and expect that relations between France and
Serbia will be intensified after our visit," the Serbian prime minister
said.
SARA' LA BANCA MONDIALE A RISOLVERE I CONFLITTI INTERETNICI?!?
WORLD BANK TO HELP HARMONISE INTERETHNIC RELATIONS IN YUGOSLAVIA
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) At the request of international
donors and the European Commission, the World Bank has sent to Yugoslavia a
team charged with drafting a programme of urgent aid for surmounting
interethnic hostilities and accelerating democratisation.
Steven Holteman, who heads the team, was meeting with Yugoslav
Minister for minority affairs Rasim Ljajic. Holteman said he had come to
Ljajic for information about vital questions concerning certain regions and
the country as a whole, which he would forward to the donors to help them
draw up specific assistance programmes.
LA RF DI JUGOSLAVIA RIAMMESSA NELLA BANCA MONDIALE
World Bank Re-admits Yugoslavia After Eight Years
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2001
-- (Reuters) Yugoslavia rejoined the World Bank on Tuesday, eight years
after being expelled for its involvement in Balkan wars, paving the way
for future loans to help the impoverished country's economic recovery.
"The government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia has fully satisfied
the requirements for Bank membership," said World Bank Director Christiaan
Poortman. "We look forward to working together on reviving the country's
economy and improving living conditions for all the people of Yugoslavia."
Yugoslavia was cut off by the International Monetary Fund in 1992 and the
World Bank in 1993. It rejoined the IMF in December 2000, two months after
former leader Slobodan Milosevic was ousted. As part of the membership
package, the World Bank's executive board approved temporary eligibility
to the International Development Association (IDA).The bank said that up
to $540 million in IDA lending could now be made available over a
three-year period. IDA is a World Bank's arm that lends to poor states
whose lack of credit-worthiness precludes borrowing on market terms. In
return, the borrower must implement policies that promote economic growth
and reduce poverty. The board-approved package also included a plan for
clearing the country's arrears to the Washington lender. But it would take
"several additional months" to actually resolve the $1.7 billion arrears,
the bank said. Yugoslavia's Deputy Prime Minister Miroljub Labus, speaking
at the end of April ahead of the expected announcement, said these two
components of the package should give Yugoslavia a net capital inflow of
between $30 and $50 million a year. The bank confirmed that in March 2001,
it set up a $30 million trust fund for Yugoslavia for near-term
assistance. This is designed to help the country improve economic
conditions in the short run and to help the government to shape its
longer-term policy agenda. The bank said it will now be able to support
Yugoslavia's economic development through a Transitional Support Strategy
which will set out a program for the fiscal year 2002. With a planned
donor conference in sight, the lending institution said it is putting
together a comprehensive Emergency Recovery and Transition Program. This
is still being worked on with the government but should be ready for the
tentatively planned June 1 conference in Brussels. The first step toward
this conference came at the end of April, when the IMF agreed a memorandum
on economic and financial policies. Officials are hoping to raise $1.2
billion at the event which will be sponsored by the World Bank and the
European Commission. But the United States, which has significant
influence over the purse strings of institutions such as the IMF and the
World Bank, has threatened to withdraw backing of the conference if
Belgrade does not cooperate with an international court in The Hague that
wants to try Milosevic for alleged war crimes. Two U.S. senators from the
Foreign Operations Subcommittee, Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mitch McConnell
(R-KY), have written to World Bank President James Wolfensohn, urging him
to ensure that cooperation with the international court be a condition of
lending. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell met on Tuesday with the
chief prosecutor of the court. They were expected to discuss putting more
pressure on Belgrade to transfer Milosevic to court. The country's
improved relations with the outside world have already led to promises of
new financing. Subject to the resolution of some problems with the
Yugoslav budget, the IMF has pledged a $260 million stand-by loan. An IMF
agreement also opens the doors for negotiations with the Paris Club of
creditors on debt restructuring. Yugoslavia has requested a write-down of
around two-thirds of a total $5.0 billion debt owed
to Paris Club members.
VERSO LA NUOVA LEGGE SULLE PRIVATIZZAZIONI
SERBIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTED CHANGES TO PRIVATIZATION LAW
BELGRADE, February 13 (Tanjug) The Serbian parliament adopted on
Monday changes to the Law on Property Transformation freezing the
privatization of companies in Serbia for at least ten months when a new law
is expected.
During the almost sixhour debate, Serbian Privatization Minister
Aleksandar Vlahovic said that privatization is a means for realizing market
reforms and achieving the strategic aim of a more efficient economy.
Vlahovic stated that the process of privatization has recently
been intensified with 400 companies entering the process until November
2000. In the past two months another 500 firms opted to go private thus
boosting this figure to 900.
According to Vlahovic, the ruling Democratic Opposition of Serbia
(DOS) believes that a privatization based on the model of distributing free
shares to the majority owners should be halted. He proposed the stopping of
privatization based on the autonomous transformation model.
Vlahovic said that a new privatization law would be submitted to
the parliament in three months.
YUGOSLAVIA: SERBIA EYES NEW PRIVATIZATION LAW BY APRIL
Serbia's new privatization minister said he was preparing new
legislation allowing the use of different models in the planned sell-
off of some 7,000 state or socially-owned firms in Serbia.
Speaking a few days after Serbia's new reformist government took
office, the minister Aleksandar Vlahovic said he expected the law to
be ready by April.
He said it would largely abandon the privatization model used by
Slobodan Milosevic's ousted authorities.
The new privatization law will partly mean abandoning the insider
privatization concept. It will be a combination of different
approaches and models.
Under the existing ownership transformation law, passed by
Milosevic's government in 1997, up to 60 percent of a company's
capital is given to its workers and pensioners in the form of shares
and the rest sold to investors in exchange for cash.
Vlahovic said this way of selling state firms did not allow for
growth and development because it was unclear who the majority owner
was and who ran the company, saying workers would be better off with
a successful firm than with worthless shares.
Out of some 7,000 Serb companies to be privatized, 631 had started
the process with an estimated book value of $1 billion. There would
be no revisions of privatizations conducted so far, only if there had
been flagrant violations of the law.
He said priorities were to bring in new strategic partners and create
an environment for the development of small businesses, seen as
crucial to help the Serbian economy recover after a decade of
conflict and economic sanctions.
There would be no deadline for privatization as some companies could
start the process immediately and others, such as large energy
companies, needed more time.
"I expect that four years from now socially-owned capital will be
completely eliminated, we will have private and state ownership and
we will start privatization of big systems but it will still be under
way in some cases," Vlahovic said.
Vlahovic was speaking at the end of a two-day seminar to discuss
privatization experience in other ex-communist European countries,
attended by representatives of the World Bank and experts from
Poland, Hungary, Estonia and Slovenia.
Their experiences will be valuable when Yugoslavia draws up its own
privatization concept...
(The Balkan Economic Bulletin - http://epc-eu.net/balkan/)
SI FA STRADA ANCHE L'ACQUIRENTE ITALIANO...
YUGOSLAV DEPUTY PREMIER RECEIVES ITALIAN OFFICIALS
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Deputy Premier and Foreign
Trade Minister Miroljub Labus conferred in Belgrade on Thursday with Deputy
Italian Foreign Minister Umberto Ranieri and Balkan Stability Pact senior
official Fabrizzio Saccomani on possibilities for promoting bilateral and
regional cooperation, a federal government statement said.
Labus pointed out that Yugoslavia expects an international donor
conference on the renewal of infrastructure to be held soon, as a
confirmation of political and economic support. Yugoslavia is making
significant efforts to join international financial institutions and thus
create conditions to realize the expected aid, he said.
The visiting officials said Italy would support Yugoslavia's
transition bilaterally, but also through the Balkan Stability Pact.
They emphasized the keen interest of Italian businessmen in the
Yugoslav market and strengthening ties with Yugoslav companies. Talks also
covered the realization of the aid granted to Yugoslavia earlier for
securing fuels, said the statement by the Secretariat of Information.
YUGOSLAV DIPLOMAT AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRANSITION
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Assistant to the Yugoslav Foreign
Minister Aleksandra Joksimovic will participate, at the invitation of the
Italian Foreign Ministry, in an international conference opening on Friday
on postcommunist transition in European countries.
The conference "Postcommunist transition ten years
later challenges and results for Europe and the role of the
CentralEuropean Initiative (CEI)" will be held in the Italian town of Forli.
At the conference will be presented the results of the twoyear
work of scientists and experts from Italy, CEI states, and the European
Union and the United States in a project that analyzed ten years of
postcommunist transition in CEI countries.
SERBIAN VICEPREMIER RECEIVES ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Serbian VicePremier Zarko Korac
received on Wednesday an Italian parliamentary delegation, headed by
Francesco Carelli, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health.
The Italian parliamentarians members of the Green Party offered
help in environmental protection, where the situation in Serbia
(Yugoslavia) has deteriorated in the wake of NATO's 1999 air campaign.
Korac showed an interest in Italian regulations and the training
of Serbian experts in the area.
YUGOSLAV, ITALIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS MEET
BELGRADE, February 1 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Lower House Parliament
officials Aleksandar Pravdic and Miroslav Filipovic met in Belgrade on
Thursday with a delegation of the Italian Parliament, headed by Francesco
Carella of the Senate's Health Committee.
The Italian delegation said Italy was urging for expanding the
European Union and that Yugoslavia could soon become a member after
consolidating democracy, which would be conducive to economic prosperity
and social security, and offered help to this end.
Pravdic, in turn, agreed that Italy could continue its efforts for
promoting Yugoslavia's return to the European and global family of nations,
with a simultaneous expansion of bilateral economic cooperation.
ITALY SUPPORTS BELGRADE'S NEW POLITICAL COURSE
BELGRADE, February 2 (Tanjug) Italy will support the efforts of
the new Yugoslav and Serbian governments for economic and institutional
renewal, according to Italy's deputy foreign minister in Belgrade on Thursday.
Meeting with Serbian VicePremier Nebojsa Covic, Umberto Ranieri
said Italy appreciated the new political course set by Belgrade, which he
described as an affirmation of democracy and the democratic forces voted
into power at Serbia's Dec. 23 parliamentary elections.
According to Ranieri, the Yugoslav federation and its federal unit
Serbia are facing a major challenge of an economic and institutional
renewal of the country.
He added that Italy and the rest of the international community
would support the efforts in this direction of both the new Yugoslav
authorities, headed by President Vojislav Kostunica, and the new government
of Serbia.
He went on to say that Italy had been making efforts for including
Yugoslavia and Serbia in the reconstruction drives mounted by the Balkan
Stability Pact.
He said that the Belgrade talks had confirmed Italy in its belief
that the problem of KosovoMetohija's future should be dealt with within the
framework set by U.N. Resolution 1244.
Il Manifesto, 17 Marzo 2001
Tra i Balcani e il mare
Ad Ancona conferenza dei paesi balcanici e adriatici
GIULIANO DEL GIUDICE - ANCONA
Per la prima volta, a dieci anni dalla prima guerra nei
Balcani, tutti i protagonisti di quei conflitti si sono
confrontati e incontrati: chi le guerre le ha volute, chi
le ha subite e chi comunque vi ha preso parte. Appuntamento
ieri ad Ancona nel summit dei ministri dell'ambiente di
Adriatico e Jonio, a pochi giorni dal deludente vertice del
G8 a Trieste e a 10 mesi dalla prima conferenza
dell'Adriatico e dello Jonio, sempre ad Ancona nel maggio
2000. Partecipanti Italia, Slovenia, Croazia, Bosnia,
Albania, Grecia e Jugoslavia.
Tre i tavoli: le conseguenze ambientali (uranio impoverito
in particolare) derivanti dalle guerre e dalle bombe Nato,
le azioni e i programmi nazionali per combattere la siccità
e la desertificazione nel bacino Mediterraneo, gli accordi
di cooperazione necessari all'attuazione delle convenzioni
Onu sull'ambiente. E subito un primo problema ha riguardato
il monitoraggio e la bonifica dell'Adriatico dalle cluster
bomb e dai missili vari. Non c'è maggiore radioattività -
ha rilevato un rapporto dell'Icram - o contaminazione da
uranio impoverito. Ma l'istituto di ricerca ha monitorato
solo, come suo compito, le acque territoriali. Quelle dove,
secondo quanto reso noto due giorni fa dal Dipartimento
militare marittimo, sono stati sganciati dagli aerei Nato
128 ordigni (tra mine, bombe, siluri e proiettili di grosso
calibro), 113 dei quali ritrovati dai cacciamine in aree di
sgancio con fondali inferiori ai 200 metri.
Comunque, se quelle italiane non sono acque contaminate,
cosa sappiamo dell'altra sponda dell'Adriatico o, più in
giù, dello Jonio? Così, il primo dei tre documenti finali
afferma che il monitoraggio deve proseguire perché non è
certo solo un sospetto la contaminazione di terreno, aria e
falde acquifere derivata dalla distruzione di tanti
impianti industriali.
Come sempre le dichiarazioni finali sono costruite con
formule generiche come "impegno" e "desiderio" per la
collaborazione della tutela ambientale dell'Adriatico. Come
ha ricordato il sottosegretario italiano all'ambiente,
Valerio Calzolaio, una settimana fa il parlamento ha
approvato una legge per la stabilità, la ricostruzione e lo
sviluppo dei Balcani. Atto di buona volontà, che stanzia le
prime concrete risorse. Ma che come gli impegni presi ieri
ad Ancona - collaborazioni per il monitoraggio, la bonifica
e soprattutto per la ricostruzione - è stato demandato per
la ratifica dei governi all'appuntamento di Spalato, la
conferenza dei governi dell'area, il prossimo 24 e 25
maggio. E allora forse l'Italia avrà un governo diverso, e
altre idee sulla ricostruzione in quelle aree.
Il summit di Ancona ha segnato però intanto un importante
riavvicinamento. Contrariamente a quanto successe un anno
fa ad Ancona con la prima Conferenza dell'Adriatico, questa
volta alla conferenza ufficiale hanno preso parte anche le
Ong. Dall'Arcs alla Comunità di Capodarco, dall'Ics a
Legambiente, dall'Osservatorio permanente sui Balcani al
Cvm: una lunga tavola rotonda con Calzolaio, per il governo
italiano, per concordare richieste e denunce comuni. Come
l'accusa che gli stanziamenti previsti dall'Unione europea
per la bonifica dei territori balcanici contaminati sono
assolutamente insufficienti, mentre gli interventi
procedono con grave lentezza, senza che sia ancora
cominciata l'opera di informazione e monitoraggio sanitario
delle popolazioni interessate.
OSPITI D'ONORE AL SUMMIT DI DAVOS!
LABUS: DAVOS TALKS SUCCESSFUL
BELGRADE, January 30 (Tanjug) A highranking Yugoslav delegation
that attended the World Economic Forum had very productive and successful
discussions, Yugoslav VicePremier Miroljub Labus said late Monday on
returning to Belgrade from Davos.
The Yugoslav delegation was headed by President Vojislav
Kostunica, who cut short his visit to the Swiss resort centre due to an
escalation of ethnic Albanian terrorism in southern Serbia.
VicePremier Labus, who is also the Federal Minister of Foreign
Trade, told reporters at Belgrade airport that he had met with top
officials of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD),
the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
He went on to say that the restructuring of Yugoslav debts, and
the three financial organizations' aid to Yugoslavia, were among the topics
touched upon.
In particular, possibilities of standby arrangements, and the
reprogramming of Yugoslavia's foreign debts were discussed with IMF
officials, Labus explained.
LIBERALIZZAZIONE DEI PREZZI, VIA ALLA SVALUTAZIONE DELLA MONETA!
YUGOSLAV CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR ANNUNCES PLAN FOR LIBERALIZING PRICES
BELGRADE, January 30 (Tanjug) Yugoslav National (central) Bank
(NBJ) Governor Mladjan Dinkic said he would during the week submit to the
Serbian Government a plan for liberalizing the prices of electric power,
public and railway transport, oil, and telecommunications services.
In a statement to Tuesday's issue of the Politika daily, Dinkic
explained that an NBJ research team was reviewing all prices that have been
curbed, but are still high due to the population's low buying power, since
their liberalization in the past three months was random. This is a great
blow to the standard of living, he added.
He went on to say that the Government would first have to place
under control some of the prices, such as those of public services, and
that the NBJ would propose administrative control over the price of natural
gas, currently sold at a price higher than that on the world market.
Dinkic also announced that millions of dollars of foreign
financial support was expected to arrive soon and aid Yugoslavia's recovery
after many years of economic crisis.
The greatest problem is to get past the period before autumn, when
the first credits are due, Dinkic said, and noted that he had during his
recent talks at the US State Department called for a corresponding donation
programme in the first six months of the year.
IDILLIACI RAPPORTI CON GLI STATI UNITI D'AMERICA:
KOSTUNICA "UOMO POLITICO DELL'ANNO" (PER AVERE VENDUTO MILOSEVIC)
CLINTON'S DECREE ON LIFTING ANTIYUGOSLAV SANCTIONS REMAINS IN FORCE
BELGRADE, Jan 27 (Tanjug) The decision of former US president
Bill Clinton to lift the antiYugoslav sanctions remains in force and is not
being reconsidered, the US embassy in Belgrade said Friday evening.
The decree on lifting antiYugoslav sanctions, except those
concerning some individuals, was signed by Clinton on Jan 17 and came into
force on Jan 19, 2001. It was published in the Federal Gazette on Jan 23
and remains in force. It is not being reconsidered, the embassy said.
The only decisions under reconsideration are US federal
regulations, not presidential decrees, the embassy said in a statement
presented to Tanjug.
Another statement issued earlier Friday by the embassy said that
the new US president had decided, in line with the usual practice, to
reconsider all presidential decrees issued by the Clinton administration
last week, including the lifting of the antiYugoslav sanctions.
SERBIAN PREMIER TO MEET US SECRETARY OF STATE ON FRIDAY
WASHINGTON, February 1 (Tanjug) Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic,
who is due in Washington later on Thursday, will meet US Secretary of State
Colin Powell on Friday, according to the State Department.
Djindjic and Powell are expected to review the security situation
in southern Serbia, the future of the Serbian (Yugoslav) UNrun
KosovoMetohija province, bilateral economic cooperation, and Yugoslavia's
cooperation with the Haguebased war crimes court.
State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said Powell would also
on Friday meet three Kosovo Albanian leaders, but did not elaborate.
YUGOSLAV PREMIER ARRIVES IN US FOR IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS
NEW YORK, March 5 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Premier Zoran Zizic arrived
late on Sunday in New York at the invitation of the influential US Council
for international relations.
At the Council's round table on Wednesday Zizic will speak about
the situation in KosovoMetohija, relations within the Yugoslav federation,
and relations between the Belgrade authorities and international
organizations.
The Yugoslav Premier is also due to meet with UN SecretaryGeneral
Kofi Annan, and members of the UN Security Council.
After discussions at the United Nations headquarters, Zizic will
hold a press conference and meet with the Yugoslav diaspora in the United
States.
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA GETS STATESMAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
NEW YORK, April 19 (Tanjug) The prestigious USEuropean EASTWEST
Institute has selected Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica as the winner
of its Statesman of the Year award.
The award will be presented to Kostunica on May 8, at a
celebration dinner in New York.
The Statesman of the Year award is given each year to a person
whose qualities as a leader and statesman have made a significant
contribution to peace and democracy in Europe.
Kostunica beat the last European dictator in free and fair
elections and his endeavors have contributed to a successful transformation
of warravaged and economically devastated Yugoslavia into a democratic
state which is returning to the European family of nations, the Institute
said.
YUGOSLAV PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA ARRIVES IN UNITED STATES
NEW YORK, May 8 (Tanjug) Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica,
accompanied by VicePremier Miroljub Labus, Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic and other federal officials, on Tuesday arrived in the United
States on his first visit to this country.
In New York, Kostunica will confer with UN SecretaryGeneral Kofi
Annan and then have a luncheon at the very influential International
Relations Council.
At a closeddoor meeting, the Yugoslav president will address
Council members on the situation in Yugoslavia, and Yugoslav government
efforts aimed at resolving the problems in KosovoMetohija. Later in the
day, Kostunica will attend a galadinner given in his honour by the
EastWest Institute.
According to UN sources, Kostunica may also meet UN civilian
mission in KosovoMetohija (UNMIK) chief Hans Haekkerup, who is to deliver
a report to the UN Security Council on the situation in KosovoMetohija on
Wednesday.
After the visit to New York, Kostunica will leave for Washington
where, according to Tanjug's sources, he is to meet with US President
George W. Bush, VicePresident Richard Cheney, State Secretary Colin Powell
and National Security Adviser Condoleza Rice.
SVILANOVIC ABOUT VISIT TO US
PRAGUE, May 7 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic said that Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, with aides,
will use his stay in New York Tuesday also to meet with UN Secretary
General Koffi Anan.
Svilanovic, in an interview to Radio Free Europe, said he will
discuss with Annan "problems on the table," first and foremost the legal
framework for Kosovo.
One day later, Svilanovic said, the Yugoslav president will hold
talks in Washington also with top representatives of the US Administration
and on the table will be all topics, from cooperation with The Hague
tribunal, the donors conference for Yugoslavia, to bilateral relations.
"I think this is one of the key efforts made by the Yugoslav
government and the Yugoslav president, since taking office to date, with a
view to the country that is facing huge difficulties on the economic,
social and political level. In that way, the absolute readiness of all of
us is demonstrated to help the people in this country," Svilanovic said.
Asked whether Kostunica would also meet with US President George
Bush, Svilanovic said he believes the meeting will take place, although,
he said, it was not an official visit.
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA SEES NEW AGE OPENING IN RELATIONS WITH USA
NEW YORK, May 10 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia's president described on
Thursday his visit to the United States, which has just ended, as
extremely important and as signalling a new age in bilateral relations.
Vojislav Kostunica was in the United States on Tuesday and
Wednesday to receive the Statesman of the Year award.
Kostunica told the Voice of America that the results were
especially satisfactory in view of what BelgradeWashington relations had
been until recently, and that bilateral diplomatic relations were resumed
barely months ago.
"A certain constraint remains, some memories of a lost decade
that is behind us", he said, adding that some of his partners in talks had
"referred to this with regret". He went on to say that there was clearly
an awareness in the U.S. administration "of the importance of Yugoslavia,
the fact that our state after the changes of October last really is a
factor of stability, that it is very important geopolitically and that the
government has so far demonstrated its democratic orientation".
Asked about the shadow cast on his visit by the United States'
demand for Belgrade's cooperation with the Haguebased war crimes court as
prerequisite for U.S. support for a donor conference for Yugoslavia, he
replied this was "an important and sensitive issue".
He added, however, he was sure it would be "settled
satisfactorily".
"What I know is that the (Yugoslav) federal government will draft
a bill by the end of the month and forward it to parliament, and that,
once there is proper legislation, cooperation with the Hague court will be
possible", he said.
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA: US VISIT OF HISTORIC IMPORTANCE
BELGRADE, May 10 (Tanjug) Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica
said on Thursday that his visit to the United States had been of historic
importance.
Addressing reporters at Belgrade airport after his return from
the United States where the EastWest Institute had presented him with the
Statesman of the Year award, Kostunica said "the United States cares for a
normalization of relations with Yugoslavia just as much as we need that
normalization."
Kostunica said he had spoken in Washington with U.S. President
George Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell and that he had invited
them both to visit Yugoslavia, and with other high officials of the new
U.S. administration.
Kostunica said Bush had opened the issue of the NATO air strikes
on Yugoslavia, speaking about the material damage and casualties and
wanting to know the extent of the antiAmerican sentiments caused by the
air strikes.
"I answered him that we cannot forget them, but that we cannot
live in the past, either, and must turn to the future," Kostunica said,
adding that his visit to the United States had also had that dimension of
the future.
"Cooperation with The Hague tribunal presents a problem not only
for our side, but for the American as well. The Hague tribunal, for our
side, presents almost the only serious obstacle to our cooperation with
the international community," he said.
In talks with U.S. officials, Kostunica said he had stressed the
necessity to determine legal frameworks for cooperation with The Hague
tribunal. He said he had expressed readiness that the federal government
establish a draft law on cooperation with this tribunal by the end of the
month.
"This was not sufficient for our collocutors, so that the
question of the U.S. participation in the donor conference remains open,
for the present," he said.
The issue of relations within the Yugoslav federation was raised
in the talks, and clear, unequivocal and absolute U.S. support was again
given to redefining relations within the federal state, with full urging
of democratic dialogue, with the participation of all constitutional
factors, Kostunica said.
Full support was also given to "our approach to resolving
problems in southern Serbia, which means also to the entry (of joint
security forces) into Sector B" of the Ground Safety Zone, he said.
Kostunica said his talks with U.N. SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan,
Balkans special envoy Carl Bildt, and UNMIK chief Hans Haekkerup had
focused on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija.
They had also discussed the amendments to the draft legal
frameworks for Kosovo proposed by Yugoslav representatives, he said.
"Certain concessions were made for our side in New York to Serbs and other
nonAlbanians, actually the minority in Kosovo and Metohija" and they
accepted the suggestion that it was necessary to find adequate
institutional mechanisms so that the majority in the province could not
outvote the minority, Kostunica said.
Annan said he was confident the minority would be guaranteed
protection and that displaced persons would be able to return to Kosovo
and Metohija, he said.
The question of missing persons had also been raised in the
talks, Kostunica said, and announced that progress could be expected in
that area.
Kostunica said Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic had
held separate talks with Haekkerup on the legal frameworks, and that it
was underscored on that occasion that Yugoslavia wants Serbs
and other nonAlbanians to take part in the elections in Kosovo and
Metohija planned for the end of this year.
Participation in these elections can hardly be imagined without
solid guarantees for protection of minority rights, Kostunica said.
UFFICIALE RICHIESTA DI AMMISSIONE AL WTO
YUGOSLAVIA OFFICIALLY REQUESTS ADMISSION TO WTO
GENEVA, January 23 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia presented an official
request for admission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Tuesday in Geneva.
The Yugoslav delegation headed by Assistant Foreign Trade Minister
Boran Karadzole was received by WTO DirectorGeneral Mike Moor, Yugoslavia's
permanent mission at the UN in Geneva said.
Moor welcomed the Yugoslav Government's decision to present this
request and confirmed WTO's readiness to initiate negotiations on
admission. Yugoslavia's admission to the WTO would be an element of
stabilization and improvement of relations within Yugoslavia and in the
region and the world, he said.
The Yugoslav delegation held a separate meeting with WTO General
Council Chairman, Norwegian Ambassador Kare Brin.
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION DECIDES TO INITIATE YUGOSLAV MEMBERSHIP
GENEVA, February 8 (Tanjug) The general council of the World
Trade Organization (WTO) decided at a session in Geneva on Thursday to set
up a working group for Yugoslavia, thus formally opening the process of
negotiations with Yugoslavia for WHO membership.
At the session, the Yugoslav delegation was headed by federal
Transport Minister Zoran Sami.
Sami said that Yugoslavia's clearly expressed intention to begin
the process of joining WTO marks the start of the realization of one of
the priority aims of its foreign economic policy inclusion in the
multilateral trade system.
All participants of today's session hailed Yugoslavia's decision
to start the process of joining WTO, expressing hopes that this process
will soon be underway.
Specially underscored was that the opening the process of
Yugoslav membership in WTO is important for the promotion of economic
cooperation in the region of southeast Europe, which will also contribute
to strengthening security in the region.
YUGOSLAVIA GETS OBSERVER STATUS IN WTO
BELGRADE, February 8 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia was granted observer
status in the World Trade Organization at the session of its general
council Thursday, which officially initiates the process of its admission
as full WTO member, Yugoslav Minister of Transports Zoran Sami said.
On his return from the council session in Geneva, Sami said this
was an important step for Yugoslavia, as the observer status gives it all
rights in the WTO except the right to vote.
The presentation of the Yugoslav delegation at the session was
very successful, Sami said, adding that the proposal to grant it observer
status was welcomed by many speakers.
Yugoslav Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade Boran Karadjole, member
of the Yugoslav delegation, said that the process of gaining full
admission to the WTO membership takes several years. Yugoslavia's goal
is to be admitted to the WTO by the end of 2002 or the beginning of 2003
at the latest, he said.
YUGOSLAVIA: WTO SETS UP BODY TO NEGOTIATE YUGOSLAVIA'S ENTRY
The World Trade Organization agreed last week to set up a working
party to negotiate terms of entry for Yugoslavia.
The old Yugoslavia was a member of the WTO's predecessor body, the
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), until it was suspended
in 1992 as a country disintegrated in war.
The former Yugoslav republics of Slovenia and Croatia are already WTO
members. Bosnia and Macedonia have applied but still not started
detailed negotiations. (http://epc-eu.net/balkan/)
LA NATO RESTERA' A LUNGO NEI BALCANI...
NATO WILL STAY IN BALKAN REGION FOR LONG TIME
SKOPJE, January 23 (Tanjug) NATO Military Committee chief,
Admiral Guido Venturoni has said in Skopje that a satisfactory stability
and security in the region have not been achieved yet, and that this is why
NATO should remain in Bosnia and KosovoMetohija for a long time.
After the meeting with Macedonian Defence Minister Ljuben
Paunovski, Venturoni stressed that controversies on depleted uranium
ammunition used during the NATO campaign against Yugoslavia are exaggerated
and deliberately launched in order to increase tensions.
DEFENCE MINISTRY: YUGOSLAVIA SHOULD JOIN PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE
BELGRADE, March 22 (Tanjug) Accession to the Partnership for
Peace would ensure a speedy and successful return of Yugoslavia to
international political, economic, and other associations, and alleviate
the danger of new flashpoints in the region, also giving the country a
more important role in new regional security concepts, the Collegium of
the Yugoslav Defence Ministry has declared.
According to a statement released on Thursday from the defence
minister's cabinet, the Collegium passed the declaration unanimously after
reviewing a comprehensive study devised by the military and political
experts of the Defence Ministry and the Yugoslav Army Chief of Staff.
The Collegium will soon submit a report for approval to the
Yugoslav government, which will shape Yugoslavia's new defence policy
accordingly, the statement said.
On the basis of a government initiative for rationalizing and
enhancing Yugoslavia's overall defence system, efforts have been steppedup
to formulate new bills and amendments regulating this sphere, according to
the statement.
The draft law on the Yugoslav Army incorporates the most recent
initiative of the Chief of Staff to reduce the term of compulsory military
service from 12 to 10 months. New bills on defence, military courts, and
the military prosecutor's office, were also proposed.
The defence minister decided that the changes and amendments to
the regulations must be worked out by late April, so that they could be
submitted for approval to the Yugoslav parliament in June 2001.
The Collegium decided to intensify the work on Yugoslavia's
defense doctrine, which must reflect the state's future orientation in
defense policy, the statement said.
YUGOSLAVIA AND PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE
BELGRADE, April 29 (Tanjug) Assistant Yugoslav Defense
Minister, Lt.Gen. Jovan Milanovic said on Sunday that Yugoslavia's
joining the Partnership for Peace program was one of the country's
strategic goals.
"Yugoslavia's joining NATO's Partnership for Peace program
should be viewed within the context of our strategic state interests,"
Lt.Gen. Milanovic said in an interview to the Belgrade daily Vecernje
novosti.
The 1999 NATO aggression on Yugoslavia would have been avoided
if Yugoslavia had been involved in this program earlier, he said.
Asked if it was Yugoslavia's objective to become a full member
of
NATO, he said: "Not only is it an objective, but it is the solution."
STATUS SPECIALE AL CONSIGLIO D'EUROPA, DISCRIMINAZIONE CONTRO
IL SOLO RAPPRESENTANTE DEL PARTITO SOCIALISTA SERBO
COUNCIL OF EUROPE PARLIAMENT GRANTS YUGOSLAVIA SPECIAL STATUS
STRASBOURG, January 22 (Tanjug) The Bureau of the Council of
Europe Parliamentary Assembly decided unanimously at a session in
Strasbourg on Monday morning to grant Yugoslavia special guest status in
the Council of Europe.
The decision has to be verified formally by the Parliamentary
Assembly at a session on Tuesday.
Yugoslavia will appoint seven MPs and seven assistant MPs to take
part in the work of the Parliamentary Assembly. They will have all the
rights and obligations of other MPs, with the exception of voting rights.
Today's decision of the Bureau opened doors to Yugoslavia's full
membership in the Council of Europe, which could take place already by the
end of the year.
COUNCIL OF EUROPE'S RUSSELLJOHNSTON GREETS YUGOSLAVS, EXCEPT ONE
STRASBOURG, France, January 22 (Tanjug) Opening Monday's meeting
of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, its president Lord
RussellJohnston especially welcomed the Yugoslav delegation, which was
earlier on Monday given special guest status in the body.
Welcoming the Yugoslav delegation and its leader Dragoljub
Micunovic, Lord RussellJohnston stressed the importance of the victory of
the Democratic Opposition of Serbia (DOS) bloc and Yugoslav President
Vojislav Kostunica in Serbia and Yugoslavia.
He added, however, that his welcome did not extend to the
delegation member from the Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS), in this case Mr
Dmitar Segrt.
Segrt said later he was very unpleasantly surprised by this
attitude taken by RussellJohnston, adding he would not have been on the
delegation if he had known a thing like this could happen.
MICUNOVIC: EXCEPTIONAL RECEPTION AT COUNCIL OF EUROPE
BELGRADE, April 28 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia was received at the
Council of Europe in the best possible way and it successfully joined in
the work of its Parliamentary Assembly, the Yugoslav parliament's Chamber
of Citizens Speaker Dragoljub Micunovic said late Friday.
Speaking to reporters at Belgrade airport on his return from
Strasbourg, Micunovic pointed out that Yugoslav MPs had for the first
time taken part in all Parliamentary Assembly committees since Belgrade's
return to international institutions from which it had been exiled over
the past 10 years.
According to Micunovic, the first steps have been taken for
Yugoslavia becoming a permanent member of the Council of Europe. Two
prominent lawyers have been appointed to work with Yugoslav experts next
month on coordinating European and domestic laws.
IL NUOVO GOVERNO JUGOSLAVO PRESENTA IL COMPITINO ALLA BERS:
"ECCO LE RIFORME, GLI INVESTITORI STRANIERI STIANO TRANQUILLI"
YUGOSLAV REFORMS PRESENTED WELL AT EBRD
LONDON, April 25 (Tanjug) The Yugoslav delegation to the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) annual meeting has
made a very successful presentation of Yugoslavia's economic potential and
reforms, Yugoslav VicePremier Miroljub Labus, who headed the delegation,
said in London on Tuesday. Government plans and reform projects met with
great understanding and full support at the presentation and in meetings
with international experts, Labus said in a statement to Tanjug.
In addition to the regular program of the EBRD meeting, the
Yugoslav delegation had a number of very useful discussions with
investment funds and banks, as well as with officials of the world's
leading countries, Labus said. He specially stressed the discussions with
US and German officials.
After the EBRD annual meeting, the Yugoslav delegation had
fruitful and important discussions Tuesday afternoon with experts of J. P.
Morgan, one of the world's major investment banks.
LABUS: FOREIGN INVESTORS BALK AT POLITICAL RISK
BELGRADE, April 25 (Tanjug) Political risk must be eliminated if
foreign investors are to be attracted, according to Yugoslavia's
vicepremier in Belgrade on Wednesday.
Miroljub Labus was speaking to reporters on returning from
London, where he had attended an annual assembly of the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Labus said Belgrade and Podgorica should open serious talks at
once on reorganising the federal state, which should involve Serbian,
Montenegrin and Yugoslav institutions, including Yugoslav President
Vojislav Kostunica.
The best solution, from the point of view of investment risk,
would be to maintain the common state, with changes in the powers of the
federal government, which position was supported also at the EBRD meeting,
he stressed.
He went on to say that international financial officials and
investors were expecting that the issue of relations in the federation
"should be cleared out of the way" in the near future, "within two or
three months".
YUGOSLAV ECONOMY PRESENTED AT EBRD ASSEMBLY
LONDON, April 24 (Tanjug) Yugoslavia's economic potential and
initiated reforms were presented in a special programme at an annual
assembly of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in
London on Tuesday.
Yugoslav VicePremier and Minister of Foreign Trade Miroljub
Labus, who heads the government delegation, spoke of the national
economy's prospects of reintegration in global economic processes,
stressing that all initiated reforms were geared to this end.
This is the first EBRD assembly to be attended by Yugoslavia, and
interest has been great in its economic potential and reforms.
Also in the delegation are executives of leading banks, as well
as National (central) Bank Governor Mladjan Dinkic and ViceGovernor
Radovan Jelasic, who are there to attend a regular forum of EBRD central
bank governors.
The Yugoslav delegation has had numerous separate meetings with
leading investment bankers in London.
A special presentation has been scheduled at London's Millennium
Hotel for later on Tuesday, organised by one of the world's biggest
investment funds, J.P. Morgan.
The twoday EBRD assembly ends later on Tuesday.
LA JUGOSLAVIA APRE ALLA RAPINA STRANIERA
YUGOSLAVIA, COUNTRY FAVOURABLE FOR INVESTMENTS
PARIS, April 30 (Tanjug) Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic said in
Paris Monday after a meeting in the largest association of French
employers MEDEF, he was certain that the businessmen now perceive that
Yugoslavia is a country where investments should be made.
"It was an opportunity to present to the representatives of the
largest French companies, which are also among the largest world
companies, our concept of economic development, to explain to them where
we stand now, what conditions we are preparing so that they can invest and
to encourage them to venture to be among the first ones to invest, even in
our current situation, when all the conditions have not been created yet,"
the Serbian premier said.
He also said that the MEDEF delegation was seized of
macroeconomic priorities of Yugoslavia, the laws that are in preparation
or are adopted. Asked whether there were any concrete business proposals,
the Serbian premier said that during the day were planned bilateral
meetings with the representatives of several companies.Djindjic underlined
that talks were underway about the car industry, fruit processing, and
large investment works for repairing water supply, the privatization of a
cement factory and several other fields.
YUGOSLAVIA IS RELIABLE PLACE FOR FOREIGN INVESTMENTS
BELGRADE, May 10 (Tanjug) Yugoslav Chamber of Commerce and
Industry President Slobodan Korac on Thursday opened a twoday business and
investment summit, attended by more than 150 representatives of banks,
investors and companies from the country and 17 European states, US and
Japan.
Welcoming the participants on behalf of Yugoslav President
Vojislav Kostunica, Korac said that in the region of southeastern Europe,
which had been unjustly neglected in the past 10 years, the GNP had
dropped and that it now accounted to just 50 percent of its 1989 value.
In order to restore our links with the rest of Europe, we will
have to construct transport infrastructure, remove customs and all other
barriers, Korac said and added that according to World Bank estimates, the
idea of a free trade zone among Balkan countries could come to life in
southeastern Europe in the next three or four years.
ANCHE CON LA GERMANIA I RAPPORTI SONO IDILLIACI
PRESIDENT KOSTUNICA ENDS VISIT TO GERMANY
BERLIN, May 15 (Tanjug) Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica
ended Tuesday afternoon his oneday official visit to Germany, during which
he conferred in Berlin with German President Johannes Rau, Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer.
Kostunica also conferred in the afternoon with the leader of the
largest opposition party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Angela
Merkel, and visited the foreign policy committee of the German parliament
lower house.
The president was accompanied by Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic and his Assistant Radojko Bogojevic.
At the end of his visit, Kostunica also visited the Serb Orthodox
church in Berlin and conferred with Yugoslav nationals living in Berlin.
The top German officials expressed their full understanding and
support for Yugoslavia's endeavors to stabilize the political and economic
situation. These endeavors should enable Yugoslavia to become what Europe
expects a powerful factor of political and economic stabilization of the
entire southeastern Europe, Kostunica told the press.
He pointed to the importance of the traditionally good and
intensive economic cooperation with Germany and urged German businessmen
to invest in Yugoslavia.
Rau, Schroeder and Fischer expressed their full and unconditional
support to Yugoslavia's aspirations to join the European Union, in which
the first step should be the signing of an agreement on association and
stabilization. Kostunica and Schroeder expressed hope that the conference
of donors for Yugoslavi<br/><br/>(Message over 64 KB, truncated)
LA R.F. DI JUGOSLAVIA NEL "SALOTTO BUONO" ?
Prosegue a ritmo serrato l'inglobamento della Jugoslavia nei "salotti
buoni" del dominio finanziario globale: dal Fondo Monetario
Internazionale (IMF), che ha ricominciato a concederle i suoi prestiti
usurari, alla Banca Mondiale, dove la RFJ e' stata appena riammessa dopo
otto anni, alla Banca Europea per la Ricostruzione e lo Sviluppo (BERS),
alla cui ultima sessione londinese di fine Aprile il nuovo governo
jugoslavo ha presentato lo stato della ristrutturazione dell'economia in
senso liberista ed antipopolare, invitando gli investitori stranieri a
farsi sotto. Ed ancora lla Organizzazione Mondiale del Commercio (WTO),
che ha gia' ammesso la RFJ come osservatore, al Consiglio d'Europa, che
impone le sue condizioni, che sono insieme economiche e politiche, fino
alla stessa NATO ed alla sua "anticamera" denominata "Partnership for
Peace".
Nel frattempo, si prepara la legge sulle privatizzazioni che consentira'
la svendita delle ricchezze nazionali agli acquirenti stranieri.
Alla URL
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/997
riportiamo i dispacci della Tanjug e di altra fonte su questo
fiorire di rapporti e di scambi di visite, con gli esponenti della nuova
leadership (anti)jugoslava impegnati a fare passerella nei centri piu'
esclusivi dell'Occidente "umanitario", da Londra a Davos, da Berlino a
New York.
Ricordiamo anche l'articolo di Michel Chossudowski "Economic Terrorism",
sulle pressioni dell'IMF (in due parti):
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/968
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/967
(a cura del CRJ)
---
Questa lista e' provvisoriamente curata da componenti della
ASSEMBLEA ANTIMPERIALISTA (ex Coord. Naz. "La Jugoslavia Vivra'"):
> http://www.tuttinlotta.org
I documenti distribuiti non rispecchiano necessariamente le
opinioni delle realta' che compongono questa struttura, ma
vengono fatti circolare per il loro contenuto informativo al
solo scopo di segnalazione e commento ("for fair use only").
Archivio:
> http://www.domeus.it/circles/jugoinfo oppure:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/messages
Per iscriversi al bollettino: <jugoinfo-subscribe@...>
Per cancellarsi: <jugoinfo-unsubscribe@...>
Per inviare materiali e commenti: <jugocoord@...>
Sito WEB (non aggiornato):
> http://digilander.iol.it/lajugoslaviavivra
----------------------------------------------------------------------
STIAMO AIUTANDO LA TERRA!
Aiutaci a a conservare le risorse naturali del nostro pianeta.
Partecipa all'asta del magnifico quadro "Masai Mara" donato
al Fondo per la Terra.
Viani a trovarci su
http://www.domeus.it/ad1833460/domeus.bid.it
Se vuoi cancellarti da questo gruppo, clicca qui: http://www.domeus.it/info/unsubscribe
Prosegue a ritmo serrato l'inglobamento della Jugoslavia nei "salotti
buoni" del dominio finanziario globale: dal Fondo Monetario
Internazionale (IMF), che ha ricominciato a concederle i suoi prestiti
usurari, alla Banca Mondiale, dove la RFJ e' stata appena riammessa dopo
otto anni, alla Banca Europea per la Ricostruzione e lo Sviluppo (BERS),
alla cui ultima sessione londinese di fine Aprile il nuovo governo
jugoslavo ha presentato lo stato della ristrutturazione dell'economia in
senso liberista ed antipopolare, invitando gli investitori stranieri a
farsi sotto. Ed ancora lla Organizzazione Mondiale del Commercio (WTO),
che ha gia' ammesso la RFJ come osservatore, al Consiglio d'Europa, che
impone le sue condizioni, che sono insieme economiche e politiche, fino
alla stessa NATO ed alla sua "anticamera" denominata "Partnership for
Peace".
Nel frattempo, si prepara la legge sulle privatizzazioni che consentira'
la svendita delle ricchezze nazionali agli acquirenti stranieri.
Alla URL
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/997
riportiamo i dispacci della Tanjug e di altra fonte su questo
fiorire di rapporti e di scambi di visite, con gli esponenti della nuova
leadership (anti)jugoslava impegnati a fare passerella nei centri piu'
esclusivi dell'Occidente "umanitario", da Londra a Davos, da Berlino a
New York.
Ricordiamo anche l'articolo di Michel Chossudowski "Economic Terrorism",
sulle pressioni dell'IMF (in due parti):
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/968
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/message/967
(a cura del CRJ)
---
Questa lista e' provvisoriamente curata da componenti della
ASSEMBLEA ANTIMPERIALISTA (ex Coord. Naz. "La Jugoslavia Vivra'"):
> http://www.tuttinlotta.org
I documenti distribuiti non rispecchiano necessariamente le
opinioni delle realta' che compongono questa struttura, ma
vengono fatti circolare per il loro contenuto informativo al
solo scopo di segnalazione e commento ("for fair use only").
Archivio:
> http://www.domeus.it/circles/jugoinfo oppure:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/messages
Per iscriversi al bollettino: <jugoinfo-subscribe@...>
Per cancellarsi: <jugoinfo-unsubscribe@...>
Per inviare materiali e commenti: <jugocoord@...>
Sito WEB (non aggiornato):
> http://digilander.iol.it/lajugoslaviavivra
----------------------------------------------------------------------
STIAMO AIUTANDO LA TERRA!
Aiutaci a a conservare le risorse naturali del nostro pianeta.
Partecipa all'asta del magnifico quadro "Masai Mara" donato
al Fondo per la Terra.
Viani a trovarci su
http://www.domeus.it/ad1833460/domeus.bid.it
Se vuoi cancellarti da questo gruppo, clicca qui: http://www.domeus.it/info/unsubscribe
