OMRI Daily Digest II, No. 134, 12 July 1995

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

CONTENTS

  • [01] SERBS OVERRUN SREBRENICA, THREATEN TO SHELL REFUGEES.

  • [02] "TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE."

  • [03] TURNING POINT FOR THE UN IN BOSNIA.

  • [04] WILL THE UN GET TOUGH AFTER ALL?

  • [05] SERBIAN RENEWAL MOVEMENT FEARS DELAY OF SANCTIONS' LIFTING.

  • [06] NEW EU POLICY ON FUTURE OF EASTERN SLAVONIA?

  • [07] U.S. APPROVES MOST-FAVORED-NATION STATUS FOR BULGARIA.

  • [08] BULGARIAN OPPOSITION WITHOUT JOINT CANDIDATE FOR SOFIA MAYORAL

  • [09] U.S.-ALBANIAN MILITARY EXERCISES KICK OFF.

    •

    OMRI DAILY DIGEST

    No. 134, Part II, 12 July 1995

    SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE

    [01] SERBS OVERRUN SREBRENICA, THREATEN TO SHELL REFUGEES.

    Bosnian Serb forces took the UN-designated "safe area" of Srebrenica on 11 July. Belated NATO air strikes halted a Serbian tank column, but Serbian infantry and artillery carried the day. Dutch peacekeepers fled to their base to the north, where some 30,000 refugees have also sought protection. The French group Doctors without Borders told Croatian Radio that the town of 42,000 is "completely empty" and that those who have not fled to the Dutch have gone to the hills. Reuters on 12 July quoted Bosnian Serb commander General Ratko Mladic as threatening to shell the refugees if further air strikes are launched against his forces, which have stepped up their attacks against the "safe areas" of Zepa, Gorazde, and Sarajevo. Bosnian Croat army sources told Croatian Radio that more Serbian militiamen are moving into Bosnia from Serbia via the northern Posavina corridor. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [02] "TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE."

    This is how a number of people, including theBosnian prime minister and foreign minister, described the NATO air strikes on 11 July. Croatian Radio quoted Prime Minister Haris Silajdzic as saying the UN forces have cooperated with the Serbs, while the VOA noted his remarks that the UN has deliberately delayed employing air strikes as long as possible. Bosnian Ambassador to Croatia Kasim Trnka told AFP that Srebrenica was the "price to be paid" for the secret deal in which the UN got back the hostages from the Serbs last month. The BBC quoted Mladic as saying that his aim is to "demilitarize" Srebrenica, and that the civilians have nothing to fear if they stay. A BBC analyst suggested that the Serbs are anxious to "mop up" the eastern Bosnian Muslim enclaves to free their troops for use around Sarajevo. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [03] TURNING POINT FOR THE UN IN BOSNIA.

    International media on 12 July generally agreed that a new stage has been reached in the conflict. Not only has a major humanitarian crisis emerged, but for the first time a "safe area" has fallen to a Serbian assault and the UN has undeniably failed to carry out its mandate. This "calls into question the vitality" of the UN mission in Bosnia, according to U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry, the VOA said. The BBC reported that the safety of Gorazde, Zepa, and Sarajevo now appears precarious, but UN Secretary- General Boutros Boutros Ghali and U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher warned that for the UN to withdraw or change its approach would be to invite a blood bath. U.S. Senate Majority leader Robert Dole, however, said that it is now clear that the only way out of the imbroglio is for the UN to pull out and for the U.S. to lift the arms embargo against the Bosnian government. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [04] WILL THE UN GET TOUGH AFTER ALL?

    The International Herald Tribune on 12July quoted French President Jacques Chirac as saying "France is ready to use its means at the request of the Security Council. I do not see what will stop the Serbs in the other enclaves or in Sarajevo" if the world body accepts the fall of Srebrenica without a fight. The Security Council on 11 July began work on a resolution drafted by France, Britain, and Germany that would allow use of "all available means" to oust the Serbs from Srebrenica if they refuse to go peacefully. But the VOA on 12 July noted that "nothing is clear in this resolution." The UN might decide to try diplomacy, which has largely proven useless in the past. In any event, the final word on use of force would rest with the cautious Boutros Ghali. Reuters says Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic has no intention of pulling back his forces: "What withdrawal? From our country? Srebrenica is our country." -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [05] SERBIAN RENEWAL MOVEMENT FEARS DELAY OF SANCTIONS' LIFTING.

    Reactions from Belgrade to the latest Bosnian developments are so far limited to a statement by the opposition Serbian Renewal Movement, published in Nasa Borba on 12 July. Party spokesman Ivan Kovacevic is quoted as saying "the war activities of Pale will delay the lifting of the sanctions" against the rump Yugoslavia. Meanwhile, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted an amendment saying the embargo against rump Yugoslavia may not ended until excessive Serbian control over Kosovo ceases, international agencies reported on 11 July. -- Fabian Schmidt, OMRI, Inc.

    [06] NEW EU POLICY ON FUTURE OF EASTERN SLAVONIA?

    Belgrade's Politika on 11July quoted Portugal's ambassador to the EU, Jose Manuel de Costa Arsenio, as saying he could well imagine eastern Slavonia, western Srijem, and Baranja soon becoming part of Serbia. Those territories at present constitute the UN-designated Sector East of Serbian-occupied Croatia, which the Portuguese diplomat was visiting. The area is already well integrated with Serbia, although it lies within Croatia's internationally recognized boundaries. Vjesnik on 12 July wondered whether the diplomat's remarks are perhaps a straw in the wind suggesting a change in EU policy. -- Patrick Moore, OMRI, Inc.

    [07] U.S. APPROVES MOST-FAVORED-NATION STATUS FOR BULGARIA.

    The U.S. House of Representatives on 11 July passed a bill to extend permanent most- favored-nation status to Bulgaria, Reuters reported the same day. Bulgarian exports to the U.S. can thus enter the country at the lowest possible tariffs. The decision was considered non-controversial and no objections were raised. Bulgaria was granted most-favored-nation status in 1991 but had to renew it each year. The bill has now been sent to the Senate. -- Stefan Krause, OMRI, Inc.

    [08] BULGARIAN OPPOSITION WITHOUT JOINT CANDIDATE FOR SOFIA MAYORAL E

    LECTIONS. The Union of Democratic Forces (SDS) on 11 July named Stefan Sofiyanski as its candidate for the post of mayor of Sofia, 24 chasa reports the following day. The decision came one day after former Prime Minister Reneta Indzhova was nominated mayoral candidate by the People's Union (see OMRI Daily Digest, 11 July 1995). A meeting between the leadership of the two groups aimed at finding a common candidate is scheduled for this week. Meanwhile, SDS leader Ivan Kostov confirmed that his party had initially considered backing Indzhova's candidacy. -- Stefan Krause, OMRI, Inc.

    [09] U.S.-ALBANIAN MILITARY EXERCISES KICK OFF. U.S.

    and Albanian troops on 11 July began joint exercises within the framework of the Partnership for Peace program, AFP reported. The exercises continue until 8 September, during which period Albania's only military hospital will be modernized. The cost of reconstructing the hospital, built by the Italians during World War II, is estimated at $ 1.5 million and will be met by the U.S. Defense Minister Safet Zhulali said the maneuvers are the "most important military exercises between the American army and a Central or Eastern European country." Meanwhile, the U.S. has started deploying unmanned Predator spy planes in northern Albania to gather intelligence over Bosnia. -- Fabian Schmidt, OMRI, Inc.

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

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