OMRI Daily Digest II, No. 127, 30 June 1995

From: "Steve Iatrou" <siatrou@cdsp.neu.edu>

CONTENTS

  • [01] CROATIA PROTESTS RUMP YUGOSLAV MILITARY PRESENCE.

  • [02] BOSNIAN SERBS BLAST UN IN SARAJEVO.

  • [03] TRAVEL BAN FOR BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS.

  • [04] AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT IN BULGARIA.

  • [05] GREECE ATTACKS CHIRAC.

  • [06] COUNCIL OF EUROPE APPROVES ALBANIAN MEMBERSHIP.

    •

    OMRI DAILY DIGEST

    No. 127, Part II, 30 June 1995

    SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

    [01] CROATIA PROTESTS RUMP YUGOSLAV MILITARY PRESENCE.

    Croatia sent another protest letter to the UN on 29 June over what Zagreb has described as a growing rump Yugoslav military presence on Croatian soil occupied by rebel Serbs. Ambassador Mario Nobilo, delivering the letter on behalf of his foreign ministry, told a news conference: "We would not be surprised if these troops and equipment are used against Bihac [in Western Bosnia] in a matter of days. In fact we have convincing information to this effect." Reuters also reports that the letter to UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali alleges that nearly 5,000 soldiers have been sent to Croatia from the rump Yugoslavia since 14 June. A prior Croatian claim of a rump Yugoslav military presence is being investigated by the UN. (See OMRI Daily Digest, 26 June). -- Stan Markotich, OMRI, Inc.

    [02] BOSNIAN SERBS BLAST UN IN SARAJEVO.

    Bosnian Serb forces on 29 June launched three mortar rounds into the headquarters of UN operations in Sarajevo, Reuters reports the following day. "It is difficult to say but, when we receive three rounds together, we are obliged to consider this as a direct attack," said spokesman Major Guy Vinet. No casualties were reported. In other news, Nasa Borba on 30 June reports that on the previous day Bosnian Serb forces fired another rocket at the media facility of Radio and Television Sarajevo. While there were no casualties in this incident, Bosnian Serb bombing of the facility on 28 June resulted in 5 deaths and 38 people injured. -- Stan Markotich, OMRI, Inc.

    [03] TRAVEL BAN FOR BOSNIAN SERB LEADERS.

    Vjesnik on 30 June reports that the US has petitioned the UN sanctions committee to bar 40 Bosnian Serb leaders from traveling abroad. International sanctions introduced in 1994 already prevent Bosnian Serb leaders from leaving the country for any reason apart from peace talks, but as yet no list of specific affected individuals has been compiled. The US proposal names, among others, Radovan Karadzic and Bosnian Serb military head General Ratko Mladic. In other news, Nasa Borba on 30 June reports that US President Bill Clinton has told Congress that the White House plans to take $50 million from the Pentagon budget as support for the rapid reaction force in Bosnia. -- Stan Markotich, OMRI, Inc.

    [04] AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT IN BULGARIA.

    Heidar Aliev on 29 June arrived in Sofia on an official visit, Reuters reported the same day. Aliev and his Bulgarian counterpart Zhelyu Zhelev signed a cooperation accord between the two countries and several trade and economic documents. They also discussed possibilities of piping Azerbaijani oil to Italy via Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Albania. Zhelev stressed the importance of "an alternative source of such strategic supplies." Bulgaria is currently totally dependent on Russian gas and oil. A $35 million deal to export Bulgarian buses to Azerbaijan was arranged, and concrete steps were taken for a Bulgarian firm to build a pharmaceutical plant in Azerbaijan. The two sides are also negotiating to import 6,000 tons of Azerbaijani cotton to Bulgaria. International agencies reported that, during his visit, Aliev confirmed that Bulgarian communist leaders repeatedly tried to join the Soviet Union in the 1970s, but he said he always "confidentially advised" them to stay independent. -- Stefan Krause, OMRI, Inc.

    [05] GREECE ATTACKS CHIRAC.

    Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Konstantinos Bikas on 29 June lambasted French President Jacques Chirac for his support of Turkey's aim to establish closer ties with the EU, international agencies reported the same day. During the EU summit in Cannes, Chirac proposed that the Union immediately forge closer links to Turkey to strengthen its southern flank and to prevent the country from slipping towards Islamic fundamentalism, even though he said he was aware of Turkey's poor human rights record. Bikas said that Greece disagrees and said the country "considers that the logic of unconditional support for [Turkish Prime Minister Tansu] Ciller . . . is simplistic and dangerous." He drew a parallel to the 1930s, when "humanity had to pay a dear price for supporting Nazism in order to fight Bolshevism." It was one of the strongest attacks the Greek government has ever made on one of its European partners. -- Stefan Krause, OMRI, Inc.

    [06] COUNCIL OF EUROPE APPROVES ALBANIAN MEMBERSHIP.

    The Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly on 29 June approved Albania's application for membership in the organization, international agencies reported the same day. The approval came after Pjeter Arbnori, chairman of the Albanian parliament, signed a declaration pledging to respect the CE's demands to guarantee human rights and democracy. Albania promised to impose a moratorium on the death penalty immediately and abolish it within three years, introduce reforms guaranteeing the independence of the judicial system, increase press freedom and adopt a new constitution. Also, Albania has to sign the European convention on the rights and the protection of ethnic minorities. The decision is due to be approved by the CE's Committee of Ministers, probably in mid-July. Presidential Spokesman Fatos Beja said the membership represents another step for Albania's integration into the international community. -- Stefan Krause, OMRI, Inc.

    This material was reprinted with permission of the Open Media Research Institute, a Prague-based nonprofit organization.

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