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PRESS CUT - Croatian Press News in English	

October 28, 1998



* TOP STORY

1. DONATORS CONFERENCE ON DECEMBER 4 - 5

* CROATIA

2. NO TALKS ON PHARE PROGRAM BEFORE SPRING
3. SCHOOL BOYCOTT DUE TO SERBIAN TEACHERS
4. FIRST ISTANBUL - ZAGREB PLANE LANDS
5. "CRUCIFIED CHURCH IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA" RECEIVES AWARD
6. OCTOBER 3RD DECLARED AS CARDINAL STEPINAC DAY IN CHICAGO
7. VARTEKS LOSES TENTH ROUND GAME
8. CROATIAN GIRLS PING-PONG TO THE SEMI-FINALS

* ICTY

9. COLONEL MARIN FINISHES HIS TESTIMONY

* BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

10. BILLION IN DEBT TO BE FORGIVEN
11. B&H MUST SEEK SFOR PERMISSION TO FIRE ARMY OFFICERS
12. B&H WONT DROP GENOCIDE SUIT AGAINST FRY
13. CENTRAL BOSNIA CANTONAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEGUN FUNCTIONING

* YUGOSLAVIA

14. SERBIA CLAIMS WITHDRAWAL COMPLETE.
15. EU FUNDING FOR OSCE MISSION
16. SIX DIE IN REFUGEE BOAT ACCIDENT

* NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS

17. HUNGARY WELCOMES U.S. SPY PLANES



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***


* TOP STORY

1. Marinko Bobanovic, Konferencija za obnovi i razvitak 4. i 5. Prosinca,
Vjesnik, October 28, 1998, Front Page - p. 2.
DONATORS CONFERENCE ON DECEMBER 4 - 5

ZAGREB - "The Conference for Renewal and Development will be held at the
beginning of December," stated Premier Zlatko Matesa on Tuesday after
meeting with the representatives of the international community, led by the
US Ambassador to Croatia, William Montgomery. The meeting was held just
before the initialling of the special relations agreement between Croatia
and the Federation of B&H. The representatives of the government and
international community concluded that conditions for holding the
conference have been created and they have established that it should be
held December 4 - 5. Premier Matesa stated that all participants of the
meeting were "
convinced that the conference will be a further contribution
to the implementing of the Return and Renewal Program." Croatia will soon
be co-operating with the highest ranking international community officials
in the realisation of these documents, which will be based on the Croatian
constitutional principles of equality, equal rights and the right of all
citizens to live in Croatia. Matesa added that the conference will
accelerate renewal and return, hence function as an element in the economic
development of Croatia.

It is important to Croatia that the dates have been set for the conference,
stated the US Ambassador, adding that, "
if one looks back a few months,
the process worked out by the Croatian government and international
community representatives was very constructive. It is true that the return
in complex and that many areas need more improvement, but we are satisfied
with the process and progress. We now await the Renewal and Development
Conference."

The Austrian Ambassador to Croatia, Rudolf Bogner, (whose country is
currently chairing the European Union) stated that the EU is willing to
participate in the conference under the condition that the Croatian
government fulfils its obligations in connection to the return of refugees
and the renewal plan. The Union expects that meetings between the Croatian
government and international community legal experts will find solutions
for "
open questions of discriminating laws and their implementation, as
well as taking the necessary steps." Bogner continued saying that the
participation of the EU at the conference "
in no way prejudices further EU
assessments on the implementation of the Croatian government Return and
Renewal Program." The Ambassador concluded by saying that the EU wishes to
continue the dialogue with the Croatian government on the questions
surrounding the return and renewal, for which the "
Croatian government has
the most responsibility." Bogners statement was confirmed in an official
EU release.

Besides Matesa, the meeting was attended by government vice-presidents,
ministers Mate Granic, Ljerka Mintas-Hodak and Jure Radic. The
international community delegation included the ambassadors from Germany,
Volker Haak, and Great Britain, Colin Munro, and European Commission
representative in Croatia, Per Vinther; the head of the OSCE mission to
Croatia, Tim Guldiman, and the head of the UNHCR mission to Croatia, Robert
Robinson.

A release issued by the Article 11 Commission states that its members
expressed their support for the renewal plan at a meeting with Premier
Matesa and other high ranking Croatian government officials. They cited
some objections including the implementation of the Return Plan being "

very unbalanced in comparison to some very positive steps, while intensive
actions are needed in other fields, for example, the removal of
discrimination slowing down the return and promotion of the return of
property." It also mentions Matesas opinion that the "
 government agrees
with the assessments and it will take the necessary steps to accelerate the
implementation." They also welcome the government proposal to hold the
conference on December 4 - 5 and have agreed to participate.

***


* CROATIA

2. Lada Stipic-Niseteo, O PHARE programu tek na proljece, Vecernji list,
October 28, 1998, p. 2.
NO TALKS ON PHARE PROGRAM BEFORE SPRING

BRUSSELS - The European Commission is today completing its report on
countries included in the so-called Regional Approach of the European
Union. The report ends with conclusions and recommendations which are
forwarded to the permanent ambassadors of the EU countries posted at the EU
headquarters. These Ambassadors will in turn, based on the report, prepare
an agenda for their next foreign ministers session. The Ministers Council
has been called to session on November 9, at which time the members will
vote on the recommendations of the European Commission and the proposed
policy changes. The adopted document represents official EU policy toward
the region in the following six month period or possibly longer.

As far as Croatia is concerned, the Commission report has registered
progress concerning the legal basis for the return of refugees. However,
its objections filed last Spring have remained, meaning that Croatia did
not fulfil the conditions to move up a step, in this case to re-enter the
PHARE Program - a program which provides aid for the reconstruction of the
economy. It is symptomatic that the European Parliament still has not
discussed the PHARE Program, as they, in principle, are the first to test
the mood of the EU fifteen.

The Commission's conclusions are clear: there is a lack of a country of
rights. New objections pertain to: the functioning of the banking system;
freedom of the media (emphasis put on the electronic media); minority
rights; and the election law. The unclear role of Croatia in B&H was also
mentioned, especially the "logistic base of Herceg-Bosnia" and the Ministry
of Defence.

The Commission spokesperson, Louseweis van der Laan, denounced objections
that conditions have become stricter and explained that they are equal and
well known, leaving it up to individual countries to choose whether to
accept them or not. The Commission does not hide the fact that a great deal
is expected of Croatia, perhaps even too much. Furthermore, the Commission
also warns that there is a difference between steps taken by individual
political initiatives and steps forced on countries by external influences,
which, in Croatia's case, the latter predominantly applies.

The Commission's report concerns all countries covered in the regional
approach and was late due to the Kosovo crisis. The section on Croatia was
one of the first to be completed, without any major alterations.

***

3. Ba., Bojkot nastave zbog srpskih ucitelja, Vecernji list, October 28,
1998, p. 5.
SCHOOL BOYCOTT DUE TO SERBIAN TEACHERS

SECERANA - Parents have decided that their children attending grades 5-8 at
the Croatian Secerana Elementary School will boycott classes from October
27 - 31, as their demands from two petitions were not respected. In the
petitions they demanded that their children be taught by Croatian teachers
instead of the Serbian teachers currently on staff, who also have been
using the Serbian language for the last seven years. Parents feel that the
teachers were unsuitable for teaching at this particular school, and
referred to the statement made by the Minister of Education, Bozidar
Pugelnik, that returnee children will have classes in the Croatian
language. Besides the elementary school in Secerana, the boycott will
include other elementary schools in the region: Baranjsko Petrovo Selo,
Luc, Baranjski Vrh, Sumarina and Petlovac.

As we have learned from the school principal, he was visited by OSCE
representatives on Monday and yesterday. Though they made no particular
comments, they did state that it was normal for schools in Croatia to use
the countrys official language. Principal Karlo Franjic added that he was
expecting instructions from the Ministry for further action.

***

4. R.I.V., Prvi zrakoplov Istambul - Zagreb, Vecernji list, October 28,
1998, p. 5.
FIRST ISTANBUL - ZAGREB PLANE LANDS

ZAGREB - After almost a one-hour delay yesterday, the first Turkish
Airlines passenger flight between Istanbul (Turkey) and Zagreb landed at
the Zagreb International Airport. The delay did not spoil the good spirits
of the representatives of the Turkish air-carrier and their colleagues from
Croatia Airlines, whose planes will connect Zagreb and the Turkish
capital every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The Croatian Minister
of Finance, Nenad Porges, and the Turkish Ambassador to Croatia Daryal
Batibay were also at the airport ceremony.

***

5. V. K., Nagradena monografija Raspeta crkva u Bosni i Hercegovini,
Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 28, 1998.
"CRUCIFIED CHURCH IN BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA" RECEIVES AWARD

ZAGREB - The committee of the Croatian cultural society Napredak passed a
decision in Zagreb on October 21 on who would receive the award from the
Donation of Historians and Politicians - Krunoslav and Zvonimir
Draganovic. Namely, one author and two books were recognised for their
scientific research on the history of Croats or Catholic churches in Bosnia
& Herzegovina. The committee was comprised of three members: Dr. Dragutin
Pavlicevic, Dr. Ivan Kordic and Dr. Tomo Vukusic, who passed their decision
after tenders were issued for this award.

Hence, the award for scientific research of the history of Croats or
Catholic churches in Bosnia & Herzegovina went to Franjo Maric for the
publication "Croats Catholics in Bosnia & Herzegovina between 1463 - 1995".
The book, which was printed in 1998 in Zagreb, was written according to
church documents. The book award went to the "Crucified Church in Bosnia &
Herzegovina: The destruction of Catholic sacral sites in Bosnia &
Herzegovina (1991 - 1996)", edited by Ilija Zivkovic and published by the
Croatian Information Centre, Croatian Heritage Foundation of Bosnia &
Herzegovina and the Bishops' Conference of Bosnia & Herzegovina in 1997
(Banja Luka, Mostar, Sarajevo, Zagreb).

"Crucified Church in Bosnia & Herzegovina: The destruction of Catholic
sacral sites in Bosnia & Herzegovina (1991 - 1996)" is a photo documentary
publication written by a team of authors. The book consists of 376 pages
illustrating the calamities of Catholic buildings holding high cultural and
monument value in the region of B&H during the recently finished war. The
team of authors wanted to record through words and pictures that which is
so closely linked to man - his sacred objects.

In the preface, the Archbishop and Metropolit of Vrhbosnia Msg. Vinko
Puljic, writes that "though we wish to record the fruits of hatred, we do
not want to call upon hatred and vengeance, rather begin our way down the
road of humanity, forgiveness and love, on a path of reconciliation and
trust. Our aim was to collect documents on damaged and destroyed buildings
of the Catholic Church in B&H. We did not manage to include all religious
sites, due to a lack of time and other circumstances, hence we did not
include the calamities of religious sites form the Islamic community,
Serbian Orthodox Church and other communities. Their sites were also
destroyed, especially a large number of mosques."

The wish for trust and reconciliation is evident from these first
introductory studies to this photo documentary book which, in its 100
pages, examines themes like "Bosnia & Herzegovina - a Region of Historic
Meeting, Living Together and Conflicts Among the Faithful of Various
Religions" (T. Vukusic), "Overview of Past and Present Mutual Relations
Amongst Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims in Bosnia & Herzegovina" (R.
Peric), "Meetings of Religious Leaders in Bosnia & Herzegovina 1991 - 1995"
(M. Zovkic), "Destroyed Churches - Monuments to the Past, Guarantees for
the Future" (Dr. Pero Sudar), etc.

The awards will be presented to the laureates on November 11 at a ceremony
in Zagreb, where there will be a promotion of the newly established
Donation of Historians and Politicians - Krunoslav and Zvonimir Draganovic.

***

6. Hina, Dan kardinala Stepinca 3. Listopada u Chicagu, Vjesnik, October
28, 1998, Front Page.
OCTOBER 3RD DECLARED AS CARDINAL STEPINAC DAY IN CHICAGO

ZAGREB, CHICAGO - Chicago Mayor Richard Daley declared October 3 as
Cardinal Stepinac Day in that American metropolis. Furthermore, a part of
Princeton Avenue has been renamed Cardinal Stepinac Way. This was
reported in the magazine of the Croatian Heritage Foundation, Matica.

The release issued by the Mayors office states: "The honour of the
beatification of Cardinal Stepinac is of great satisfaction for Croats, all
Catholics and all Chicago residents."

The part of Princeton Avenue bearing the name of Cardinal Stepinac extends
from where the Croatian Catholic Church of St. Jeronim and the Alojzije
Stepinac Croatian School are located.

The Day and Way of Cardinal Stepinac show respect for both the Blessed
Croatian martyr and Croatian Americans of which 150,000 live in Chicago,
reports the Matica Diaspora magazine.

***

7. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 28, 1998
VARTEKS LOSES TENTH ROUND GAME

SUHOPOLJE - In the last game of the 10th round of the Premier Division,
Mladost 127 defeated the Croatian representative in the Cup Winners Cup,
Varteks, 4:1 (2:0). This was Mladost 127s second victory of the season.
The game did not create any changes in the league standings.

***

8. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 28, 1998
CROATIAN GIRLS PING-PONG TO THE SEMI-FINALS

ZAGREB, BUCHAREST - Last night in Zagreb the Croatian mens national table
tennis team lost 4:0 to Russia in the last match of the Group A European
Table Tennis League. This means they will be playing off for staying in the
A division. The ladys team, on the other hand, defeated their Romanian
hosts in Bucharest and qualified to play in the semi-final in Group A in
the European Table Tennis League.

***


* ICTY

9. Hina, Brigadir Slavko Marin zavrsio svjedocenje, Vjesnik, October 28,
1998, p. 8.
COLONEL MARIN FINISHES HIS TESTIMONY

THE HAGUE - "The situation in Central Bosnia would only have been worse if
the commander of the operation zone, Tihomir Blaskic, resigned from his
position," replied defence witness Slavko Marin to questions posed by the
ICTY judges responsible for the Blaskic case.

Referring to the situation where Blaskics orders were not obeyed and
crimes began to occur, the judge chairing the judging committee, Claude
Jord, asked Marin, "Have you ever heard Blaskic say he had the intention of
resigning because he cannot take it anymore?" The witness replied Blaskic
never made such statements in his presence and added that he is convinced
the situation would have been even worse if Blaskic had left.

In the concluding part of the testimony of Colonel Marin, the judges wanted
to know if Blaskic did all he could to ensure that his orders were being
followed, report to his superiors what was going on in Central Bosnia and
to stop independent elements in his zone of responsibility from doing the
opposite of his orders. Marin replied that Blaskic did the best he could
and fought to have his authority implemented, but that was difficult to do
during the war.

Judge Jord asked whether Blaskic was chosen as commander of the operative
zone because he shared the political ideas of Herceg-Bosnia officials, who
created a "state within a state" by introducing their own constitution,
currency and education. The witness stated that Blaskic was appointed based
on his military qualifications and readiness to bear the burden of
defending the Croatian people from the Serbian aggression in Bosnia &
Herzegovina.

***


* BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

10. J.C., Croatian Information Centre - Sarajevo, October 28, 1998
BILLION IN DEBT TO BE FORGIVEN

SARAJEVO - Bosnia and Herzegovina will finalise an agreement with the Paris
Club for the absolution of $1 billion USD of its debt to other countries,
said the Office of the High Representative spokesperson, Rida Atarashani,
yesterday. This is 67 percent of B&Hs total debt since 1992.

The remainder of the debt will be paid under favourable conditions and the
OHR is glad to see the agreement finally made, said Atarashani

***

11. J.C., Croatian Information Centre - Sarajevo, October 28, 1998
B&H MUST SEEK SFOR PERMISSION TO FIRE ARMY OFFICERS

SARAJEVO - The recent SFOR decision that B&H will have to seek SFOR
permission before discharging or suspending high ranking officials is
unconstitutional according to the Permanent Military Committee of B&H.

All three B&H Presidency members agree with this view and will contact High
Representative Carlos Westendorp about the matter.

However, the OHR supports SFORs attempts to professionalise the B&H
armies, said Rida Atarasani, OHR spokesperson, yesterday.

Meanwhile, SFOR spokesperson Glenn Chamberlain said, "SFOR insists on
co-operation and commitment from the government in assuring officers are
not promoted because of party affiliation or personal ties."

***

12. J.C., Croatian Information Centre - Sarajevo, October 28, 1998
B&H WONT DROP GENOCIDE SUIT AGAINST FRY

THE HAGUE - B&Hs charges against the FR Yugoslavia for violating
international conventions on genocide are an obstacle to establishing full
diplomatic ties, though neither country has directly said so.

During a debate on Daytons implementation at the Aser Institute for
International Law, FRY Hague Ambassador Milan Grubic and B&H UN Ambassador
Muhamed Sacirbegovic both said there are no obstacles from their respective
sides in establishing diplomatic relations.

So what is the problem? Sacirbegovic answered: "FR Yugoslavia has set the
condition that we drop the charges against it before the International
Court of Justice in The Hague."

He continued that the charges will not be dropped, adding that the suit is
a normal legal manner of solving an important question.

Grubic, however, concluded that the war is over and some things should be
left in the past. He also referred to the Paris Agreement of October 1996,
in which it was agreed that all obstacles to diplomatic relations be
overcome. FRY has not changed its position since then, and is prepared to
fulfil everything that was agreed to in Paris.

***

13. J.C., Croatian Information Centre - Sarajevo, October 28, 1998
CENTRAL BOSNIA CANTONAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEGUN FUNCTIONING

TRAVNIK - The first meeting of the Central Bosnia Cantonal Assembly was
held yesterday with 46 out of 50 elected representatives. The Assembly was
also attended by members of the international community.

This meeting is important as the canton has experienced many inter-ethnic
problems this past year. Some of its counties also had trouble forming
governments after last years local elections.

During the Assembly, a Verification Commission was established with five
members. Additionally, the Club of Croatian Representatives nominated Zoran
Maric from Busovaca as Assembly Vice-chairperson, while the Club of
Bosniak-Muslim Representatives nominated Ejub Mujic from Kiseljak as
Chairperson. Both were accepted.

The Assembly also voted for five Croatian and five Bosniak-Muslim
representatives to the B&H House of Peoples. They are: Zoran Maric, Pero
Madar, Tihomir Peric Stipo Vujevic, Marko Vidak, Dzevad Mlaco, Zekir
Milanavic, Nasir Selimovic, Jahija Seferovic and Muazem Gerin.

***


* YUGOSLAVIA

14. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 27, 1998
SERBIA CLAIMS WITHDRAWAL COMPLETE.

BELGRADE - Belgrade independent Radio B-92 quoted army and paramilitary
police sources on Tuesday as saying that troop levels in Kosovo are back to
the levels where they were in March, at the start of the crackdown. There
has been no official or independent confirmation that the military and
police have indeed completed the withdrawal as the UN has demanded. NATO
officials are slated to meet in Brussels later in the day to decide whether
Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic has complied with UN demands or
whether NATO will launch air strikes against Serbian military targets after
the alliance's deadline for Milosevic to comply runs out at 19:00 (CET) on
Tuesday. In Washington a State Department spokesperson stated that NATO
wants to be sure that the Serbian forces do not return to Kosovo after they
withdraw.

***

15. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 28, 1998
EU FUNDING FOR OSCE MISSION

LUXEMBOURG - European Union foreign ministers agreed in Luxembourg on
Monday to provide 100 million USD for the OSCE's 2,000 member monitoring
mission to Kosovo. The entire operation is expected to cost $150 million,
according to sources close to the EU. In Pristina the spokesperson for the
Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), Adem Demaci, made it clear that guerrillas
will continue to fight the Serbian forces until Kosovo wins its independence.

***

16. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 28, 1998
SIX DIE IN REFUGEE BOAT ACCIDENT

TIRANA - An inflatable dinghy carrying 25 refugees, most of whom were
ethnic Kosovo Albanians, exploded and sank after colliding with a small
boat near Vlora on Monday. Six people were killed in the accident. The same
day, police discovered 44 illegal immigrants, including eight Turkish and
thirty one Iraqi Kurds and five Pakistanis, in a forest near Vlora,
according to Associated Press reports. They had arrived from Greece and
were waiting to be smuggled into Italy.

***


* NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS

17. T.P., Croatian Information Centre - Zagreb, October 28, 1998
HUNGARY WELCOMES U.S. SPY PLANES

BUDAPEST - US officials informed the Hungarian government that predator
surveillance planes stationed at the Taszar military air base in
south-western Hungary may conduct surveillance flights over Kosovo,
according to the Hungarian daily Nepszabadsag. The Hungarian armed forces
spokesperson, Colonel Gyula Sajner, explained that the parliament's October
14 decision allowing the use of Hungarian airspace for a possible NATO
operation in Kosovo also permits surveillance flights and aircraft. A US
embassy official stated the military operations currently underway at the
Taszar military base are in complete compliance with the Hungarian
parliament's authorisation.





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