Colin Powell: "Finalmente in Serbia si rispettano i diritti umani"
1. NUOVI CLAMOROSI ARRESTI POLITICI:
IN MANETTE L'EX CAPO DI STATO MAGGIORE DELL'ESERCITO E L'EX DIRETTORE
DELLA TELEVISIONE NAZIONALE
2. PIENO APPOGGIO DAGLI USA:
COLIN POWELL IN VISITA A BELGRADO
3. PIENO APPOGGIO DALL'EUROPA: SERBIA E MONTENEGRO ENTRANO NEL
CONSIGLIO D'EUROPA (COME STATO UNICO O COME DUE STATI SEPARATI?)
=== 1 ===
NUOVI CLAMOROSI ARRESTI
POLICE TAKE IN FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF NEBOJSA PAVKOVIC
BELGRADE, April 2 (Beta) - On April 1, the police took in for
questioning the former Yugoslav army chief of staff, Gen. Nebojsa
Pavkovic, and, for the second time, Yugoslav Left party senior
official Ivan Markovic, as part of the investigation into the March
12 murder of Serbian premier Zoran Djindjic, BETA has learned from
sources in the police.
Pavkovic was the Yugoslav army chief of staff during the Slobodan
Milosevic era, and for several months after Milosevic's regime was
toppled, on Oct. 5, 2000. He was also a presidential candidate at the
elections in Serbia last year. Ivan Markovic has already been brought
in once on March 29, but was released immediately after the
questioning.
FORMER NATIONAL TELEVISION DIRECTOR ARRESTED
BELGRADE, April 2 (Beta) - On April 2, the police arrested the former
general manager of Serbian Radio and Television (RTS), Dragoljub
Milanovic, who is responsible for the death of 16 television workers
in the NATO bombing in 1999 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
After failing to report to prison officials Milanovic ran away and
was hiding in a weekend house in Montenegro, 12 kilometers from the
Albanian border.
Quoting police sources, RTS said that "a comprehensive
investigation into Premier Djindjic's assassination has shown that
Milanovic was guarded by the Zemun clan," suspected of organizing
Djindjic's assassination in Belgrade, March 12 and a number of other
crimes over the previous years. The government said that Milanovic
was taken to Montenegro by members of the Zemun clan, who also
revealed his hideout.
The Belgrade District Court sentenced Dragoljub Milanovic to 10
years in prison, holding him responsible for the death of 16
television workers killed in the bombing on April 23 1999. The trial
chamber, however, released Milanovic until his verdict took effect,
despite the severity of his crime.
=== 2 ===
PIENO APPOGGIO DAGLI USA:
COLIN POWELL IN VISITA A BELGRADO
US AMBASSADOR: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTS SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 1 (Tanjug) - US Ambassador to Serbia
and Montenegro William Montgomery said Tuesday that the
international community supports the Serbian government's fight
against organized crime, indicating that it will meet with a
resounding response in the world, improving in that way the image of
Serbia. Speaking to participants in the summit on competitiveness,
Montgomery said that the United States supports the Serbian
government in its efforts to stabilize the situation in the state
following the murder of Premier Zoran Djindjic.
He said October 5 (2000) was in their hearts. Serbia
has succeeded to make large strides since October 5 and Serbia will
be lauded for its efforts in the fight against organized
crime, Montgomery said. Montgomery said that Serbia has sufficient
qualified human resources to become a leader in the region, in which
a free market will be created with some 60 million consumers.
However, he warned, that potential does not mean capital and a lot of
work still needs to be done in that respect.
Serbia has strong companies that are competitive and the
United States will support that, Montgomery promised and added that
Serbia has to make a concept of competitiveness in order to
attract investments and encourage exports. The United States and
the international community support Serbia every step of the way and
wish it success, Montgomery said.
Serbia-Montenegro president confers with US secretary of state
BELGRADE, Apr 2 (Tanjug) - Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar
Marovic said Wednesday evening he sees the visit by US Secretary of
State Colin Powell as a gesture of support to the reforms underway.
During his meeting with Powell, Marovic expressed his
optimism regarding the success of reforms in SCG, especially
concerning fostering of cooperation with the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the reform of the SCG Army as
a pre-condition for accelerating accession to Partnership for Peace.
He expressed hope that trade relations between the US and SCG will
soon be fully normalized.
Marovic underlined the SCG economic interest in taking part in
Iraq's reconstruction after the conflict ends, in order to help the
Iraqi people.
According to a statement issued by Marovic's office, Powell
said his visit to Belgrade constitutes an expression of US support to
its reform program and its determination to fight crime and
corruption.
Powell also supported the endeavors for normalizing bilateral
trade relations and underlined that the Pentagon and NATO would
support the SCG Army transformation.
POWELL: U.S. TO DO EVERYTHING TO ASSIST SERBIA&MONTENEGRO
BELGRADE, April 2 (Beta) - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
said in Belgrade on April 2, that his country would do everything to
assist Serbia and Montenegro to become an integral part of Europe.
Powell said he hoped that the country's leadership would intensify
cooperation with The Hague based tribunal next month.
"I came to Belgrade tonight to extend strong U.S. support to
Serbia and Montenegro following the assassination of Premier
Djindjic, who was my friend, and whom I admired as a leader who
wishing only the best for his people," Powell said at a press
conference after meeting with Serbian Premier Zoran Zivkovic.
Powell also said that he is "delighted" with what he had heard
from his counterparts in Belgrade, primarily regarding the commitment
to proceed with reforms.
"The successful suppression of organized crime and the reforms of the
army will improve cooperation with The Hague based tribunal, which is
an important element of the country's international obligations.
After fulfilling these obligations, the community of Serbia and
Montenegro can expect to join the Partnership for Peace Program and
the EU," stressed the U.S. secretary of state.
Powell added he hoped the country would make considerable progress
in its cooperation with the tribunal in the next few months, which
primarily refers to the arrest and extradition of indictees.
In his words, General Ratko Mladic and the "Vukovar Troika," the
former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) officers, Veselin Sljivancanin
and Miroslav Radic, were discussed during the meetings. Powell
stressed that he was leaving Belgrade with a very good impression
that the country's officials were committed to bringing these people
to justice.
Serbian Premier Zoran Zivkovic said that during the meeting he had
expressed his determination to proceed with the reforms and announced
a more intense fight against crime. He also said the Serbian
authorities would step up cooperation with the tribunal, adding that
he hoped cooperation would "end in a short period of time."
Zivkovic thanked Powell on his personal contribution to the U.S.
assistance to Serbia, saying: "I can assure the State Secretary that
Serbia will be a reliable partner of the U.S."
Status of human rights in SCG satisfactory
WASHINGTON, April 2 (Tanjug) - On the overall, the status
of human rights in Serbia is satisfactory, it is underlined in
the regular annual report by the U.S. Department of State, which
also concludes that some problems inherited from the rule of Slobodan
Milosevic remain unsolved, but that they are on the way to be
resolved.
The regular report on human rights in the world was presented
to the public by Secretary of State Colin Powell on Tuesday.
The part referring to Serbia and Montenegro says that there
are still cases of maltreatment and beating of citizens by
police, although the situation has improved since the adoption of the
Law on criminal procedure.
As for the co-operation with the Hague Tribunal, the
Department of State underlines in its report that a certain progress
had been made, but that the Tribunal is still dissatisfied with
the co-operation level. Powell underlined that certain progress had
been made in Kosovo as well, but that some of the serious issues
remain outstanding. This, primarily, applies to freedom of movement
of the minority population, mostly Serbs.
A certain progress was recorded in some parts of Kosovo late
2002, the report says, adding that the overall situation remains
unsatisfactory. It is also pointed out that an insignificant number
of refugees and displaced persons had returned to their homes, which,
according to the report, is due to the concern of refugees for their
safety and freedom of movement, as well as their inability to find
employment.
In the part of the report that refers to Montenegro, it is
underlined that Montenegro's government had mostly respected human
rights over the past year, but that some problems, primarily in
the administration of justice, are still present.
New US fund for aid to Balkans will be based in Belgrade
WASHINGTON, Apr 2 (Tanjug) - USAID, the German Marshall Fund
and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation announced Wednesday the
creation of a Balkan fund for democracy development, through which
about 25 million dollars will be provided as support to governments
in southeastern Europe.
The fund will be based in Belgrade and will start operating
in the summer. Its beneficiaries will be Albania, Bosnia,
Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia and Montenegro.
About two million dollars will be allocated annually to local and
regional non-governmental organizations, educational institutions and
media, to help foster relations between citizens and local
authorities, and the fund will also support cross-border cooperation
in the region in order to secure lasting stability.
USAID and GMF will allocate 10 million dollars each to the
fund and Mott Foundation 5 million, and contributions from other
donors are expected when the fund becomes operational.
USAID to earmark 150 million dollars to Serbia-Montenegro
BELGRADE, April 2 (Tanjug) - The United States development
agency USAID will in 2003 aid Serbia-Montenegro with about 150
million dollars intended for the development of the economic policy,
democracy, a civic society and local self-rule, USAID Belgrade office
head James Stevenson said on Wednesday.
Of this sum, Serbia will get 110 million dollars and Montenegro
40 million, Stevenson told the press. Underscoring that
the Competitiveness Summit in Belgrade's Sava Congressional Centre
is part of this aid, he announced new USAID projects for
Serbia-Montenegro over the next few years worth several hundreds
million dollars.
So far, USAID has targeted on the producers of raspberries and
furniture in Serbia within the support for stepping up the level of
competitiveness of the domestic economy, Stevenson said.
=== 3 ===
PIENO APPOGGIO DALL'EUROPA:
SERBIA E MONTENEGRO ENTRANO NEL CONSIGLIO D'EUROPA (COME STATO UNICO
O COME DUE STATI SEPARATI?)
Serbia-Montenegro admitted into Council of Europe
STRASBOURG, April 3 (Tanjug) - Serbia and Montenegro on Wednesday
became a 45th member of the Council of Europe, and its flag flew
outside the Strasbourg headquarters of this oldest European
institution.
In scope of the admission ceremony, Serbia-Montenegro
President Svetozar Marovic handed over corresponding documentation
on acceptance of the CE Statute, while Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic signed a statement on acceptance of the European
convention on human rights.
After that, while the national anthem was played, the Serbia-
Montenegro flag was raised outside the headquarters in Strasbourg.
Serbia-Montenegro parliament speaker Dragoljub Micunovic,
who is at the head of the country's delegation, will address the
CE parliamentary assembly.
Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer said at
the beginning of the ceremony that up to now, a link had been missing
in South East Europe, but that that was not the case any more. He
promised that the CE would help Serbia and Montenegro go on, and
added that he wished to see a live society which would be capable of
coming into grips with the past, so as to be able to look into the
future. Schwimmer ended his speech in Serbian language by
saying "Serbia and Montenegro, welcome home." Serbia-Montenegro
President Svetozar Marovic said that it had been confirmed that
Serbia and Montenegro would become a full-fledged member of the
European union, and pointed out that Serbia and Montenegro
wanted peace, democracy and integration into Europe.
Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic said that the admission into the CE
was not any easy one, and that all who had been working on it should
be remembered.
Referring to the murder of Serbian premier Zoran Djindjic, chairman
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CE, Peter Schieder, said
that the remains of the Slobodan Milosevic's regime would not succeed
in destroying what the democratic authorities of Serbia and
Montenegro had done.
ADMISSION INTO CE SIGN WE ARE ON RIGHT TRACK, SERBIA-MONTENEGRO
FOREIGN MINISTER
STRASBOURG, April 3 (Tanjug) - For the people of Serbia and
Montenegro the admission into the Council of Europe is an important
sign that their country is on the right track, Serbia-Montenegro
Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic said on Thursday, and added that
that was a first major step of Serbia and Montenegro on its road
towards a full integration into European structures.
During a speech at the ceremony of the admission of Serbia and
Montenegro as a 45th member of the CE, Svilanovic expressed his
certainty that a membership in that, most eminent European
organisation, would make the foundations of democracy in Serbia and
Montenegro stronger.
Reminding of the fact that Serbia and Montenegro had been waiting
for a long time to take its seat in the CE, Svilanovic said that the
admission had not come easily, and that it was a "result of the hard
struggle for liberty, human rights and the rule of law."
"We should remember and pay respect to all those individuals in
Serbia and Montenegro who invested everything, including their lives,
in that struggle," the Serbia-Montenegro foreign minister said, and
added that "this struggle for freedom is not over, is never over,
although perhaps we have overcome the greatest obstacles."
Svilanovic promised that Serbia and Montenegro would "fully comply
with its membership obligations and commitments," and pointed out
that "a lot has been achieved in strengthening democracy, respect for
human rights and the rule of law in Serbia and Montenegro," but also
that "still, a lot has to be done."
"Thus, we are grateful for the assistance to be provided by the
Council of Europe in the post-accession monitoring programme," Goran
Svilanovic said. Svilanovic also pointed out that "we, Europeans,
share the same values and the same destiny," and reminded of the fact
that when the Council of Europe had been first set up, memories and
horrors of the Second World War had been still fresh, as well as that
a "willingness to protect and realize the European values helped
overcome these wounds."
"Today, for the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, memories and
horrors of war are still fresh and not healed," Svilanovic said, and
stressed that "only by fully embracing European values we may
overcome these wounds," as well as that " only by facing the past we
may realise our future dreams."
"Thus, it is the responsibility and duty of all governments to
bring war criminals to justice, before the International Criminal
Tribunal and before the national courts," the Serbia-Montenegro
foreign minister said, and reminded of the words of Sir Winston
Churchill, one of the founding fathers of the CE, i.e. "Let there be
justice, mercy and freedom. The peoples have only to will it, and all
will achieve their hearts' desire." The "people of Serbia and
Montenegro, like everyone else, wish to leave in peace and
prosperity, in security and freedom. The glorious expression of this
desire was October 2000, when a regime of war and poverty was
overthrown," Svilanovic pointed out, and stessed that the "membership
in the Council of Europe comes as a recognition of the common
European destiny for Serbia and Montenegro."
1. NUOVI CLAMOROSI ARRESTI POLITICI:
IN MANETTE L'EX CAPO DI STATO MAGGIORE DELL'ESERCITO E L'EX DIRETTORE
DELLA TELEVISIONE NAZIONALE
2. PIENO APPOGGIO DAGLI USA:
COLIN POWELL IN VISITA A BELGRADO
3. PIENO APPOGGIO DALL'EUROPA: SERBIA E MONTENEGRO ENTRANO NEL
CONSIGLIO D'EUROPA (COME STATO UNICO O COME DUE STATI SEPARATI?)
=== 1 ===
NUOVI CLAMOROSI ARRESTI
POLICE TAKE IN FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF NEBOJSA PAVKOVIC
BELGRADE, April 2 (Beta) - On April 1, the police took in for
questioning the former Yugoslav army chief of staff, Gen. Nebojsa
Pavkovic, and, for the second time, Yugoslav Left party senior
official Ivan Markovic, as part of the investigation into the March
12 murder of Serbian premier Zoran Djindjic, BETA has learned from
sources in the police.
Pavkovic was the Yugoslav army chief of staff during the Slobodan
Milosevic era, and for several months after Milosevic's regime was
toppled, on Oct. 5, 2000. He was also a presidential candidate at the
elections in Serbia last year. Ivan Markovic has already been brought
in once on March 29, but was released immediately after the
questioning.
FORMER NATIONAL TELEVISION DIRECTOR ARRESTED
BELGRADE, April 2 (Beta) - On April 2, the police arrested the former
general manager of Serbian Radio and Television (RTS), Dragoljub
Milanovic, who is responsible for the death of 16 television workers
in the NATO bombing in 1999 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
After failing to report to prison officials Milanovic ran away and
was hiding in a weekend house in Montenegro, 12 kilometers from the
Albanian border.
Quoting police sources, RTS said that "a comprehensive
investigation into Premier Djindjic's assassination has shown that
Milanovic was guarded by the Zemun clan," suspected of organizing
Djindjic's assassination in Belgrade, March 12 and a number of other
crimes over the previous years. The government said that Milanovic
was taken to Montenegro by members of the Zemun clan, who also
revealed his hideout.
The Belgrade District Court sentenced Dragoljub Milanovic to 10
years in prison, holding him responsible for the death of 16
television workers killed in the bombing on April 23 1999. The trial
chamber, however, released Milanovic until his verdict took effect,
despite the severity of his crime.
=== 2 ===
PIENO APPOGGIO DAGLI USA:
COLIN POWELL IN VISITA A BELGRADO
US AMBASSADOR: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY SUPPORTS SERBIA
BELGRADE, April 1 (Tanjug) - US Ambassador to Serbia
and Montenegro William Montgomery said Tuesday that the
international community supports the Serbian government's fight
against organized crime, indicating that it will meet with a
resounding response in the world, improving in that way the image of
Serbia. Speaking to participants in the summit on competitiveness,
Montgomery said that the United States supports the Serbian
government in its efforts to stabilize the situation in the state
following the murder of Premier Zoran Djindjic.
He said October 5 (2000) was in their hearts. Serbia
has succeeded to make large strides since October 5 and Serbia will
be lauded for its efforts in the fight against organized
crime, Montgomery said. Montgomery said that Serbia has sufficient
qualified human resources to become a leader in the region, in which
a free market will be created with some 60 million consumers.
However, he warned, that potential does not mean capital and a lot of
work still needs to be done in that respect.
Serbia has strong companies that are competitive and the
United States will support that, Montgomery promised and added that
Serbia has to make a concept of competitiveness in order to
attract investments and encourage exports. The United States and
the international community support Serbia every step of the way and
wish it success, Montgomery said.
Serbia-Montenegro president confers with US secretary of state
BELGRADE, Apr 2 (Tanjug) - Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar
Marovic said Wednesday evening he sees the visit by US Secretary of
State Colin Powell as a gesture of support to the reforms underway.
During his meeting with Powell, Marovic expressed his
optimism regarding the success of reforms in SCG, especially
concerning fostering of cooperation with the International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the reform of the SCG Army as
a pre-condition for accelerating accession to Partnership for Peace.
He expressed hope that trade relations between the US and SCG will
soon be fully normalized.
Marovic underlined the SCG economic interest in taking part in
Iraq's reconstruction after the conflict ends, in order to help the
Iraqi people.
According to a statement issued by Marovic's office, Powell
said his visit to Belgrade constitutes an expression of US support to
its reform program and its determination to fight crime and
corruption.
Powell also supported the endeavors for normalizing bilateral
trade relations and underlined that the Pentagon and NATO would
support the SCG Army transformation.
POWELL: U.S. TO DO EVERYTHING TO ASSIST SERBIA&MONTENEGRO
BELGRADE, April 2 (Beta) - U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell
said in Belgrade on April 2, that his country would do everything to
assist Serbia and Montenegro to become an integral part of Europe.
Powell said he hoped that the country's leadership would intensify
cooperation with The Hague based tribunal next month.
"I came to Belgrade tonight to extend strong U.S. support to
Serbia and Montenegro following the assassination of Premier
Djindjic, who was my friend, and whom I admired as a leader who
wishing only the best for his people," Powell said at a press
conference after meeting with Serbian Premier Zoran Zivkovic.
Powell also said that he is "delighted" with what he had heard
from his counterparts in Belgrade, primarily regarding the commitment
to proceed with reforms.
"The successful suppression of organized crime and the reforms of the
army will improve cooperation with The Hague based tribunal, which is
an important element of the country's international obligations.
After fulfilling these obligations, the community of Serbia and
Montenegro can expect to join the Partnership for Peace Program and
the EU," stressed the U.S. secretary of state.
Powell added he hoped the country would make considerable progress
in its cooperation with the tribunal in the next few months, which
primarily refers to the arrest and extradition of indictees.
In his words, General Ratko Mladic and the "Vukovar Troika," the
former Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) officers, Veselin Sljivancanin
and Miroslav Radic, were discussed during the meetings. Powell
stressed that he was leaving Belgrade with a very good impression
that the country's officials were committed to bringing these people
to justice.
Serbian Premier Zoran Zivkovic said that during the meeting he had
expressed his determination to proceed with the reforms and announced
a more intense fight against crime. He also said the Serbian
authorities would step up cooperation with the tribunal, adding that
he hoped cooperation would "end in a short period of time."
Zivkovic thanked Powell on his personal contribution to the U.S.
assistance to Serbia, saying: "I can assure the State Secretary that
Serbia will be a reliable partner of the U.S."
Status of human rights in SCG satisfactory
WASHINGTON, April 2 (Tanjug) - On the overall, the status
of human rights in Serbia is satisfactory, it is underlined in
the regular annual report by the U.S. Department of State, which
also concludes that some problems inherited from the rule of Slobodan
Milosevic remain unsolved, but that they are on the way to be
resolved.
The regular report on human rights in the world was presented
to the public by Secretary of State Colin Powell on Tuesday.
The part referring to Serbia and Montenegro says that there
are still cases of maltreatment and beating of citizens by
police, although the situation has improved since the adoption of the
Law on criminal procedure.
As for the co-operation with the Hague Tribunal, the
Department of State underlines in its report that a certain progress
had been made, but that the Tribunal is still dissatisfied with
the co-operation level. Powell underlined that certain progress had
been made in Kosovo as well, but that some of the serious issues
remain outstanding. This, primarily, applies to freedom of movement
of the minority population, mostly Serbs.
A certain progress was recorded in some parts of Kosovo late
2002, the report says, adding that the overall situation remains
unsatisfactory. It is also pointed out that an insignificant number
of refugees and displaced persons had returned to their homes, which,
according to the report, is due to the concern of refugees for their
safety and freedom of movement, as well as their inability to find
employment.
In the part of the report that refers to Montenegro, it is
underlined that Montenegro's government had mostly respected human
rights over the past year, but that some problems, primarily in
the administration of justice, are still present.
New US fund for aid to Balkans will be based in Belgrade
WASHINGTON, Apr 2 (Tanjug) - USAID, the German Marshall Fund
and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation announced Wednesday the
creation of a Balkan fund for democracy development, through which
about 25 million dollars will be provided as support to governments
in southeastern Europe.
The fund will be based in Belgrade and will start operating
in the summer. Its beneficiaries will be Albania, Bosnia,
Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia and Montenegro.
About two million dollars will be allocated annually to local and
regional non-governmental organizations, educational institutions and
media, to help foster relations between citizens and local
authorities, and the fund will also support cross-border cooperation
in the region in order to secure lasting stability.
USAID and GMF will allocate 10 million dollars each to the
fund and Mott Foundation 5 million, and contributions from other
donors are expected when the fund becomes operational.
USAID to earmark 150 million dollars to Serbia-Montenegro
BELGRADE, April 2 (Tanjug) - The United States development
agency USAID will in 2003 aid Serbia-Montenegro with about 150
million dollars intended for the development of the economic policy,
democracy, a civic society and local self-rule, USAID Belgrade office
head James Stevenson said on Wednesday.
Of this sum, Serbia will get 110 million dollars and Montenegro
40 million, Stevenson told the press. Underscoring that
the Competitiveness Summit in Belgrade's Sava Congressional Centre
is part of this aid, he announced new USAID projects for
Serbia-Montenegro over the next few years worth several hundreds
million dollars.
So far, USAID has targeted on the producers of raspberries and
furniture in Serbia within the support for stepping up the level of
competitiveness of the domestic economy, Stevenson said.
=== 3 ===
PIENO APPOGGIO DALL'EUROPA:
SERBIA E MONTENEGRO ENTRANO NEL CONSIGLIO D'EUROPA (COME STATO UNICO
O COME DUE STATI SEPARATI?)
Serbia-Montenegro admitted into Council of Europe
STRASBOURG, April 3 (Tanjug) - Serbia and Montenegro on Wednesday
became a 45th member of the Council of Europe, and its flag flew
outside the Strasbourg headquarters of this oldest European
institution.
In scope of the admission ceremony, Serbia-Montenegro
President Svetozar Marovic handed over corresponding documentation
on acceptance of the CE Statute, while Foreign Minister Goran
Svilanovic signed a statement on acceptance of the European
convention on human rights.
After that, while the national anthem was played, the Serbia-
Montenegro flag was raised outside the headquarters in Strasbourg.
Serbia-Montenegro parliament speaker Dragoljub Micunovic,
who is at the head of the country's delegation, will address the
CE parliamentary assembly.
Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer said at
the beginning of the ceremony that up to now, a link had been missing
in South East Europe, but that that was not the case any more. He
promised that the CE would help Serbia and Montenegro go on, and
added that he wished to see a live society which would be capable of
coming into grips with the past, so as to be able to look into the
future. Schwimmer ended his speech in Serbian language by
saying "Serbia and Montenegro, welcome home." Serbia-Montenegro
President Svetozar Marovic said that it had been confirmed that
Serbia and Montenegro would become a full-fledged member of the
European union, and pointed out that Serbia and Montenegro
wanted peace, democracy and integration into Europe.
Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic said that the admission into the CE
was not any easy one, and that all who had been working on it should
be remembered.
Referring to the murder of Serbian premier Zoran Djindjic, chairman
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the CE, Peter Schieder, said
that the remains of the Slobodan Milosevic's regime would not succeed
in destroying what the democratic authorities of Serbia and
Montenegro had done.
ADMISSION INTO CE SIGN WE ARE ON RIGHT TRACK, SERBIA-MONTENEGRO
FOREIGN MINISTER
STRASBOURG, April 3 (Tanjug) - For the people of Serbia and
Montenegro the admission into the Council of Europe is an important
sign that their country is on the right track, Serbia-Montenegro
Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic said on Thursday, and added that
that was a first major step of Serbia and Montenegro on its road
towards a full integration into European structures.
During a speech at the ceremony of the admission of Serbia and
Montenegro as a 45th member of the CE, Svilanovic expressed his
certainty that a membership in that, most eminent European
organisation, would make the foundations of democracy in Serbia and
Montenegro stronger.
Reminding of the fact that Serbia and Montenegro had been waiting
for a long time to take its seat in the CE, Svilanovic said that the
admission had not come easily, and that it was a "result of the hard
struggle for liberty, human rights and the rule of law."
"We should remember and pay respect to all those individuals in
Serbia and Montenegro who invested everything, including their lives,
in that struggle," the Serbia-Montenegro foreign minister said, and
added that "this struggle for freedom is not over, is never over,
although perhaps we have overcome the greatest obstacles."
Svilanovic promised that Serbia and Montenegro would "fully comply
with its membership obligations and commitments," and pointed out
that "a lot has been achieved in strengthening democracy, respect for
human rights and the rule of law in Serbia and Montenegro," but also
that "still, a lot has to be done."
"Thus, we are grateful for the assistance to be provided by the
Council of Europe in the post-accession monitoring programme," Goran
Svilanovic said. Svilanovic also pointed out that "we, Europeans,
share the same values and the same destiny," and reminded of the fact
that when the Council of Europe had been first set up, memories and
horrors of the Second World War had been still fresh, as well as that
a "willingness to protect and realize the European values helped
overcome these wounds."
"Today, for the peoples of the former Yugoslavia, memories and
horrors of war are still fresh and not healed," Svilanovic said, and
stressed that "only by fully embracing European values we may
overcome these wounds," as well as that " only by facing the past we
may realise our future dreams."
"Thus, it is the responsibility and duty of all governments to
bring war criminals to justice, before the International Criminal
Tribunal and before the national courts," the Serbia-Montenegro
foreign minister said, and reminded of the words of Sir Winston
Churchill, one of the founding fathers of the CE, i.e. "Let there be
justice, mercy and freedom. The peoples have only to will it, and all
will achieve their hearts' desire." The "people of Serbia and
Montenegro, like everyone else, wish to leave in peace and
prosperity, in security and freedom. The glorious expression of this
desire was October 2000, when a regime of war and poverty was
overthrown," Svilanovic pointed out, and stessed that the "membership
in the Council of Europe comes as a recognition of the common
European destiny for Serbia and Montenegro."