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FBIS3-8732_0

Commentary Views Embargo, U.S. Response

Language: Macedonian Article Type:BFN [Emilija Geleva commentary: "Greek Embargo or a `Military Act'?"] [Text] Washington, March -- During the past few weeks U.S. President Bill Clinton has made several important foreign political decisions: the recognition of the Republic of Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia -- FYROM], the resolute action for stopping the war violence in Bosnia, the Bosnian-Croat agreement, nonetheless he did not leave out the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, which became critical after the massacre in Hebron. In the meantime, he continued with his pressure over Japan because of the large U.S. trade deficit and opened North Korea's doors for the international inspection of nuclear plants. Therefore, it is no wonder that the majority of Americans are concerned about the President's foreign policy, and our people, on their side, are worried about Macedonia's position in all that, aware that the events in the Balkans are far from a happy ending. Namely, after Greece's latest blockade, it looks as if Greece is once again in the offensive in relation to the Republic of Macedonia, although the West strongly condemned this act. While the majority of Americans seem to be mainly content with the way Clinton is conducting the foreign policy, the majority of foreign political experts, diplomats, and observers, criticize it for lack of concept, for insecurity of power, for naivete, and for delayed foreign political decisionmaking. What is U.S. policy in the Balkans, naive or thoughtful, timely or tedious? Many of those following the events in the Balkans, experts and journalists, have for some time warned about the increased danger of the war spreading to the south. Some reporters go so far, for instance the one from the BBC, who explained to his viewers the reason why he left Sarajevo and moved to Skopje from Sarajevo, saying he was now waiting for the war to start in Macedonia. After such statements we cannot but ask ourselves whether it is the journalists who sometimes create events in order to make exclusive reports. Talking about sensitive zones such as ours, or as was in the Gulf, it is known in Washington that sometimes even the U.S. State Department is informed of journalists' reports. Therefore, it is possible to push the events violently and create an image that is totally opposite to reality. Although many such events, terrifying for us, are based on the exclusivity of some journalists at any cost, one

FBIS3-8734_0

RFE Journalists Attacked by Demonstrators

Language: Slovak Article Type:BFN [Text] We have a report that there are about 600 people in front of the Primate Palace [in Primate Square, Bratislava]] today. My colleagues from Radio Free Europe and I estimate that there were over 1,000 people there at the time I left the Primate Palace, shortly before 1730. I shall read out an agency report, and then I will tell you my own experience: The crowd of about 600 demonstrators in front of the presidential palace in the center of Bratislava, a TA SR report says, who are demanding the resignation of the head of state, today beat up two journalists from the U.S. radio station Radio Free Europe: Stefan Hrib was kicked to the ground and had his jacket and briefcase with all of his documents stolen. A CTK reporter has said that the second person attacked was Milan Zitny, a member of the Czech section of Radio Free Europe in Slovakia. He went on to say that there was no policeman in the vicinity, and when Stefan Hrib found a police car, the police refused to take him to the police station. Milan Zitny was punched and kicked at the other end of Primate Square, where a demonstration was taking place. Milan Zitny said: The police tried to defend me, but the people were furious and they were in the majority. The aggressive demonstrators broke his camera. Then the police took him away in their car. According to Milan Zitny, he did not require treatment. This is all from the TA SR report. I should like to add that, when Zitny was being insulted and screams were heard, Ljuba Lesna, my Radio Free Europe colleague, and I went to find out what was happening in Primate Square. During the meeting, the crowd, the aggressiveness of the people gathered there, for the most part older people of pensionable age, turned against us. Ljuba Lesna was physically attacked, and I got a slap in the face, but the policeman who was standing beside me, whom I asked for help, said: I am not here.

FBIS3-8760_1

Pawlak Leaves for Moscow To Discuss Economy

Prime Minister Pawlak's journey to Moscow. As one of the high-ranking Polish diplomats put it, if this is pulled off, we will be able to consider the entire visit a success. It is worth adding that Polish-Russian economic relations are now in a deep crisis, which to a considerable degree is also related to the noticeable chilling of the political climate. For a year and a half, if we do not take into account the talks between both presidents, both states practically have not maintained any contacts. Most of the problems that impede cooperation and an exchange of goods and services have not even been touched. As a consequence, the Polish-Russian trade turnover again started to plummet more quickly. After a period of relative stabilization in 1992 (at the level of 50 percent of the turnover in 1990), the turnover in 1993 decreased by another 39 percent. The decrease in exports of agricultural-industrial goods to the Russian market (by 62.5 percent) is especially seen as very alarming. The main reason for this state of affairs is said to be the crisis of the Russian economy as well as drastic anti-import measures taken by Moscow. This is true. On the other hand, however, quite important is also the lack of any concrete decisions concerning indebtedness (as a result of which many Polish companies are simply afraid of conducting trade with Russia), let alone the fact that there are no instruments in place for supporting exports. There is even no bank that would handle trade with the East. By leaving for Moscow with his own concept of a "partnership for development," Prime Minister Pawlak would like to unblock the Polish-Russian economic relations and deal with, as he put it, "the building of practical foundations of cooperation." According to the Polish prime minister, all of the great ideas have already been announced, and now it is high time for practical activities aimed at implementing them. The prime minister believes that it is possible to separate the economy from politics. * * * "Right now the problem is not that we should sign further agreements because we have already signed many agreements, treaties, and declarations with Russia: We should see to it that our mutual relations are transferred to the level of activities, especially economic activities," Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak said yesterday before leaving for Moscow. The prime minister confirmed that, in Russia, he

FBIS3-8765_8

Milczanowski Interviewed on Intelligence

used to secretly inform on their friends and neighbors? Are you still employing informers? [Milczanowski] It is not out of the question. It is not easy to discuss this matter. Many people find the idea of being an informer disgusting. And yet many informers acted out of patriotic motives. [ZYCIE] Most informers are paid or simply forced into collaboration. [Milczanowski] All democratic countries use informers. Without them, there is no question of the intelligence services performing their work effectively. It is difficult to say what makes people inform. A person who informs out of patriotic motives may accept payment that serves to tighten his links to the security service. [ZYCIE] Are you satisfied with the work of UOP? A UOP report on Zygmunt Solorz, head of PolSat Television, came into the hands of the president, the prime minister, and the chairman of the Broadcasting Council. [Milczanowski] I am acquainted with this material, and there is nothing else I can say. [ZYCIE] Can people be placed under surveillance for their political views and connections? [Milczanowski] We are not engaged in that. [ZYCIE] You sign every application to install electronic bugs. How many such applications have you approved? [Milczanowski] I will not say. I even signed a few such applications today. [ZYCIE] While we were talking to one of the leaders of the present coalition parties inside the Sejm building, he turned on the radio. The reason, he explained, was to fool whoever was eavesdropping on him. You might think he was obsessed with the idea of being bugged, but he is not the only one who is worried about your activity. [Milczanowski] Who was he? [ZYCIE] The work of UOP arouses concern among politicians. You are considered alien to all political structures apart from the Belweder. Have you any explanation why people fear you? [Milczanowski] People are simply used to fearing UOP because UOP is burdened by the history of its predecessor, the Security Service. When I was still UOP chief, I answered telephones from all political groups--left, center, and right. Everyone was convinced they were being bugged by UOP. [ZYCIE] In political cases, did you ever decide to install bugs? [Milczanowski] I have already said I did not. [ZYCIE] If fewer people worked in UOP than did in the Security Service, the Security Service's past would not be such a heavy burden. [Milczanowski] During my spell in UOP, I got

FBIS3-8768_5

New Defense Minister Explains Priorities

Romanians -- not to mention the ones living outside our borders -- who can read and write; there are 23 million Romanians who were involved in immense efforts, even if some of those efforts were made to achieve projects that later proved to be lacking viability. Let us not forget that all those projects were completed by experts and those experts still exist. [Petrean] Our Euro-Atlantic integration is one of the very few issues regarding which there is almost complete consensus among our political forces. How do you assess your future cooperation with the political parties? [Tinca] I believe that the phase we have already gone through was more simple than the one that follows, because both the country's integration within the European Union, and the one within Euro-Atlantic structures will now enter the phase of deeds. Declarations, manifestations of political will are very important and serious things, and quite often it is not very easy to adopt them. However, in the coming stage we will have to take a great number of practical measures which may demand certain sacrifice on behalf of one part of society in order to achieve progress in another. There will be political interests that probably will not always coincide. That is why in the future stage, on the basis of the existing consensus regarding our country's Euro-Atlantic integration, it is very important that the bearers of various political interests -- the parties -- should continue their dialogue and cooperation. It will be a process of permanent negotiations, in which all will have to set out from one principle, namely that when all is said and done we all desire the same thing: the modernization of Romania. I dare assume that the needs of the armed forces will be given special attention, as this is an issue of national interest. [Petrean] You are a career diplomat, directly experienced in issues such as relations with various international bodies, problems of international security, arms control, and disarmament. What are the advantages and, if any, the disadvantages of your experience as a diplomat who has now become minister of defense? [Tinca] My 28-year experience in diplomacy means a plus in certain domains: First, diplomacy is the science of knowing how to conduct negotiations, and that is a "school" that we politicians should all have graduated from. Diplomacy teaches one how to be flexible, but not in a gratuitous

FBIS3-8779_3

MDF Chairman Argues Case for Election

damaging processes. Under the rule of their great expertise, only the negative things were accumulated. However, what is really dangerous is that many people are making irresponsible promises to the nation. Should they get into government, it would soon be discovered that they have misled society, and this would result in a formerly unseen -- mainly moral and economic -- crisis for the country. Chaos could reappear where there should be order. [Pinter] Do you link the danger of this chaos with the fact that various ideologies are gaining ground? [Fur] The unshakably left-wing and liberal ideology that is created at writing desks will prove to be a restraint on social development. During the decades of socialism, we had the chance to experience the true meaning of ideological obsession. An invented theoretical system was forced onto reality. I caution the country against a power whose thinking is so much within theoretical limits. It is to be feared that the representatives of a power like this would follow the example of the Bourbons and we will find that they have not learned or forgotten anything. [Pinter] According to many surveys, the left wing has gained significant support in recent months. When you formulate your sharp criticism, are you not worried that, because of the terms you use, you will find yourself irrevocably opposed to the section of society that supports the left wing? [Fur] My intention is completely different. I certainly do not want to get into a conflict with anyone. As a believer, I do not have hatred for anyone. It is always the political thoughts and mentality that I criticize. I am concerned for the country in case the left wing comes to power. This danger exists because, after four decades of dictatorship, this way of thinking -- and please do not forget: organization -- has its traces in society. [Pinter] Do you hope that the election campaign and your arguments will change this? [Fur] Undoubtedly, I believe in the power of words, and that the expression of various realizations can divert thinking people in the right direction. I am aware that people who have very much committed themselves to the joint political action of the MSZP and the trade unions, or the Alliance of Free Democrats [SZDSZ], which is drawing closer to the left wing double quick, will not be much influenced by my arguments. It is almost

FBIS3-8781_2

SRI Denies Material Leaked to Press

article has used the favors of certain former cadres of the counterespionage of foreign intelligence services, who, by putting together and interpreting certain data, arguments, and suppositions, have managed to confer an aura of professionalism on that article. A possible argument in favor of this supposition is the fact that, in the 1990-1992 period, similar accusations against other political figures of those times -- Silviu Brucan, Dumitru Mazilu [former top leaders of the post-1989 National Salvation Front Council], and so forth -- were published by ROMANIA MARE and the SPIONAJ-CONTRASPIONAJ [ESPIONAGE-COUNTERESPIONAGE] magazine led by former Securitate General Neagu Cozma; the authors of the incriminating articles must have had access to material about individuals with connections abroad, known to have belonged to the Third Directorate of the State Security Department [DSS], who could be found in the files of retired Major General Aurelian Mortoiu and retired Colonel Filip Teodorescu, files that were taken over by Vice Admiral Stefan Dinu, after his appointment to the command of the respective union. The SRI cannot be accused of consciously keeping silent about the matter raised, as claimed by Mr. Senator Eugen Dijmarescu [of the Democratic Party (National Salvation Front)] in his letter sent to Romania's Senate, a letter that was presented to us during our appearance before the Joint Standing Control Commission on 9 February 1994. That the SRI did not take an immediate official stand vis-a-vis the respective press materials can be explained by the fact that it had to conduct certain checks, which took time, until final conclusions could be drawn, which rebutted the allegations in the aforementioned article. From the checks done so far, it results that the SRI has not been and is not involved in any way in the mass-media dissemination of the respective materials. The SRI itself is the first one interested in blocking any leaks of information. Regarding the publication by ROMANIA MARE of material about alleged criminal activities by Major General Gheorghe Florica [former general commissioner of the Financial Overseeing Body until 1993], we state the following: An investigation into the activities of an Arab citizen, known to belong to an extremist-terrorist group operating on Romania's territory, has shown that he had criminal links both with the former chief of the Financial Oversight Body and with other Romanian citizens and foreigners. In this respect, all proof collected by our service was forwarded to the relevant state

FBIS3-8813_2

General Views Polish Army Foreign Engagement

Within the CSCE, Poland has already been participating with other countries in achieving stability in the region. Poland is also taking part in extinguishing conflicts and supervising the implementation of conventional arms-control agreements such as the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty and the 1992 Vienna document. We hope that the CSCE will lead to a cooperative system of security in Europe. However, the primary goal of Polish politics is full membership in NATO. But, because this is going to take a long time, Poland in the meantime is taking part in the work of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, which is also a major component of the new European security. [Lukaszewski] What are the other paths of military cooperation for 1994? [Wozniak] In our plans of cooperation with foreign defense ministries and European military structures this year, we have put greater emphasis on defense problems and the strengthening of democratic control over the armed forces. We have also suggested an exchange of experiences in planning and conducting military exercises with the help of computer simulations. We will also examine ways of guaranteeing good interpersonal relationships and human rights inside the Army. [Lukaszewski] What about relations with our neighbors? [Wozniak] Agreements have been reached that will cause a revival and an increase of good-neighborly relations. There will be an increased flow of information, broader personal contacts, and measures to increase the mutual trust between border zones. For this purpose, there is going to be cooperation in military training between neighboring military districts, as well as between military units and training establishments on both sides of the border. [Lukaszewski] Have any details been established in this sphere? [Wozniak] Yes. We are going to send more of our soldiers to be trained in foreign military academies. There are going to be more exchange visits by officers on active duty and by military lecturers. We are going to send soldiers on language training and further training to the United States, Germany, France, Great Britain, and Canada. We will try to send soldiers on training sessions to Norway and Spain. In the Baltic Sea, we are tightening contacts with the naval and coastal defense forces of Germany and Denmark. We will continue to seek agreements with the defense ministries of non-NATO countries on the basic paths of military cooperation. Further ministerial agreements will be concluded soon. [Lukaszewski] Can you give any details? [Wozniak] So far,

FBIS3-8814_1

Kontic Seeking Extension of UN Mandate in RSK

called for the extension of the mandate of the U.N. Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the U.N. protected areas (UNPAs) (Krajina), which expires on March 31, 1994, and set out that the "UNPROFOR presence in the UNPAs is necessary until a political settlement is reached." The Republic of Serb Krajina (RSK) was proclaimed a U.N. protected area under the plan of special U.N. envoy for the former Yugoslavia Cyrus Vance in March 1992, after the Krajina-Croatia conflict broke out in 1991 because of Croatia's forcible secession from the former Yugoslavia. The RSK, which comprises predominantly Serb-populated areas within the administrative borders of the former Yugoslav republic of Croatia, was proclaimed in response to Croatia's forcible secession and the attempt of its authorities to reduce the Serb people to a national minority. Kontic said in a letter sent to U.N. Secretary-General Butrus Butrus-Ghali that U.N. resolution 871 of October 4, 1993, under which the UNPROFOR's mandate was extended until March 31, 1994, envisaged that the U.N. peace-keepers "remain in the UNPAs until a comprehensive political settlement of the Yugoslav crisis is found." In the letter, a copy of which was sent to TANJUG on Tuesday, Kontic said that resolution 871 also envisaged that the "UNPROFOR mandate is to be renewed if such a solution is not achieved through negotiations." "It is not necessary to make special mention of the importance of the UNPROFOR presence in the past, since it was precisely UNPROFOR that has ensured the consistent implementation of the Vance plan, enabled the maintenance of fragile peace and prevented further confrontation of the parties in conflict," Kontic said in the letter. The Yugoslav prime minister set out that the "F.R. of Yugoslavia considers that conditions have not yet been created for terminating the UNPROFOR peace mission and that the UNPROFOR presence in the UNPAs is necessary until a political settlement is reached." The letter said that if new U.N. troops were to be engaged or regularly replaced, it would, "for historical reasons, be inappropriate to engage troops" from neighbouring countries or former occupying forces. The Yugoslav prime minister said that the "F.R.Y. supports the Vance plan and is interested" that it be fully respected and implemented by all parties. Kontic said that Yugoslavia would "strive to facilitate the UNPROFOR peace mission in the former Yugoslavia and contribute, within the limits of its possibilities, to reducing the costs of the peace mission."

FBIS3-8815_19

Marjanovic Presents Government Program

main orientation must not be questioned at any time. The serious efforts that the government has to put in in the next few months and years to achieve economic revitalization are indeed necessary in order to alleviate the effects of the sanctions. These efforts will continue to be necessary even after the sanctions are lifted in order to avoid economic and political chaos, to protect domestic production from unprincipled rivalry from outside, and to provide all those market, production, and financial rules that are necessary for an economy to become more successful. However, these great and imperative efforts concerning the economy that the government must undertake should also be accompanied by similarly great and imperative efforts in other spheres of social life -- health, education, science, culture, and information. The international blockade undermined not only the economic life in Serbia but the social life as well, and for this reason, related efforts are needed. The international blockade definitely brought about a stagnation in the development of science, the provicialization of culture, education that is excessively turned exclusively toward the national and the past, and subjectivity and defeatism in the dissemination of information. These are the occurrences that more or less cannot be avoided under the conditions of a major international blockade. Other countries in a similar situation would have behaved in a similar manner. Under the current circumstances, it is not our task to contribute toward the sanctions with our own behavior and, while the sanctions last -- even though justly infuriated by the world -- not to turn our back to the world and remain isolated and lonely for longer than the sanctions have been imposed. In education, for example, we must make an effort at every level -- from schools to universities -- to link ourselves to the greatest achievements and best experiences in the developed world. The aim of this linkage would be to prepare the young generation for professional and intellectual activity and for work and life in the third millennium. Education must rid itself as quickly and as seriously as possible of the pathetic orientation toward the national, especially toward the national past. Isolationism in education is more dangerous than economic isolationism. Its consequences are reflected in the ideas of the youngest generations and last long after the ideas and practice of isolationism have passed. Through education, the young generation must be made capable of

FBIS3-8830_0

Redman, Galbraith View Croat-Bosniak Accord

Language: Serbo-Croatian Article Type:BFN [Text] The Washington accord and the course of the Vienna talks give us every reason to believe that the senseless war between the Croats and the Bosniaks is finally over; whatever ensues, the fact remains that this accord has saved lives. This was underlined by U.S. Ambassador to Croatia Peter Galbraith at a news conference in Zagreb. He also dwelt on how the agreement is reflected in the situation in the field in Bosnia-Herzegovina and spoke on other points of interest. The accord opens doors to a more comprehensive agreement between the Croats and the Bosniaks, which is being discussed in Vienna, and to an overall, peaceful solution, he assessed. On the basis of NATO's ultimatum and the Washington accord, and in collaboration with the European Union, we are determined to give the people of this region a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic future, Galbraith stressed. President Clinton's Special Envoy Charles Redman said that work on further rapprochement between the Bosnian Croats and Bosniaks lies ahead, as well as work on the improvement of the humanitarian situation in Bosnia. He pointed to the significant changes in the field in Bosnia compared to the situation three or four weeks ago. He said these changes encourage hope for great possibilities for reaching a solution. An important step to be taken is to include the Bosnian Serbs, because a comprehensive agreement cannot be reached without their participation, Redman said. He stressed that his visit to Belgrade yesterday, when he met Milosevic and Bosnian Serb officials, was a preliminary step. I explained what we have accomplished so far and what we hope to accomplish, he added. Assessing as productive and constructive yesterday's meetings with President Tudjman, Minister Granic, and other Croatian Government officials, ambassadors Galbraith and Redman underlined their positive and constructive role. Asked about guarantees for the integration of the UN-protected areas, Redman said he believed this process is creating conditions for a stable situation in the region, not only for peace in Bosnia, and providing better ways for resolving the remaining issues -- including the UN-protected zones in Croatia.

FBIS3-8838_0

Commission Tightens Sanctions Enforcement

Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Sofia, March 15 (BTA) -- The Government Commission on UN Sanctions met today with its head, Deputy Prime Minister Evgeni Matinchev, in the chair. The meeting was attended by Finance Minister Stoyan Aleksandrov. The commission was briefed on the incident involving the Khan Kubrat by Interior Ministry Chief Secretary General Kosta Bogatsevski, First Deputy Foreign Minister Valentin Gatsinski, Deputy Finance Minister and Chief of the General Customs Directorate Khristo Kulishev, and Deputy Transport Minister Kharalan Kharalanov. The commission adopted extra measures for the prevention of violations of the UN Security Council sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro). Each department concerned with the incident will call to the strictest account its employees who were officially involved in the application of sanctions in this particular case. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Transport were given until March 18, 1994 to work out a plan of action in similar situations. The same ministries were assigned to submit, by March 21, a draft act of government introducing extra measures for the enforcement of sanctions and the imposition of temporary restrictions on the handling of liquid fuel in the Bulgarian Danube ports. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will draft and send the UN Sanctions Committee answers to questions already posed to the Republic of Bulgaria in connection with the application of UN sanctions against the FRY (Serbia and Montenegro). The commission will approach the Prosecutor General's Office for assistance in the enforcement of the UN sanctions against the FRY (Serbia and Montenegro). The UN Security Council blamed the FRY government for the accident. In a statement, the Council welcomed the Bulgarian Government's cooperative treatment and called on it to investigate the actual circumstances of the action and to bring the culprits to justice. On January 31, the ship pushing barges laden with diesel oil was detained on suspicion of sanctions busting. It slipped out of Bulgaria on the night of March 3 and docked at the Serbian port of Prahovo on March 6 to unload. It was arrested on its return to Bulgaria on March 13. Upon the arrival of the Khan Kubrat, all 21 persons on board were arrested. After questioning at the Regional Directorate of Internal Affairs in Vidin (on the Danube, Northwestern Bulgaria), 18 of them were released. The ship's captain, first mate and engineer remain in custody. Five of the sailors

FBIS3-8890_1

Official Explains Temporary Cutoff at RFE

that said that Slovak Telecommunications was suspending transmission of RFE broadcasts via transmitters in Velke Kostolany and Poprad. The document was entitled "Cessation of a Contract or Cancellation of a Contract." This cannot be a cancellation of an agreement because there is one more transmitter, the one in Presov transmitting at 14 kilowatts. This transmitter is continuing transmissions and has not been switched off. [Vladimir] Zeman, director of [the ministry's communications] section, asked me to sign this document and send it to RFE. He did so verbally, I received no written instruction. Director Kuban, who is in charge of all transmitters, be they for radio, TV, or RFE transmissions, was also present. I have to admit that both of us signed the document at that very moment. Mr. Zeman then told me that he would consult Minister Hofbauer on 14 March over the matter and that the document would then be presented to the government, where he would want to have it approved. On Monday afternoon at about 1400 GMT, Mr. Zeman came with other documents or, rather, with the same documents, which had not been signed but had been printed anew. He wanted us to sign these documents. I personally told him that I would not sign this document and that I would not send the fax to RFE. And that was what happened. I called the executive [of Slovak Telecommunications] at 1600 GMT. The executive discussed the matter, and we decided that this would harm Slovakia and that we would not issue an order to switch off RFE. Yesterday--that is, on 15 March--I was summoned to the Ministry of Transport, Communications, and Public Works. Director Kuban was summoned as well. I was showed a document on recalling the director of Slovak Telecommunications from his post. [as heard] Exactly at the same time, Kuban, who is the director of a branch of the telecommunications directorate, was shown a letter of appointment authorizing him to direct Slovak Telecommunications. After having received this document, Mr. Kuban began to take steps, and, without any instruction to do so, of his own will, he had the transmission of RFE broadcasts switched off last night. I recalled Mr. Kuban from his post as director of a branch of the telecommunications directorate at 0720 GMT this morning in this very room. Subsequently, I issued an instruction to switch the transmission of RFE broadcasts on again.

FBIS3-8907_1

TANJUG Views Russian Initiative on Croatia

Churkin crowned his unexpected visit to Belgrade on Wednesday by announcing that Moscow was raising a new initiative for the resolution of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia. The initiative is aimed at having an agreement reached between the Republic of Croatia and the republic of Serb Krajina (RSK) on the cessation of hostilities and the restoring of peace. Churkin and RSK President Milan Martic agreed in Belgrade on Wednesday that Krajina-Croatia talks be held at the Russian Embassy in Zagreb on March 22. The conflict between Krajina and Croatia broke out in 1991 because of Croatia's forcible secession from the former Yugoslavia and the attempt of its authorities to reduce the Serb people to a national minority. The RSK was proclaimed in 1991 on ethnically and historically Serb territories within the administrative borders of the former Yugoslav republic of Croatia. The RSK was proclaimed a U.N. protected area (UNPA) in March 1992. After meeting with Martic, Churkin conferred separately with Bosnian Serb Leader Radovan Karadzic and President Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia and left for Zagreb in the afternoon. Churkin is due to leave from Zagreb for Washington on Thursday to meet with U.S. President's special envoy Charles Redman. The new Russian initiative is in a way complementary with the U.S. initiative for the creation of a Moslem-Croat federation in the former Yugoslav republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and its subsequent confederation with Croatia. The new Russian peace initiative indicates that Moscow has arrived at the conclusion that no overall political settlement is possible in Bosnia-Herzegovina without a solution for the krajina-Croatia issue. On the other hand, the United States considers the agreement on a Moslem-Croat federation in Bosnia-Herzegovina to be of the utmost importance at this point. However, the agreement has completed only the first stage of the U.S. peace initiative. The second stage, that is, the reaching of an overall settlement for Bosnia- Herzegovina, will not be possible without the Bosnian Serbs and Russia. It remains to be seen how Washington intends to clear the way for the second stage of the peace initiative. It is aware that the initiative cannot be successful without the Bosnian Serbs and it is no doubt seriously counting on Russia to lend a helping hand. The announced Churkin-Redman talks should most likely be viewed in that light, and it would be no surprise if the special U.S. envoy was soon to visit Belgrade again.

FBIS3-8987_1

Commentary on Russian Influence, Federation

and to reestablish the southern Slav part of Balkans as their interest sphere. For the time being, at least as far as the first objective is concerned, Russia is doing more improvising than actually playing the role that it would like to play in the Bosnian crisis. Using a cheap trick in cooperation with its friends in Pale, Russia tried to win the points in the game with the NATO ultimatum that eventually led to the resolution of most of Sarajevo's war problems. The trick was repeated upon Karadzic's arrival in Moscow, when the Russian- Serb agreement on the reopening of Tuzla airport was flamboyantly declared. The Kremlin diplomats triumphantly ascribed the main role in the humanitarian unblocking of the Tuzla region to themselves, although they understand that the UN would have conducted the operation with or without the Russian-Serb approval. However, Russia has succeeded in something here, as in the Sarajevo case: It has reinforced its military presence in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Using the logic of following the path of the least resistance, the UN has accepted Russian control role of the airport, as they accepted a similar role for Russian soldiers in Sarajevo. However, the question arises as to how far it is possible to go. The ultimate Russian intention is to, in agreement with Belgrade and Pale, deploy its soldiers in all the Bosnian buffer zones as peace arrives in them. This is the line Karadzic followed in talking to the presidents of both parliamentary councils of Russia, whose have the final word when it comes to sending Russian troops out of the country. There are many reasons to consider the possibility that, following the trends of Russian policies employed so far, Bosnia will soon be divided and militarily neutralized like post-war Germany, with internal borders seemingly there inevitably to divide the country, marked by Russian troops on one side and Western troops on the other. Russia wants to work on this arrangement hand in hand with Washington. The United States has so far refused the Moscow initiatives for returning to the principle of division of interest spheres. However, no one can guarantee that this will not eventually happen. Chiefs of diplomacy, Kozyrev and Christopher, are meeting later this week in Vladivistok, and Bosnia will be the center of attention. The Kremlin has planned to close the circle started with Karadzic by then directly contacting Croatian and Muslim leaders.

FBIS3-8996_1

General Staff Chief Views NATO Relations

behavior of the candidates or international circumstances? [Petrov] The admission of any Eastern European state depends on NATO's leadership. According to the Washington Charter it alone can propose and invite new members. Naturally, the activity of the candidates in strengthening the structures of international security is of exceptional importance. I think that NATO will also have other criteria, but I do not want to dwell on them -- this is not within my scope of activity. The main thing now is to remove the barrier created by the Cold War between East and West. We must stop seeing each other as enemies. Mutual reproaches as to who was guilty are senseless and obsolete relics, which we must forget. [Andonova] Has the "old thinking" been overcome in the Army? [Petrov] We are doing everything possible to overcome the image of the enemy, especially in the Balkan peninsula, and I think that we have achieved a lot. However, all the state institutions must work in the same direction. The contours of the past have not been fully eliminated. [Andonova] Where do those contours still exist -- at the level of the higher leaderships or at the lower levels of the army's hierarchy? [Petrov] At all levels. [Andonova] Do you see common denominators in the military, regardless of what specific country is involved and of what specific organization it is a member? [Petrov] I fully agree that the military has similar criteria and assessments regarding security, and are equally concerned with the stability of regions that contain hotbeds of tension. [Andonova] Is NATO seriously concerned with the Yugoconflict? [Petrov] NATO is following with great concern the events in Bosnia-Herzegovina and is determining its steps with exceptional caution. I can say that they are more concerned than the Balkan states. It may sound strange, but this is what I felt during my meetings in Brussels. [Andonova] Is this the reason for NATO's increased attention toward our country? [Petrov] Perhaps. They are interested in all the factors that could influence the conflict, and in the historical factors in the Balkans. They are carefully observing the behavior and position of every state in the region regarding the crisis. From this point of view we really are the object of increased attention. They assess our position very highly and do not hide this. I think that Bulgaria's principled position will have an important role in resolving the

FBIS3-9005_12

Defense Doctrine, National Security Texts

the fundamental changes that have taken place throughout the world recently. The Slovak Republic considers the transition from a bipolar world to the new multi-polar world to be its fundamental characteristic feature. The change in geopolitical conditions in Europe and throughout the world is leading to the collapse of some eastern-sphere composite states and to the formation of nation states. International relations have thus entered into a complicated period to which it is difficult to give a particular shape and whose time frame exceeds the year 2000. In connection with this, the role of the variable factors in the process of formulating and implementing the national interests of the individual geopolitical protagonists has increased. These are factors that proceed from the processes involved in the collapse of the bipolar system of international relations and from their constant development, which is often complicated by unexpected changes. This fact is extraordinarily sensitive for the Central European region and for the new democratic states that are going through a complex period of radical social and economic reforms. The domestic political, economic, and social lability of these countries is augmented by the absence of external security guarantees. It is apparent from the tenor of the international political situation that, first and foremost, the risks ensuing from the instability of the individual states and regions -- from which threats and risks to neighboring states and regions may also arise -- and not the risks stemming the end of the heterogeneous bipolar system of international relations are the predominant ones in Europe. The security of the Slovak Republic is an element of the broader framework of European and global security. The Slovak Republic is reliant on its own forces; however, at the same time, it places emphasis on constituting new international relations. It is counting, first and foremost, on NATO, the WEU, the CSCE, and the United Nations in its objectives for finding more effective guarantees for its own security. Slovakia has a key interest in cooperation with and membership in NATO and the WEU in view of the fact that, at the moment, NATO represents a force capable of responding in time -- by corresponding means and resources -- to the new security risks and threats in Central and Eastern Europe. The Slovak Republic considers its active involvement in the North Atlantic Cooperation Council and the Partnership for Peace program, which operate significantly against the

FBIS3-9010_0

FYROM, Slovene Presidents View Balkan Crisis

Language: German Article Type:BFN [Bernt Conrad report: "The Picture of the Balkans Is Tragic and Grotesque"] [Text] Bonn -- The presidents of Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia -- FYROM] and Slovenia, Kiro Gligorov and Milan Kucan, have called for resolute West European support for the young democracies in Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. With a view to the turmoil of war in the former Yugoslavia, Gligorov says that a Balkanization of other European regions is imminent if the "Balkans are not Europeanized." The two presidents were invited to the Rhine by the "European Dialogue Bonn," an association of leading politicians and journalists, to discuss the topic "The Road to Europe -- Too Many Conflicts?". In separate talks they explained later to FRG President Richard von Weizsaecker what they had elaborated on with Bundestag President Rita Suessmuth as the discussion leader. Their basic substance was: "The present picture of the Balkans is tragic and grotesque. It is also a consequence of insufficient preparations and the inability to permit, under crossfire from different interests, the victory of the finding that in the closely intertwined relations of the modern world there is no longer room for local wars and that the aggressor's first step is checked." This formulation was used by Slovene President Kucan. Like him, Macedonian Gligorov also made it quite clear that the Serbs are responsible for the war. Both explicitly rejected a new division into spheres of interest as it might become possible by Russia's increasing activities in ex-Yugoslavia. Gligorov appealed all the more urgently to his Greek neighbors to put, for their part, an end to the completely superfluous controversy with Macedonia, to lift the unjustified embargo, and to achieve a peaceful dialogue. "The problem of Macedonian-Greek relations is basically an irrational problem of an emotional nature. We depend on cooperation. We do not have territorial claims. We are immediately prepared to continue the negotiations on all questions without exception," the Macedonian president affirmed. Both politicians claim for their countries a place with equal rights in the future joint Europe.

FBIS3-9022_0

Cabinet Approves Support for Libya Sanctions

Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Prague, March 16 (CTK) -- At its session today, the Czech government approved a bill on the Czech Republic's measures aimed against Libya, which would enable the Czech Republic to implement the UN Security Council's tightened sanctions against Libya, a government spokeswoman told CTK. The UN sanctions against Libya have been in effect since December 1, 1993. The Security Council approved them on November 11, as Tripoli did not meet its demand to hand over two Libyan citizens accused of participation in the explosion of a U.S. aircraft over the Scottish town of Lockerbie in 1988, in which 270 people lost their lives.

FBIS3-9053_0

Ministry Confirms Policy on Troops in B-H

Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Sofia, March 14 (BTA) -- Since the beginning of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia Bulgaria has been consistently supporting all initiatives of the United Nations, NATO, the European Union and other international institutions seeking a lasting and just solution of the crisis, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry says in a declaration today. The solution of the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina is of key importance in overcoming the overall crisis on the territory of the former Yugoslavia. There are good prospects for restoring peace through establishing a federative and confederative structure. The growing role of European and international institutions, of the United States and Russia is an expression of the resolution of the international community to put an end to bloodshed in a European country of the 20th century, the declaration reads. Here it would be relevant to stress the important role of the UN peace-keeping forces. At the same time the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry would like to recall once again Bulgaria's appeal to the Balkan states to refrain from sending their armed forces in solving the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. Decisions on this issue should take into account both the need for increasing the strength of the UNPROFOR [UN Protection Forces] at present and the region's stability in the future. The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry declares once again that the Republic of Bulgaria will not take direct or indirect part in military operations on the territory of the former Yugoslavia.

FBIS3-9057_0

Daskalov on Cooperation With EFTA, EU

Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Sofia, March 17 (BTA) -- Foreign Minister Stanislav Daskalov had a meeting with the ambassadors of the European Free Trade Association member states in Sofia, BTA was told by the spokesman for the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry. The sides discussed the possibility of activating Bulgaria's economic relations with the EFTA countries. The meeting of the Bulgaria-EFTA committee, to be held in the first half of the year, is considered to be very important in this respect. Attention was paid to the serious difficulties Bulgaria's economy faces as a result of the application of sanctions against Serbia-Montenegro. Foreign Minister Stanislav Daskalov received British Ambassador Richard Thomas and Italian Ambassador Agostino Matis. The ambassadors familiarized Mr. Daskalov with the initiative for expanding the political dialogue with the six Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, launched by the governments of Britain and Italy and approved by the EU. It is the sides' shared opinion that the initiative is an important moment within the context of expanding cooperation between the EU-associated countries and the EU. Foreign Minister Stanislav Daskalov met the ambassadors of the EU member-states in Sofia. The sides discussed Bulgarian-EU economic relations, the preparations for the meeting of the Bulgarian-EU committee to be held next week in Sofia, and completing the formalities concerning the ratification of Bulgaria's Europe Agreement. The Bulgarian side expressed its desire for bringing the visa regulations of the EU states in line with the decisions for expanding cooperation with the countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

FBIS3-9071_8

Croatian, Bosnian Officials Sign Agreements Comments on Washington Agreements

had under the 1974 Constitution of the former SFRY [Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]. What do you think about that? [Tudjman] I think that such claims are nebulous. Kosovo is a province inhabited not only by a huge national minority, but also by almost 2 million Albanians who have a 90 percent majority and live in a compact area. In the same way, Vojvodina is a separate and historical province, which was not part of Serbia and Yugoslavia until 1918, and it is also ethnically, nationally mixed. There can be no comparison in that respect with the so-called Krajina in Croatia, which is not territorially linked and where the Serbs are in a proportional minority, except in the two districts that I have mentioned -- Glina and Knin -- which are not territorially linked. [Correspondent] By all appearances, the sanctions against Belgrade are the only effective means against greater Serbian policies. In your opinion, is it now possible to lift the sanctions in exchange for [Serbia] giving up the so-called Krajinas? [Tudjman] Now you have used the term exchange, such an exchange is possible only when a positive, acceptable solution is reached simultaneously -- with Serbia's consent -- in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and when Croatia's territories currently under the peace forces' protection are reintegrated into Croatia. [Correspondent] In your view, now that the agreement has been signed, has Croatia's position become stronger in the eyes of the Security Council, the United Nations? [Tudjman] Absolutely. In making its demands, Croatia's position is now very favorable. Croatia's position in the international community has become such that it has friendly relations, the closest relations with the United States; it has the understanding of the European Union in general, especially the leading European countries and, what is not important [as heard], the complete understanding -- especially now after the signing of these agreements on a federation and a confederation -- of a large number of Islamic countries and nonaligned countries which, as you know, are numerous and which are playing an important role in the work of the Security Council and the United Nations. To this effect Croatia's demands will be met by far greater understanding because Croatia has again shown that it is pursuing a consistent policy of resolving matters peacefully, that its objectives are in conformity with the international community. [Correspondent] Thank you, Mr. President. [Tudjman] Thank you and a good night to you.

FBIS3-9073_0

Croatian, Bosnian Officials Sign Agreements `Text' of Confederation Agreement

Language: Serbo-Croatian Article Type:BFN ["Text of the preliminary agreement on the establishment of a confederation between the Republic of Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina" signed in Washington on 18 March -- read by announcer] [Text] The Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia have agreed on the following: Article 1 The confederation is envisaged to be established between the Federation [of Bosnia-Herzegovina] and the Republic of Croatia. Article 2 The establishment of the confederation does not change the international identity or the legal status of Croatia or the Federation. Article 3 1. The parties to the agreement will form a confederative council to coordinate their policies and activities within the Confederation. Each party will have an equal number of members in the council. Decisions passed by the council will require the approval of a majority of members from each party. 2. The chairman of the council will be elected by the council for a term of one year, rotating among the members of each party. Article 4 The parties will pass internal decrees and conclude agreements taking gradual steps toward economic cooperation as described in this article, aiming at establishing a common market and a monetary union when conditions are ripe. 1. The parties will immediately establish cooperation and develop common policies in the following areas: transportation, energy, environment, economic policy -- including laws and decrees on the creation of a free market, finances, and customs -- economic recovery, health care, culture, science, and education, product standardization and consumer protection, migration, immigration, and asylum, and especially on the implementation of laws on terrorism, smuggling, drugs abuse, and organized crime. 2. Over the next few years the parties will consult with a view to establishing a free trade area for a free exchange of domestic products; a customs union; a common market allowing the free exchange of goods, services, and money; and a monetary union. Article 5 Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina will agree as soon as possible on defense arrangements, the coordination of defense policies, and the establishment of joint commands in the event of war or imminent peril to either party. Article 6 The parties will conclude the following agreements as soon as possible: 1. Croatia will allow the Federation unrestricted access to the Adriatic Sea through Croatia, as specified in Annex 1 of the agreement. 2. The Federation will grant Croatia unrestricted transit through Neum,

FBIS3-9101_0

Figures on Killed, Wounded in War Issued

Language: Serbo-Croatian Article Type:BFN [Text] From the beginning of the aggression on the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina up to the present, 142,592 people have been killed, have died of exposure or starvation, or are missing. In the area of 61 municipalities, 162,341 have been wounded, 72,532 of whom sustained serious injuries. In this time, 16,538 children have been killed, and another 33,805 have been wounded. Of this number, 18,814 have been seriously wounded, states the Republican Headquarters for Healthcare and Social Security of Bosnia-Herzegovina. In Sarajevo, 9,900 people were killed, while another 58,160 were wounded. Of these, 18,814 people sustained severe injuries. Of the killed, 1,564 were children. Another 14,814 children were injured, 3,349 of them seriously. In the past week, 6,576 cases of infectious diseases were registered in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Enterocolitis makes up the majority of cases, followed by influenza and infectious hepatitis. Medical equipment and expert medical teams are most needed in the areas where the aggressor continues to attack fiercely. In accordance with the normalization of the situation, preparations have begun for the return of displaced persons within the country, and of those from other countries. The number of Bosnia-Herzegovina refugees has climbed to 1,260,088. Of these, 727,234 refugees have been registered in areas under the control of the legitimate authorities. The majority of our refugees are in Germany, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, and other countries.

FBIS3-9108_4

Granic on Country's Role, Confederation Plan

Yugoslavia prove so unacceptable for the same Europe which now accepts the Russian intervention and interests in Serbia? [Granic] Throughout this period, Germany's stance has been very positive, especially in the humanitarian sense, and in promoting dialogue between Croats and Muslims. On the Russian presence, most of the powers agree on the influence which they exert over the Serbs. Germany has no influence over the Serbs, but it does over Russia. In addition, Russia's particular interest in the Balkans must be accepted. [Villapadierna] Why did Zagreb betray its alliance with Sarajevo, only to sign the confederation agreement after thousands of deaths? [Granic] Write that I utterly disagree with that, and I have been following this conflict for a long time. Since the aggression against Croatia, we have offered them a military alliance. I am saying this for the first time. The situation of Bosnia and Herzegovina was very difficult, surrounded on all sides, but they should have taken their decision earlier. Croatia supported independence, because the agreement was a decentralized country with equal rights for everybody. The (Bosnian) Croats were the best organized to defend their territory, and the Muslims received their first weapons from Croatia. [Villapadierna] The first convoys of weapons to defend Srebrenica were also stopped by the Croats. [Granic] What some Croat troops did with the Muslim convoys, the destruction of Mostar, or the massacres of Achmici and Stupni Dol, are another matter. I can also give you around 40 instances of the Muslims. On many occasions, it was Croats and Muslims together who stopped the convoys. [Villapadierna] People paid by secret services to worsen the conflict? [Granic] Clearly. It is strange that many of these crimes were covered immediately by some television channels such as CNN, while others which were much bloodier were not mentioned: There were interests. I assure you that what we are going to sign is the same thing that Tudjman and I proposed back in August without much response. [Villapadierna] President Izetbegovic also offered a confederation in Geneva. [Granic] This desire existed on both sides, but I tell you: I wish to speak to you not of specific mistakes -- that is history -- but of a global strategy. You know that the Muslims are not a homogeneous body: The majority are in favor of full cooperation with the Croats, but others are in favor of a separate Islamic state. [Villapadierna] Have

FBIS3-9114_1

Tudjman Letter to Butrus-Ghali on UN Mandate

the necessity of improving UNPROFOR's performance. Full implementation of all relevant Security Council resolutions remains the most essential, yet still unfulfilled, task of UNPROFOR. With more than 16,000 UN peace-keeping troops deployed in Croatia, and considering the precise goals inscribed in the Vance plan (S/23280, annex III), it is difficult to accept the inefficiency of UNPROFOR performance in Croatia. The uncooperative and hostile behavior of militant Serbian insurgents in the UN Protected Areas (UNPAs) certainly is a cause of considerable difficulties for UNPROFOR, but they should not be permitted to impede the implementation of any Security Council resolutions. Security Council Resolution No. 871 (1993) of 4 October 1993 remains the foundation for any future UNPROFOR action in Croatia, as well as the overall framework for initiating the process of the peaceful reintegration of the UNPAs into the legal and economic system of the Republic of Croatia. Croatia stresses in particular the importance of paragraphs 4 and 5 of Security Council Resolution No. 871 (1993). "The full normalization of the position of the international community toward the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) must be preconditioned on the sincere cooperation of its government in the full and prompt implementation of the UN peace-keeping plan for the Republic of Croatia. This includes the provisions of the plan concerning the demilitarization of the UNPAs, as well as the recognition of the Republic of Croatia within its internationally recognized borders. In dealing with the question of the UNPAs, the Republic of Croatia would like to recall General Assembly Resolution No. 48/122 of 20 December 1993 entitled `Human Rights and Terrorism.' Actions of the Serbian insurgents in the UNPAs can clearly be characterized as terrorist acts, aimed at the destruction of human rights, threatening the territorial integrity of the Republic of Croatia, destabilizing the legitimately constituted Government of Croatia, undermining a pluralistic civil society and having serious consequences on the economic and social development of Croatia. Therefore, we call upon the Security Council to consider, in its future deliberations on the problems of the UNPAs, the hostile actions of the Serbian insurgents to be acts of terrorism. The Republic of Croatia remains fully committed to the peace process, and it is ready to cooperate with UNPROFOR in the fulfillment of its difficult mandate. "As well as Security Council resolutions, the major guideline in our approach toward the achievement of a peaceful settlement in the

FBIS3-9123_0

High Rate of Military Service Waivers Viewed

Language: Polish Article Type:BFN [Article by Z.L.: "Our Defender Is Under Treatment"] [Text] On the eve of the Army's springtime conscription, the military is raising the alarm: If this time around the same kinds of poorly prepared recruits find their way into the barracks, as was the case this past fall, training programs in many military units will be disorganized from the very beginning. According to data from the General Staff, every year only half of all young men who are legally obliged to perform their "citizen's duty to the motherland" actually serve in the Army. Because the number of recruits using various kinds of deferments is so huge, when it comes to the remaining candidates, the choice is severely limited. "The Army gets those who were not successful in fleeing"--that is the malicious way in which those who know a lot about yearly conscriptions describe the phenomenon. Even if such views are exaggerated, statistics regarding service waivers for potential conscripts are a very serious problem for commanders of military units. In some subdivisions, during the first weeks and months of service--that is, within the so-called short way--as many as 15 to 20 percent of soldiers drop out for, among other reasons, ailments that have just been diagnosed. It is practically impossible to make up for losses in incomplete crews of combat vehicles, while legal provisions do not provide for the possibility of conducting a follow-up conscription. The civil rights spokesman has already several times described the situation of an insufficient number of soldiers having to perform tasks designated for full subdivisions--which, by definition, means that the soldiers have a much greater burden to bear--as violating the principles of equality, which also means a violation of civil rights. According to officers responsible for the recruitment and adaptation of young soldiers, many conscripts conceal their ailments on purpose--at the point of recruitment, as well as for the first few days--to be able to avail themselves of the right to full medical treatment at the state's expense after a medical board issues a judgment saying the ailment could have been acquired during service. "A citizen aware of his rights simply uses them"--this is the way officers comment on that phenomenon and also on conscripts leaving service after the first several days not only with a medical waiver, which practically puts their future use to the Army into question, but also being financially

FBIS3-9138_0

Simic Says Contacts With Croatia `Encouraging'

Language: English Article Type:BFN ["Pool" item] [Text] Geneva, March 19 (TANJUG) -- Yugoslav Deputy Prime Minister Zeljko Simic has described Yugoslavia's contacts with Croatia as encouraging and said that bilateral meetings are aimed at seeking concrete solutions to humanitarian problems and not at producing spectacular political results. Simic was interviewed by the JOURNAL DE GENEVE daily, which introduced him as the first Yugoslav politician to visit Zagreb after Croatia violently seceded from the former Yugoslav Federation in 1991. Speaking about the Moslem-Croat agreement on setting up a federation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Simic said the Serbs would welcome the deal if it was to bring about the cessation of hostilities and peace in the republic. The paper reminded its readers that Belgrade had made it clear to U.S. Presidential Envoy Charles Redman that there could be no solution to the Bosnian crisis without Bosnian Serbs and that political and military aspects of the situation could not be overlooked. The Yugoslav Government maintains that the European Union has lost credibility in trying to resolve the crisis in ex-Yugoslavia, of which it has informed President of the E.U. Ministerial Council Karolos Papoulias of Greece during his recent visit to Belgrade, JOURNAL DE GENEVE said. Paraphrasing Simic, it went on to explain that the European Community last December proposed that sanctions against Yugoslavia be lifted if Bosnian Serbs made territorial concessions to the Moslems. This condition has been met, the paper said, but the Serbs now have the impression that they have been pushed to the side. Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) insists on the adherence to the democratic formula adopted at the Geneva-based International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia, according to which a solution to the Bosnian War is to be negotiated by all three sides to the conflict, the paper explained. It quoted Simic as saying that the Yugoslav Government did not want to be directly involved in the upcoming talks in Zagreb between Croatia and the Republic of Serb Krajina, and that its dialogue with Croatia should be conducted on an equal footing. This implies the lifting of the absurd anti-Yugoslav sanctions which have harmed both the Serb people and countries neighbouring on Yugoslavia.

FBIS3-9156_4

Says Allegations Attack on Iliescu

by] of Cornescu, because he did not offer terms and items that were of any interest to the Romanian army. Contrary to him, other companies were successful, such as the Alouette-3-type helicopter, for which, initially, we imported spare parts, after which we imported the whole manufacturing technology. [MEDIAFAX] Do you mean that their connecting Lucian Cornescu's name with this issue was purely accidental? [Pancea] That is right, he has no connection with this. That was merely business. The allegations in the aforementioned item are mere hallucinations. Radu Petrica Popa is the person who swindled my son of $30,000, in the sense that he promised to obtain an apartment for him and requested an advance payment; besides my son, other persons were swindled in the same way and their cases were reported by the press. Radu Petrica Popa is a notorious, or a professional, crook; I have never seen him and I talked to him just once, over the phone. What actually happened was that he began to blackmail my son, threatening that if he would not withdraw the complaint he filed with the police requesting his money back, "your father will be kicked out of Cotroceni" [presidential headquarters]. [MEDIAFAX] Is he really such an influential person? [Pancea] I do not think so. However, I think that he was manipulated by other influential persons who were interested not so much in discrediting me personally or my son, but rather in discrediting me, the Pancea who works for the presidency, that is, their attacks were actually directed against the presidential institution and the president, personally. [MEDIAFAX] Do you think that you are standing in someone's way? [Pancea] Personally, I cannot think of any elements from which I could draw the conclusion that I am standing in someone's way, I mean, in the way of some other physical person. I believe that here we have to deal with the interests of certain circles or forces that are very interested in weakening certain structures of the Romanian state, including the council or the secretary of the Supreme Defense Council, which, after all, is one of the principal bodies of the defense structures of this country, considering the issues it is expected to discuss during its sessions and the decisions it is expected to take regarding national security. I do not think that I, as a person, could be standing in someone's way; the institution

FBIS3-9191_1

Official Explains Relations With NATO

Republic's Army, the NATO command here in Brussels, and other command posts. This is multinational cooperation among NATO's multinational staffs. [Fiala] Have you noticed any progress in that cooperation? [Pisklak] We have made a great deal of progress, about which we do not know much in our country. Actually, we are participating in the work of all committees in the North Atlantic Council for Cooperation, which is a political and consultative body in which the overall situation in NATO is discussed. The ambassador of the Czech Republic comes here and presents our political attitudes, the policy of the Foreign Ministry, and so on. I have the opportunity to participate in these meetings. Today, we are also participating in the creation of the principal documents in the Political Committee. We are also cooperating with the Economic Committee. [Pisklak] Under what circumstance was the North Atlantic Council established? [Fiala] It has been newly created, and this is why a special formula is used in that connection: 16 NATO countries and 22 countries of this council [sentence as published]. It is a body that was established after the political changes in our country were made. This body makes it possible for all of the countries, including the republics of the former Soviet Union, to join the advanced countries of Europe. The members are, for example, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, etc. There are also Finnish observers. The purpose of the Council is to make it possible for all countries to consult the political situation. For example, the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction is a new topic. Foreign ministers also have meetings. It is an important thing that the Council has approved a working plan that fixes the spheres of cooperation, including the political, economic, scientific, and ecological spheres. In this connection, I would like to avoid speaking about details because there are some 300 or 400 various committees and work groups within NATO. [Pisklak] Can you describe the work of some of the committees and evaluate their results? [Fiala] I highly appreciate the results of the Committee for the Coordination of the European Airspace. I have to say that Europe is saturated with air traffic. We must have a unified system of controlling the air traffic, so our countries could join and become compatible in that sphere. The Czech Republic has made great progress. In Prague, a new center for air-traffic

FBIS3-9199_0

Krakow Leader Sees No Dialogue With Center

Language: Polish Article Type:BFN [Interview with Krakow President Jozef Lassota, local self-government activist and member of the President's Council for Local Self-Government Affairs, by Antoni Lewandowski; place and date not given] [Text] During the meeting between the delegates of the Polish Cities Union and local self-government structures and President Walesa's representative Professor Lech Falandysz, most utterances by the mayors and presidents of Polish cities were dominated by a sense of profound disquiet concerning the fate of the democratic system based on local self-government structures. The absence of any results so far after several months of talks by the Commission for Government and Local Self-Government Affairs gave another cause for concern. The assembled delegates representing local self-government bodies decided to take advantage of President Lech Walesa's offer and voted to transform the loose representation of local self-government structures (comprising 36 delegates) into the President's Council for Local Self-Government Affairs. In compliance with the president's suggestion, communicated to the meeting by Prof. Lech Falandysz, the Council elected Professor Maria Gintowt-Jankowicz, director of the National School of State Administration, to the office of chairman. We asked Krakow President Jozef Lassota, member of the new council and local self-government activist, for a general assessment of the current situation arising from the government's attitude to local self-government structures, a situation that was described during the meeting as "a dialogue of the deaf." [Lewandowski] How would you comment on the difficulties, reported here by delegates, in achieving a measure of agreement between local self-government structures and central government? [Lassota] I believe that the government's attitude to local self-government structures can be defined today as a trend following logically from the government's overall philosophy of the methods of state administration. The present government has already demonstrated quite clearly that it is opposed to decentralization. Instead, it favors centralization of state structures. Both Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak and Minister Michal Strak, head of the Council of Ministers' Office, state officially that they are in favor of decentralization of power. However, we note that, in practice, they pursue a completely different policy. In other words, they say one thing and do another. Attempts by self-government bodies to conduct a dialogue with the central government are not even like a dialogue of the deaf. I would say, quite simply, that we are being cheated. I believe that the government does not even try to play fair with either local self-government

FBIS3-9200_0

Farmers Trade Union Leader Discusses Movement

Language: Polish Article Type:BFN [Interview with Andrzej Lepper, chairman of Samoobrona (Self-Defense) Farmers Trade Union, by Ewa Koszur and Andrzej Sondej; place and date not given] [Excerpts] [passage omitted] [GLOS SZCZECINSKI] What is "Lepperism"? [Lepper] Lepperism is certainly neither Stalinism nor Hitlerism, nor anything similar to these phenomena. It is a movement that arose from the grass roots, from people's sense of injustice suffered, a movement that places the human being first, as a subject in its own right rather than an object. [GLOS SZCZECINSKI] Do you, too, feel that injustice has been done to you? At a meeting with Nowogard farmers, you spoke of your debts, which exceed one billion zlotys [Z], and of your inability to pay them off because interest payments are accruing on them like an avalanche. [Lepper] The reason I became politically active was not simply that I had fallen into the debt trap. I carried out an in-depth analysis of the situation ensuing from our involvement with the World Bank and the IMF. With the very high interest rates that have been given us in the form of a diktat, Poland has no chance whatsoever to develop in any way. I could have sorted out my own affairs a long time ago; I had several offers of help. However, I take a wider view of the situation. And I have a sense of duty. If I know the truth concerning certain World Bank operations and World Bank funds, I am obliged to pass it on and make it public. [passage omitted] [GLOS SZCZECINSKI] During the election campaign, everyone in Poland listened as you spoke of debts and social injustice, and then the promotional campaign advertisements broadcast by the TV election studios showed you in a brand new sports Mercedes. [Lepper] I have a 10-year-old Fiat 125, which can be easily verified. My house is old and very small--just three tiny rooms. One of our colleagues from Warsaw drives a BMW, another gave me a lift in his Mercedes to the television interview. People in our group own a variety of good cars, but that does not automatically mean that Lepper has one, too. [GLOS SZCZECINSKI] You have a 50-hectare farm. Who runs it and works on it on a daily basis, inasmuch as you occupy your time with political activity and travel around the country a great deal? [Lepper] I have an agreement with

FBIS3-9200_2

Farmers Trade Union Leader Discusses Movement

a group of younger farmers who can use my agricultural machinery and equipment and, in return, cultivate my land in addition to their own. But my yields are now much lower than in the past, when I sometimes collected as much as 60-90 hundredweights of wheat grain per hectare, working with quite poor--4th-, 5th-, and even 6th-grade--soils. [GLOS SZCZECINSKI] You told farmers that you are in favor of progress but, at the same time, against banks with marble-lined halls and computers everywhere. In that case, what do you understand by progress? [Lepper] We do need computers in banks, and perhaps we also need new banks, but there is one question that still needs answering: If those computers and those banks fail to give us credits for agricultural production and, as a result, our agricultural production begins to decrease, are the computers and the new banks really the most important investment at this stage of our development? I am in favor of progress. And, if we do not have appropriate new technologies ourselves, we certainly need to make use of world achievements in that area. However, we must not do that at the risk of destroying our own achievements in the process. For example, could we not concentrate, in state farms being set up in new premises, on promoting modern agricultural practices centering on the agricultural food-processing industry? Such enterprises would represent closed systems, where agricultural raw material would be produced, processed, and even sold. This would benefit the urban sector as well as the rural community because it would significantly shorten the path between producer and consumer. [GLOS SZCZECINSKI] You criticize everyone at your meetings: the president, the peasant prime minister, the State Treasury Agricultural Property Agency, the banks, the IMF.... [Lepper] If we want to leave the path of our subjection to diktat and Poland's dependence on others' decisions, then we must be prepared to say "Halt!" in three instances--that is, to carry out the banking reform and to invest in production credits connected primarily with the construction and agricultural sectors. This would, at the same time, solve the unemployment problem for us. Of course, we must find the means to carry out all these operations. Without money we really will not achieve anything at all. This could be in the form of cash or either credit cards or checks. [GLOS SZCZECINSKI] But where would we find the funds

FBIS3-9210_0

Alcohol Consumption Rises Again

Language: English Article Type:CSO [Article by Richard Byrne Reilly: "Freedom May Be Driving People To Drink"] [Text] Experts are alarmed at the sharp rise in alcohol consumption--and its twin sister, alcoholism--among Czechs since 1989. According to a report released by the Prague Psychiatric Center in Bohnice, the use of alcohol increased dramatically between 1989 and 1992. The consumption of pure alcohol--generally drunk in the form of beer and spirits in the Czech Republic--has climbed by approximately one liter per capita per year, reaching a total of 9.4 liters per person in 1992. (Pure-alcohol consumption is measured in part so that different nations' statistics can be compared directly, whether the local drink of choice is beer, wine or some other beverage.) Statistics are still being compiled for 1993. The report noted that consumption levels in Slovakia, Hungary and Poland all mirrored the post-communist trend in the Czech Republic. The consequences of the increase in alcohol consumption and abuse are graphically illustrated by the growing number of crimes committed under alcohol's influence, by those seeking counseling, and also by the great increase in alcohol-related traffic fatalities, said Dr. Karel Nespor of the Prague Psychiatric Hospital, a co-author of the report. "The decrease in stability of Czech society and the increase of the supply and availability of alcohol are two of the main factors [for the increase in alcohol consumption]," said Nespor, who is also a member of the National Center for Health Promotion, and has written extensively on the subject. "For the average Czech citizen, the situation under communism was more or less predictable," he said. "The sociopolitical changes that occurred with the revolution in 1989 have created social instability as many people, uncertain as to what the future will bring, have turned to drinking in order to cope." He added, "The growing trend is also a product of the abuse of freedom. And for many people, it has been difficult to adjust." According to a source at the Ministry of Health, alcohol-related injuries actually doubled between 1989 and 1993. There were 4,500 alcohol-related deaths in the Czech Republic last year, the source said. Dr. Vladislav Cerny, a psychologist specializing in the study of epidemiology at the Prague Psychiatric Center, agreed with Nespor's assessment. "One of the main factors related to the rise of alcohol consumption is the release of social controls," he said, referring to changes that ensued with the demise

FBIS3-9212_0

International Cooperation Helps Silesia

Language: English Article Type:CSO [Article by Andrew Hawker: "Fingers Pointed in Silesia"] [Text] In the ecologically and economically blighted region of Silesia--weighed down by outdated heavy industry, houses heated by coal, and a lack of funds--many prefer not to even address the issue of the environment. Others, however, have chosen an ambitious answer to what sometimes seems an overwhelming problem. With producers in the area clamoring for subsidized environmental restructuring loans, those providing funding want to know where each dollar will have the greatest impact. Their tool is Project Silesia, an international study bringing together the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the World Bank, the U.S. Peace Corps and the Czech and Polish environmental ministries. The study seeks to set priorities for the region around Ostrava, northern Moravia, and Katowice, southern Poland. The EPA researchers found that air pollutants will probably cause cancer in 1.4 percent of the region's 5 million inhabitants. In areas with peak concentrations of toxins, more than half the residents could be afflicted. On the Czech side of the border alone, air-borne dust, sulfur dioxide and other atmospheric pollutants are estimated to kill 380 people annually. Cases of breathing paralysis and inflammations are also common. Almost 1,000 miners annually suffer from traumas caused by silicosis and physical stress. The researchers also found high levels of poisonous elements, including PCBs, in food produced in Silesia and dangerous levels of arsenic in the tap water. In response, Project Silesia's first task was to identify the main culprits. In this coal-mining and steel-producing region, the ax fell heavily on coke ovens. Ostrava-Karvina Coke Ovens (OKK) released 3,800 tons of pollutants into the atmosphere last year. Under pressure to cut pollution, the company has reduced its production by one-third since 1990. OKK's manager, Vitezslav Hladik, hopes to export his product, which is used to fire metallurgical and power plant furnaces. Environmentalists, however, would rather see his ovens completely shut down in the near future. "Exporting coke would be selling off our health, and depriving ourselves of a non-renewable resource," said Project Silesia's Czech coordinator, Helena Cizkova. Like Hladik, other industrial chiefs both fear the project and place their bets on it. The study's results will aid in directing World Bank funds. Still, "my biggest problem was `selling' the project," Cizkova said. "Many other studies are just gathering dust on ministerial shelves." Industry scientists typically state that they do not need expensive

FBIS3-9247_0

Ilinden OMO Leader Details Macedonian Claims

Language: Bulgarian Article Type:BFN [Interview with Jordan Kostadinov, chairman of the Ilinden United Macedonian Organization, by Valeriya Veleva; place and date not given: "Whoever Tries To Prove Macedonians Are Bulgarians Is Waging Propaganda for War in the Balkans"; first paragraph gives biographical details that appear in a box together with 1.5 x 1.5-inch photograph of Kostadinov] [Text] Yordan Kostadinov was born in the village of Ilindentsi, in Sandanski district. He used to work as a teacher of mechanical engineering. At the constituent meeting of the Ilinden OMO [United Macedonian Organization], held on 14 March 1990 in the town of Sandanski, he was elected deputy chairman of the organization. Later, after the Ilinden OMO split, he was elected chairman of the extreme right wing. [Veleva] Mr. Kostadinov, what are the aims of the Ilinden OMO? [Kostadinov] During the four years since its formation, the Ilinden OMO has campaigned for the granting of national rights to the Macedonians. We are entitled to seek our rights, and not to be oppressed by those who want to ensure that the voice of a Macedonian declaring that he is a Macedonian is not heard. What we have been subjected to was a genocide and an assimilation. So far, over 150 of our people have been beaten by the authorities. Where is Bulgarian democracy going? Their propaganda describes us as riffraff, as crazy people, and yet we have winegrowers, tractor drivers, engineers, and teachers among our members. You media people incite the violence that the government and the authorities are practicing against us. What you are doing is covered by Bulgaria's Penal Code. The Ilinden OMO is a defender of national minorities, and whoever tries to prove that Macedonians are Bulgarians is waging propaganda for war in the Balkans! [Veleva] However, according to the Constitution, Bulgaria is a one-nation state, so on what basis do you claim that a Macedonian national minority exists? [Kostadinov] Look here, it is distinguished by its own culture, its own mentality, its own peculiarities, spirituality, and needs, in that it does not want to live oppressed by these Bulgarian policies and propaganda. This is what I mean. [Veleva] How do Bulgarian policies oppress you? [Kostadinov] Our population lives in a state of stress and neurotic fear. Old women still cover their heads with black scarves. What are we to say about this? How can I allow myself in my life to

FBIS3-9256_0

Jovanovic `Suspicious' About U.S. Objectives

Language: French Article Type:BFN [Interview with FRY Foreign Minister Vladislav Jovanovic by Christophe Lamfalussy in Brussels on 22 March: "The European Union Must Keep Its Promises"] [Text] [Lamfalussy] Minister, you are going to meet with Andre Adam, director general of policy at the Foreign Ministry. What is the nature of your visit? [Jovanovic] So many things worry us: The Yugoslav crisis, the unjust and artificial isolation in which we have been placed. [Lamfalussy] In practice, you want the sanctions to be lifted? [Jovanovic] The European Union (EU) must keep its promises. It was it which proposed the peace plan to us. It asked the Serbian side to fulfill the conditions. And they have been fulfilled. It promised us that it would start to lift the sanctions. And we have been waiting for several months. Hoping that its promise means something. If not, its credibility in the negotiations will be greatly affected. [Lamfalussy] There is still an impression that Serbian Bosnia and Serbia are the same... [Jovanovic] Our influence on the Bosnian Serbs has limits. When three of our presidents went from Belgrade to Pale last year, they were humiliated. Their prestige suffered as a result. The Bosnian Serbs have been living there for a thousand years. They know their rights better than us. If they feel that we do not support them, they are ready to tell us to go to the devil. [Lamfalussy] What is your influence on the Serbs in Krajina who are opening negotiations with the Croatian Government this Tuesday? [Jovanovic] We cannot tell them what agreement they must sign. We can tell them that the hostilities must end, which is what we are saying to the Croatians too. [Lamfalussy] What is your feeling? [Jovanovic] We must return to the self-determination which was guaranteed by the last federal constitution of Yugoslavia and the penultimate Croatian Constitution. Croatia was defined as the state of the Croatian nation and the Serbian nation. When Mr. Tudjman came to power, his first action was to revise the constitution and reduce the Serbs to a minority. Until their rights are restored, there will not be much room for a compromise. [Lamfalussy] In one country which would be Croatia? [Jovanovic] It is possible if they reach agreement. [Lamfalussy] Is the agreement signed in Washington by Croatians and Muslims another sign of hope? [Jovanovic] God willing. It may be a hope, but it may

FBIS3-9259_0

Commentary on U.S.-German `Rivalry' in NATO

Language: Serbo-Croatian Article Type:BFN [Commentary by Milan Mijalkovski: "Partnership for Discord"] [Text] The United Nations is generally seen as the most significant international organization in charge of the preservation of peace and security in the world. Since the two world wars started in Europe, and the Cold War between NATO and the Warsaw Pact was most palpable in Europe, in 1973 the CSCE was founded in Helsinki to prevent possible cataclysms. Ever since, the CSCE member-countries (the European countries, the United States, and Canada) have been working systematically to strengthen mutual trust by solving problems in three domains (security, economics, and humanitarian aid). Without diminishing the importance of the last two, security is still the most important, because it clearly puts member-countries under an obligation to observe the established principles with regard to international affairs, particularly in terms of supplying information and making it possible to view the condition and activities of their armed forces. Intense negotiations on disarmament were crowned by the Vienna Document in 1990, by which Soviet military dominance (and power) in Europe was eliminated. Before that, at the CSCE meeting in Paris (from 19 to 21 March 1990) the Charter for a New Europe was adopted, which announces the cessation of the Cold War and presents the conceptual arrangement of future relations in Europe. The violent disintegration of former Yugoslavia and a war whose end is still not in sight best show to what extent the CSCE member-countries have stuck to the Charter (it does not anticipate the possibility of war breaking out). The dynamics and character of the political and military processes in Europe in the course of 1990 created the illusion that finally a time of peace and well-being had come about. However, some significant facts were overlooked, which warned of the evidently misjudged situation. The facts are: Nobody mentioned that NATO should be dissolved, although there was no more need for its existence; NATO was rejoicing over victory against its main opponent, that is, the Warsaw Pact, and ignoring the warning of a USSR official that something horrible would come about with the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact -- NATO would remain without an enemy; the Warsaw Pact member-countries naively believed that they would be swamped with the capital of the rich West; German unification was underestimated, while some vital goals and interests of Russia were disregarded. Therefore, inexplicably, the role of the

FBIS3-9260_0

Milosevic, Greek Communist Delegation Meet

Language: English Article Type:BFN ["Pool" item] [Text] Belgrade, March 22 (TANJUG) -- President of the Yugoslav Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic and Honorary President of the Communist Party of Greece Charilaos Florakis said here on Tuesday they believed that the Balkan nations, in accordance with their vital interests and interdependence, should strive towards development of mutual relations and constructive cooperation on an equal footing. The two sides agreed this would be the best way to ensure prosperity of the Balkan peoples and guarantee them that their rights and interests would be implemented in peace and in conditions of goodneighbourliness and mutual respect, said a statement released by the Serbian president's office. Stressing the importance of friendship and close ties between the Serb and Greek peoples, Milosevic said that "for Serbia and its citizens, the support and solidarity of Greece mean moral support and encouragement to put up with the pressure to which they are exposed." A Greek parliamentary delegation headed by Florakis said on Tuesday in a meeting with Yugoslav Parliamentarian Borisav Jovic that a settlement of the crisis in former Yugoslavia should be sought only in talks between the warring sides without any external interference, and warned of the danger of the conflict spreading to the entire Balkan region. The Greek delegation also said that the Greek people had nothing but praise for the Serb people's resistance to attempts by imperalist powers, such as the United States and Germany, to establish a new world order in the Balkans and zones of their economic and political influence in the region. Jovic, who is chairman of the parliamentary foreign policy committee, said Yugoslavia was vitally interested in an end to all fighting, lifting of unjust sanctions and return to the international community. In late May 1992, the U.N. Security Council imposed tough sanctions on Yugoslavia for its alleged involvement in civil war in neighbouring Bosnia-Herzegovina although no Yugoslav soldier has been fighting there. Jovic also hailed Greece's support and aid it had been wholeheartedly rendering to the Serb people in this difficult stage in its history.

FBIS3-9270_1

Tudjman News Conference on U.S. Visit, RSK

of historical significance, as a watershed in the efforts to resolve the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, and as a resolute step toward peace. The talks I had at the United Nations with Secretary General Butrus Butrus-Ghali and all his aides and, in particular, my speech in the Security Council--which met with Madame Albright, the U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations in the chair--were for us of great significance. During the course of these talks with both the UN secretary general and his aides and, in particular, in the Security Council, it became evident that Croatia's stands were enjoying support from almost all the Security Council members -- Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, Great Britain, Russia, the Czech Republic, and so forth. Like U.S. statesmen and all those we talked to, they also paid tribute to Croatia and its steadfast, determined, and sensible policy and reiterated their support for Croatia's territorial integrity. Both President Clinton and the Security Council members stated emphatically that, for their part, they would do their utmost to ensure that the UN Security Council resolutions were implemented and that the Croatian territories under the control of the peace forces and under Serb occupation--and it was the first time that U.S. representatives and the Security Council spoke in those terms--were reintegrated in Croatia's constitutional and legal system as soon as possible. Understandably, during the course of this, everyone was appealing for this to be done peacefully while, on their part, they will bring pressure to bear--by way of sanctions and in other ways--on Serbia and Yugoslavia so that they renounce occupation and accept a solution. During the course of these talks on the new mandate, I presented Croatia's views that we could accept, that we accepted, the extension of the UNPROFOR [UN Protection Forces] mandate on the condition that some guidelines for the implementation of the Vance plan and UN Security Council resolutions were laid down. In this context, I drew attention to the importance of the implementation of Resolution 769 on border controls between Croatia and Serbia and between Croatia and those areas in Bosnia that are under the control of Serb forces and to the disarmament of Serb paramilitary formations. Without this, there can be no peace. I also drew attention to the beginning of the return of refugees and, lastly, the gradual restoration of infrastructure facilities, communications, oil pipelines, and power lines. In this

FBIS3-9309_5

Ceka Interviewed on `Political Violence'

these highlanders remain the victims of what this writer called "a beauty that kills," victims of the silence of a state that appears on television with luxurious offices, take-offs and landings of aircraft, and the same twisted smiles at official receptions. As long as Gjovalin Cekini's murderers are not arrested, they are protected by this syrupy "beauty" of the state. [Tushe] After being forbidden to hold a meeting at Elbasan, the AD was also prevented from holding its planned meetings in Reps an Fan of Mirdita on 14 March. Do you see in this an escalation of the state's political violence? [Ceko] This action by the police, of course at the orders of politicians, shows that the constitution is being violated in two ways. First, the most basic political rights are being restricted, such as the right to assembly. According to a regulation introduced by either nincompoops or people hostile to democracy, police permissions must be sought even for meetings in indoor halls. This is a violation of the Constitution, for which somebody will answer one day. The police officers who sign such orders must therefore look for a legal basis for such instructions. Second, directors of the Public Order Ministry are making open attempts to politicize the police. I sincerely advise them to be wary of such steps that not only compromise the state but their own futures. Such measures that seem to be sporadic, such as the imprisonment of journalists, prohibitions on political activities, and assaults on political personalities, indicate a strategy of political violence directed against pluralism and democracy. There is no evidence that today's rulers have neither the economic resources nor the courage to establish a dictatorship. At the moment, the evidence is for a restricted democracy within the limits accepted by Europe. However, these rulers are unable to realize that Europe, and still less a people that has just emerged from dictatorship, cannot be taken in by a facade. [Tushe] Do you think the Nano trial is part of this strategy? [Ceka] Nano's guilt has still not been proved from the course of the trial so far, and he therefore still remains a political figure. This is therefore an act of political violence. Even though Nano is the chairman of a party that the AD opposes in the political spectrum and over many basic issues in our programs, I cannot accept the savagery with which

FBIS3-9399_1

Official Outlines Draft Law on Organized Crime

so-called laundering of dirty money. The second part defines legal means and procedures that would make it possible to expose and document serious criminal activity in a way that could be used as evidence in court [s procesnou posobnostou]. The course of action by the bodies involved in criminal proceedings has until now been formal, in a certain way, so that findings by the criminal police that were not obtained by the set procedures could not be used as evidence in court. [Handzo] What is the purpose of the proposed legal means? [Seges] We would like to break through the principle that is valid now, according to which it is possible to start collecting evidence, for it to be recognized in court, only after criminal prosecution has been formally initiated. In the case of listed criminal acts (which are enumerated in the draft law), the bodies involved in criminal proceedings should be permitted to collect evidence that will be recognized in court before the initiation of criminal prosecution. These bodies should be endowed with such powers as would allow them to investigate effectively, in a way that will be recognized in court, when their crime-solving experience and other indications suggest that they are confronted with organized crime, even if they do not avail themselves of findings signaling a specific criminal act. [Handzo] Could the application of legal means permitting the start of investigations in the event of a mere suspicion not constitute encroachment upon basic human rights in certain cases? [Seges] The draft law makes it possible for bodies involved in criminal proceedings to secure evidence, in the case of listed (enumerated) criminal acts, without there being a formal resolution on the initiation of criminal prosecution. Therefore, should a charge be raised, the effects of the start of criminal prosecution would retroactively authorize even the deployment of operational technical devices [operativno-technickych prostriedkov], telephone tapping, or the use of a secret agent operating under an assumed identity (alias), who would penetrate into the criminal environment with the aim of obtaining evidence. It is self-evident that, in view of this being a very serious encroachment upon citizens' civil rights and liberties, all of these means could be used only with the consent of the judge or prosecutor. Opponents of this regulation argue that it is anticonstitutional or that it restricts basic human rights. However, the Constitution expressly states that these rights can

FBIS3-9411_1

Ministry Allegedly Planned To Bug MLADINA

supervised and information should be collected about them in order to act more effectively against them." MLADINA continues: "It seems that VOMO was not directly engaged in this activity, but only its section connected to the special brigade Moris. The core of this parallel organization, which won the nickname `Paravomo,' consists of former and present operatives in individual elite combat units under the leadership of Jansa's most faithful men from the time of the formation of the maneuver structure. Beside this, there is supposedly also a higher level of informers, which is mostly comprised of the minister's friends and sympathizers from all over Slovenia. In Operation Ljubljana, however, it was mostly the operatives who took part in it and who were subsequently joined by experts for telephone and other types of bugging and private detective agencies." The article adds that "some information implies that the Slovene police already have proof about the buggings and surveillance" but doubt a speedy and smooth investigation of the case because, "as the well-informed sources claim, the VOMO supposedly holds information about some dubious business allegedly involving the police which it could use for blackmail." The first document entitled "Report No. 2/1" is typed on a paper bearing the heading of the Defense Ministry and dated 16 June 1993. It is labeled State Secret, signed by Darko Njavro "for the special brigade Moris" and addressed "personally" to Mr. Andrej Lovsin, former VOMO chief, who resigned in January 1994. The document generally summarizes the results of the observation of persons suspected of being involved in illegal arms deals, but in the fourth paragraph says: "It is evident from the reports of my informers that public opinion, thanks primarily to MLADINA reporters, is very negative toward the employees of the Defense Ministry and the minister himself. Because of this the minister is demanding control over the media, as it was agreed at the last meeting. I request the approval of the technical means for the realization of this task." The second document of 16 October 1993, also labeled State Secret, signed by Darko Njavro and addressed to Andrej Lovsin personally, reports on purchase of arms in Villach and their transport. The last sentence of the article says: "I request the approval for the telephone bugging of the following numbers: 325-982, 321-954, 318-981 and 329-669" which according to MLADINA's footnote are all telephone numbers of MLADINA's editorial office.

FBIS3-9412_0

EU's Role in Peace Process `Marginal'

Language: English Article Type:BFN ["Pool" item by Borislav Lalic] [Text] Belgrade, March 24 (TANJUG) -- Now that all the "peace plans" of the European Union (E.U.) have fallen through and when their peace-making role in the former Yugoslavia has become marginal, all the E.U. was left with was to stand aside and watch what the Americans and Russians were doing and analyze where it went astray and what all this meant to it. The diplomatic and press circles were already conducting such analyses, although the "pax Americana" for Bosnia was not taken for granted, even less so as a definitive solution. These analyses evince an almost undivided view that hardly any good could come from this for the E.U., providing the U.S.-Russian initiative brings peace to Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia. The fact that it lacked the strength, unity and skill to resolve the problem of the former Yugoslavia, not only confirmed a lack of unified E.U. policy, but could well be the seed undermining the Maastricht creation, which aspired to well-nigh turn into a federal state by the turn of the century. As European Commission President Jacques Delors set out, the case of former Yugoslavia could "Balkanize" the E.U. itself. This "seed" of different interests in the E.U. ranks went back to the time of the beginning of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia. Today, even some of the E.U. member-states admit that Germany forced the recognition of secessionist Yugoslav republics and that this led to eruption of war. Ironically, at this time, when this drama assumed tragic proportions, life seems to be squaring accounts also with the E.U.: As it played a significant role in breaking up of Yugoslavia, so now the E.U. was forced to watch from a distance someone else building peace. Things were nevertheless not as simple to such a degree as to have us believe that the U.S.-sponsored peace process in Bosnia was unfolding completely without the E.U. It was quite possible that the Americans, aided by the Russians, were working in favor of one of the E.U. members, which at first wanted to place under its "umbrella" the entire Bosnia, and now were satisfied with what was possible and realistic, i.e., half of Bosnia. The peace process, which was yet to be joined by the Serbs, would show where this U.S.-Russian peace was going and what links its strived to establish or sever

FBIS3-9415_1

Opposition Leader Views Milosevic, Greece

Bosnia there will be no war in Macedonia or Kosovo. However, democratic Serbia is prepared to facilitate the solution of any problem in the Balkans, even the Macedonian one. This is a major issue for Bulgarian policy and you cannot ignore it. Naturally, we respect this. Simultaneously, however, Serbia should not get involved in the Macedonian issue. Greece's decision to impose an embargo on the republic is not prudent at all. On the other hand, Bulgaria's immediate recognition of Macedonia -- I think that this was proposed by your current ambassador to Rome, Stefan Tafrov -- was a very prudent step. The three states must do everything possible in order to preserve the balance in the Balkans and facilitate the withdrawal of the U.S. "Blue Helmets" from Macedonia. I think that we could ensure peace here much easier than U.S. soldiers. [Shkodrova] Do you think that the three states could reach an agreement on Macedonia? [Komnenic] It is not our business to resolve this issue. However, we must manage our relations with Macedonia very prudently -- without any expansion claims. We must be exceptionally careful and restrained, rather than follow an aggressive policy like Papandreou's present one. It is my personal conviction that Serbia will never enter a conflict because of Macedonia. [Shkodrova] Do you really think that Yugoslavia will follow the policy that you outline? [Komnenic] This is the policy of Serbia's democratic opposition. I am not describing to you Belgrade's official position. [Shkodrova] Does Serbian public opinion coincide with yours? [Komnenic] No. Perhaps only that of part of the people. In Serbia there are radical nationalists who consider Macedonia a southern Yugoslav province, precisely as there are Bulgarians who think that not only Pirin, but the entire Macedonia is part of the Bulgarian culture, nation, and territory. The same apples to Greece. I support the idea of a united Europe, in which borders will not be important. We in the Balkans are still prisoners of factors that have already been overcome. I would like to see the day when at Kalotina [Bulgarian-Serbian border checkpoint] I will not have to show my passport, precisely as Frenchmen do not show their passports when they enter Germany. Integrated in such a way the Balkans could join Europe. This is why the Yugoslav issue is so tragic. Yugoslavia should have entered Europe as one entity -- then it would not have been

FBIS3-9436_1

Horn: MSZP Phones Tapped, Officials Watched

with compensation. However, the opposition is not aware of what kind of domestic, or perhaps international, payment obligations the government has undertaken in the period before the elections. We asked the government to inform Parliament about the country's true financial and economic balance but this was refused. Parallel with the coalition talks, an expert team should draw up a true picture that will largely influence the next coalition's room for maneuver. [Szombathy] What can you say about the arguments that are used by the government to prove that the economic situation is much better than is claimed by the opposition? [Horn] Positive results must also have been achieved in the past four years, but we cannot see even any traces of the defined concept on the change of the economic structure. It is futile to argue with a government that claims that agriculture is a successful branch of the economy and privatization has only positive results. In the course of this propaganda of success, I find it unacceptable that the government has frightened people with the colorful brochures that have been sent out in 1 million copies. Personal data was used here that gives people the impression that they are on file. We experienced this while we were collecting the candidate nomination forms. [Szombathy] In what areas can the new government expect some surprises? [Horn] In finding out what actually happened in the course of privatization decisions. We do not know what kind of asset distribution will take place in the remaining time. For me, giving away headquarters buildings for nominal prices is appalling; I am mainly thinking of the provisions to do with the World Federation of Hungarians. As far as we know, most of the asset distributions were legal, but unethical, which is a different matter. [Szombathy] What have you experienced of the oft-mentioned fears of the population in the provinces? [Horn] Fear can mainly be seen among the intelligentsia. In other social groups, the determination for change is rather strong. I am afraid that the campaign will become even rougher. We are experiencing virtually inexplicable phenomena almost every day: We see telephone tappings, and various cars are waiting around our party premises, observing the movements of MSZP officials. We receive many threats. Some television programs also contribute to inciting hatred. The radio dismissals can also increase the hatred. The new government will have to implement political rehabilitation

FBIS3-9441_0

Jovanovic on Accords, Foreign Involvement

Language: Dutch Article Type:BFN [Report on interview with "Serbian" Foreign Minister Vladislav Jovanovic by Axel Buyse in Brussels; date not given: "Officially Yugoslavia Sees Chances for Peace"] [Text] Brussels -- Yugoslavia is supporting "every effort aimed at bringing peace a step closer." Including, therefore, the rapprochement negotiated by the United States between the Bosnian Croats and Muslims. At least, this is what Serbian Foreign Minister Vladislav Jovanovic claims. "We give the initiative credit, and we give the United States credit for coming up with it. However, we would like to obtain more information from them. Guarantees that the initiative is based on genuine peace, and on a just, balanced solution." "The absence of war between Bosnian Croats and Muslims, the fruit of U.S. mediation, already constitutes the beginning of a political solution between them. However, the third party, the Bosnian Serbs, were not consulted. That is the weak point of the initiative. The war involves all three factions, yet a solution is being sought through bilateral talks," Minister Jovanovic said. "There is nothing unnatural in this rapprochement," according to the minister, who arrived in Brussels yesterday. Belgrade is giving the initiative the benefit of the doubt. "If the intention behind it is serious, then hats off to it; but if it is merely a prelude to an alliance against the third party, then it will not work," he said. Jovanovic pointed out that peace has been on the horizon for a long time. The blueprint is enshrined in the preliminary agreements that were thrashed out by the European Union (EU) in negotiations in Geneva. "The third parties are calling for peace. They want a political solution. But which one? That remains up in the air, because the fate of the three communities in Bosnia does not lie entirely in their own hands. Foreign forces are becoming more and more in evidence in the Balkans," warned the minister. The Muslims, in particular, are bending to such influence, he said a little later. Who did he mean by "foreign forces"? The United States, among others, it would seem, who have taken the initiative away from the EU. "But also the Turks, Iranians, Saudi Arabia, all those who finance the Muslims and back them in pursuing the idea of a unified Bosnia," he said. The Bosnian Serbs have good intentions, emphasized Jovanovic. They are prepared to live in a loose union of three

FBIS3-9472_7

Srpska President Karadzic Addresses Assembly

which forced us to make some political and territorial concessions. We are not asking them to make a final judgement about the inadequacy of the sanctions, that Serbia is not to blame, that it is not responsible and is not involved in fighting. We are asking for a practical approach to the Serbs in their carrot-and-stick policy. In one hand they are holding a [word indistinct], in another one a stick. We are wondering what they are offering the Serbs. In both hands they are holding a stick. If they had three hands they would be holding three sticks." [Correspondent] In this report, we would like to single out one more segment from President Karadzic's address. It refers to a decision by the United Nations Security Council providing for the deployment of Turkish troops in Bosnia: [Karadzic] "The latest decision by a committee granting the right to the Secretary General to accept Turkish troops in Bosnia-Herzegovina is leading us to believe that a big Balkan conflict is being prepared. If this conflict becomes necessary to the international players, full conditions for a big Balkan war will be created by the deployment of the Turkish troops. We are calling on the Secretary General never to invite a neighboring country, no country -- former occupier -- to deploy their troops here neither as observers, technicians, such as technicians [passage indistinct]. "Reasons of good taste should guide the German Government to keep its hands away from the remainder of Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The greater German state policy and diplomacy have left their fingerprints all over the ruins of Yugoslavia. The history will show it, Germany is to blame and is responsible for the redefining of the outcome of World War II. Let it be the concern for Britain and France, for Slovenia and Croatia, that again came under the German influence and which enabled Germany to win World War II at the negotiating table. Our concern is that this should not refer to us. We won World War II, we have won this war, and we want Germany to stay away from us. "Now to speak about Turkey. If Turkish troops are deployed, even if in our neighboring country -- the Muslim-Croat federation -- we will then demand that the Yugoslav troops, troops of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as a UN member and as a neighboring country, be deployed on our side."

FBIS3-9491_0

Kucan Views Peace Process in Balkan Crisis

Language: German Article Type:BFN [Interview with President Milan Kucan by Robert Hochner in the ORF studio in Vienna -- recorded; Kucan speaks in Slovene with superimposed German translation] [Text] [Hochner] Good evening, Mr. President. [Kucan] Good evening. [Hochner] Mr. President, only 40 km south of your country a war is still going on, even though now there appear to be signs of a peaceful solution for Bosnia. How optimistic are you that what now looks like the beginning of a peace settlement will bring real peace to Bosnia? [Kucan] We have to be optimists. What is currently going on is still a consequence of the exhaustion caused by this senseless war and of the world's bad conscience as a result of its inadequate commitment. This should have happened long ago. The fact remains that the solution to this crisis now involves Brussels, Washington, and Zagreb, on the one hand, and Moscow and Belgrade, on the other. These are now, finally, the proper partners, who may be able to influence the course of the war, and who may achieve the pacification of the area and turn war into peace. However, this is far from being the solution to the crisis in the Balkans. [Hochner] You have come to Austria to ask for Austrian support for Slovenia's ambition to join the European Union [EU]. From where does Slovenia's desire arise? Is it participation in Europe's economic market or do security issues constitute a decisive factor? [Kucan] Slovenia's desire to be included in the process of European integration is understandable and is related to the desire of all former East bloc countries. It pertains not only to economic issues but also to political issues and matters of security policy, particularly as a result of the fact that you mentioned at the beginning, namely that the war is still raging only 40 km away from Slovenia. Still, we are interested in getting closer to the EU primarily to achieve democratization of relations within Slovenia, and to achieve the consolidation of democratic institutions, also as far as relations between the civilian state and the defense and military complex are concerned. [Hochner] The biggest political problem between Slovenia and Austria, or rather the biggest problem in terms of economic policy, is Slovenia's huge trade balance deficit with Austria. In case Austria joins the EU do you expect that this would also improve Slovenia's access to the

FBIS3-9512_0

Embassy News Conference Reported

Language: Turkish Article Type:BFN [Text] President Suleyman Demirel has been continuing his contacts in Romania. Stressing that Turkey wants stability in the Balkans and in Europe, Demirel indicated that once the two-year human shame in Bosnia-Herzegovina is eradicated, the region will enter a new cooperation environment. This morning Demirel held a news conference in Bucharest where he is on an official visit. TRT correspondent Ertugrul Bulent Danaci reports from Bucharest: [Danaci] Demirel held a news conference at the Turkish Embassy in Bucharest on the second day of his visit and answered Turkish correspondents' questions. Pointing out that his contacts in Bucharest were very favorable, Demirel stated that Turkey and Romania have no problems and that a state-to-state and people-to-people friendship exists between the two countries. Explaining that the infrastructure which will constitute the basis of the bilateral relations has been in preparation for the last four years, Demirel recalled that several agreements were signed within this framework. Demirel said that Turkey, a Balkan country and therefore a European country, aspires to a peaceful solution to the problems within the Balkan countries. Indicating that today Europe is faced with a security issue, Demirel said that the CSCE is part of this issue and that the CSCE could not function as expected during the Bosnia-Herzegovina situation. Pointing to raised hopes in terms of things running smoothly in the world after the Soviet Union's dissolution, Demirel recalled that this was not achieved. In spite of all this, Demirel stressed, regional countries should work toward a composed and long-term cooperation for the happiness of their people. Within this framework, Demirel added, Turkey and Romania have good cooperation. Recalling that Turkey supports Romania's inclusion in the European organizations, Demirel noted that Romania was the first country to sign the Partnership for Peace agreement with NATO. Wishing Romania success in its efforts toward democracy and market economy, Demirel said that Turkey and Romania have good relations within the framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation [BSEC]. Demirel announced that following his meetings with the concerned heads of state, he would call for a BSEC summit meeting. Answering a reporter's question on Turkey's depreciation by international financial institution, Demirel said that he cannot comment on Turkey's credit points dropping from 3B to 2B, since it was meaningless, and added that credits to be extended to Turkey should not be measured according to the B's. Demirel said: God

FBIS3-9523_0

Kontic Concerned Over UN Plan To Send Turks

Language: English Article Type:BFN ["Pool" item] [Text] Belgrade, March 24 (TANJUG) -- Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic expressed his concern in Belgrade Thursday over the decision of U.N. Secretary General Butrus Butrus-Ghali to send Turkish troops within the UNPROFOR [UN Protection Forces] forces. During his meeting with the new commander of the 32,500 UNPROFOR troops in former Yugoslavia, French General Bernard de Lapresle, Kontic brought up the question of Butrus-Ghali's readiness to deploy troops from neighbouring Turkey, a former occupation force in Yugoslavia. Kontic also underlined the good cooperation between the Yugoslav Government and UNPROFOR and said that Yugoslavia highly estimated UNPROFOR's role and its contribution to the prevention of further destructions, conflicts and suffering in the former federation, it is a statement of the Federal Information Ministry notes [sentence as received]. Nevertheless Kontic also pointed to the errors made by some parts of UNPROFOR, particularly in the republic of Serb Krajina (RSK) which had also been mentioned by U.N. Secretary General Butrus-Ghali in his latest report to the U.N. Security Council. The RSK was declared a U.N. Protected Area in March 1992 according to the plan of the special U.N. envoy for former Yugoslavia Cyrus Vance, following clashes between the local Serbs and the Croatian authorities set off by Croatia's forcible secession from the Yugoslav Federation in mid 1991. Butrus-Ghali said that in Croatia and the RSK the conflicting sides are accusing UNPROFOR of partiality. He exemplified this by four Croatian incursions into the RSK when the peacekeepers were unable to protect the Serb civilian population. Kontic emphasized that the Yugoslav Government urges the extension of the UNPROFOR mandate in accordance with the Vance plan until a political settlement is found for the U.N. Protected Areas. During the talks he also stressed Yugoslavia's firm orientation towards a peaceful and political solution to the crisis in former Yugoslavia. The meeting between Kontic and De Lapresle was attended by the new UNPROFOR Director for Civil Affairs, Brazilian Diplomat Sergio de Mello.

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Turkish President Arrives on Official Visit

Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Bucharest, Romania, Mar. 23 (A.A.) -- President Suleyman Demirel, on an official visit to Romania, said on Wednesday that Ankara and Bucharest should cooperate to boost ties and help secure peace and stability in the Balkans. "I believe the conflicts in the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the Middle East call for more frequent contacts between Romania and Turkey, two large states in the region," Demirel said in an address broadcast live on state radio from the Cotroceni Palace, where he met with Romanian President Ion Iliescu. Iliescu said Turkey and Romania were key countries for stability in the Balkans. Demirel's visit is the second by a Turkish head of state since 1989, the year the communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu was toppled in a bloody revolution. In addition to the conflict in ex-Yugoslavia, the two sides discussed their increasing trade ties since the demise of communism. Turkish firms are involved in 2,649 ventures in Romania, the fourth largest number of any country. Turkey ranks ninth among countries in overall foreign investment in Romania since the 1989 revolution, at about 32.3 million U.S. dollars. Demirel's visit coincides with the opening of a Romanian-Turkish bank in Bucharest. He also is expected to visit the port of Constantsa on the Black Sea, home of most of Romania's ethnic Turkish minority.

FBIS3-9541_0

CEFTA Plans for Liberalization on Track

Language: English Article Type:CSO [Article by Michele Kayal: "Central Europe Accelerates Free Trade"] [Text] The economic leaders of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia pledged early this month to speed up the liberalization of trade among their countries and create a free trade zone in less than five years. A fast-track version of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) agreed upon in Prague on Feb. 4, commits the four countries to achieving free trade by Jan. 1, 1998--three years faster than previously planned. By that date, tariff and non-tariff barriers for manufactured goods are to be lowered or abolished. In just two months, the CEFTA nations are scheduled to decide upon an expanded list of goods that will enjoy completely free trade under the fast-track program. Certain sensitive areas--including agriculture, textiles, metals and automobiles--are not addressed in the current plan. Expert panels are scheduled to begin immediate discussions on how to resolve these issues. Agriculture is expected to present the biggest obstacle. The four countries' trade ministers said they would like to expand the current list of items slated for completely free trade. Czech Minister of Trade and Industry Vladimir Dlouhy said that the group's determination to quickly solve complex agricultural disagreements signals that the countries are "ready to start eating this bitter apple." Keeping in step with the Western nations that recently concluded trade pacts such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the CEFTA countries said they expect the union to improve their economies and to help ease their integration into Europe. Each member country is permitted to sign bilateral agreements with third countries--Romania and Bulgaria are primary candidates. CEFTA was signed in December 1992 by the Czech and Slovak republics, Hungary and Poland with the goal of creating a free trade zone for the region's 65 million people by the year 2001. The agreement began taking effect in March 1993 with the gradual removal of tariffs from 60 percent of listed items traded between Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, and 54 percent of industrial goods from Slovakia. Ironically, trade among the CEFTA countries has shriveled since the agreement was initially signed. Hungary's trade with CEFTA countries, for instance, shrank from 12.5 percent of total trade to just 5 percent. All four countries negotiating CEFTA are also pressing for freer trade with Western Europe, where

FBIS3-9563_0

Survey Examines Voter Attitudes

Language: Hungarian Article Type:BFN [Andras Kovacs article: "Whom Would You Not Elect?"] [Excerpts] [passage omitted] What are the chances of a campaign that is conducted against the competing parties in Hungary? We wanted to get an answer to this question on the basis of a survey of a 1,000-head sample representing the country's population over the age of 15 that was carried out by the Szonda Ipsos Public Opinion Research company in January 1994. During the survey, the people questioned first had to say whether they find it acceptable for a person who is in one of the following nine groups to become a member of the next government and plays an important political role. The replies were as follows. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Group |Acceptable |Unacceptable | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Younger than 35 |76 |24 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Had a leading role in pr-|51 |49 | |evious system | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Moved back to Hungary fr-|39 |61 | |om abroad | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Parents were communist l-|66 |34 | |eaders | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Is a member of a nationa-|77 |23 | |l minority | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Is unfaithful to his mar-|63 |37 | |riage partner | | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Does not believe in God |79 |21 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Is of Jewish origin |83 |17 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Homosexual |34 |64 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The answers show that the vast majority of the Hungarian population has no objections against a young, national minority, atheist, or Jewish person playing a leading role in Hungarian politics. For about two-thirds of the voters, it is not an important factor making a political role impossible if someone is adulterous or if his parents were communist leaders. However, only half of those who replied considered leading positions in the previous regime compatible with a future governmental position, and the majority of the public clearly rejects those who have moved back from abroad or are homosexuals: Nearly two-thirds of the questioned people considered it unacceptable for them to have a serious political position. Apart from those who oppose the political role of people returning from abroad, the social-demographic characteristics of people who reject the other groups are very similar. Elderly people, people with lower levels of education, people living in small villages, people with low incomes, and those who are inactive or dependent are represented more than the average. People with lower schooling generally gave more negative answers than the

FBIS3-9564_1

Poll Assesses Parties' Economic Programs

of the people surveyed had heard about this meeting, and this also shows that the good position of the SZDSZ is due not so much to information, but to the fact that a considerable number of citizens have consistently regarded the SZDSZ (as well as the Hungarian Democratic Forum [MDF]) as a program party since the 1990 elections. It is also important to know the extent to which supporters of individual parties "follow their feelings" and the extent to which they evaluate the party program. We cannot give an exact answer to this question, but the way voters judge their own parties is also characteristic from this viewpoint. Supporters of the SZDSZ, the Hungarian Socialist Party [MSZP] and the Independent Smallholders' Party [FKGP] are higher the average in thinking that their party has an election program, while supporters of the MDF are more uncertain than the average. A considerable proportion of voters for the Christian Democratic People's Party [KDNP] is made up of women older than 60, living in villages, and disinterested in politics; in their election decisions, religion plays a bigger role than the party programs. In this respect, the Federation of Young Democrats [Fidesz] resembles the two government parties more than the opposition parties. Since shrinking to a third of the figures prevailing in December 1992, the Fidesz supporters are increasingly connected to a certain age group: Half of the present Fidesz supporters are younger than 30 and three-quarters are young than 40. Political disinterest can often be found among the younger generation, and many of them are only attracted to Fidesz for emotional reasons. There is a broad consensus in the fact that politics should first of all solve the economic problems; however, many voters have no idea which party could best solve the problems facing the Hungarian economy. Many voters do not think that the party they want to vote for is capable of doing this. This shows the limited commitment of some of the Hungarian voters. These are facts that every party should face more deliberately during the election campaign. About the same number of people expect economic improvement from the MSZP and the MDF as the number of people who would vote for these two parties, but we are not talking about exactly the same people. Some 4 percent more people than the actual supporters think that the SZDSZ could improve the economic situation.

FBIS3-9585_0

Kontic Elaborates on 1994 Economic Program

Language: Serbo-Croatian Article Type:BFN [Report by Brana Filipovic and Radovan Radovanovic] [Text] Federal Prime Minister Radoje Kontic is currently visiting the Timok region. Addressing the leadership of the municipality and the Bor mining and smelting works, the federal prime minister for the first time fully outlined the economic policy for 1994. The government measures will not deviate from Avramovic's program but will actually extend further. Federal Prime Minister Kontic also announced general economic reforms. The federal prime minister was accompanied by [Ministers] Nikola Sainovic and Tomislav Raicevic. Brana Filipovic and Radovan Radovanovic report: Briefing the Yugoslav prime minister on the development work so far and the plans until 2005, Miroslav Cvetanovic, director general of the Bor copper combine, stressed that despite the sanctions, the Bor and Serbian giant has managed to keep up production in the past two years, utilize 70-80 percent of its capacities, and develop the Cerevo copper mine. The combine invested $40 million of its own money in the mine. Speaking about the development program, Cvetanovic said that the combine plans to increase its production by one-third by 2005, install a new transportation system on the mine's site, and secure $120 million for a new and extremely modern smelting plant. In a fairly long speech, Radoje Kontic said that the first stage of stabilizing the national currency has been successfully completed. [Begin Kontic recording] The second stage of implementing the stabilization program, which is just starting, consists of a gradual revival of the total economic activity. Under the total economic activity, I mean the revival of current production and, of course, after that, increase in investment activities. While preparing the economic policy for 1994, the federal government in fact accepted as its basis the concept and tenets contained in the program for reconstructing the monetary system and the strategy of the economic recovery of Yugoslavia, which was drafted by a group of experts led by Dr. Avramovic. However, in doing so, the federal government also borne in mind the analyses and assessments of the relevant federal ministries on the current economic and social situation in the country, the stands of the Economic Council of the federal government on the concept of the economic policy for 1994, as well as the views expressed in the program for macro-economic stabilization prepared by the (?CESMECON) Center for Economic Studies under the leadership of Professor Oskar Kovac. The level of liberalization

FBIS3-9631_0

Turkish Troops in B-H Could Cause `Escalation'

Language: English Article Type:BFN ["Pool" item] [Text] Belgrade, March 25 (TANJUG) -- Yugoslavia warned on Friday that sending Turkish troops to the former Yugoslav Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina could directly influence further escalation of conflicts in the region. A decision by U.N. Secretary-General Butrus Butrus-Ghali to accept Turkish troops for the U.N. peacekeeping force in Bosnia-Herzegovina departs from the principle agreed on when UNPROFOR [UN Protection Forces] was set up that no troops of neighbouring countries, as well as of countries whose presence was not acceptable in these areas for historical reasons, would be deployed in the territory of former Yugoslavia, a statement issued from the Yugoslav Secretariat for Foreign Affairs a copy of which was given to TANJUG said. The Turkish Ottoman Empire ruled from the 14th until the end of the 19th century in the area which is now former Bosnia-Herzegovina, and then a Slav (predominantly the Serb Orthodox) people had undergone Islamization. Turks ruled much of the Balkans until the early years of this century. The issued statement warned that by its lack of objectivity and one-sidedness Turkey had a continual negative effect in the areas of Bosnia-Herzegovina and that was why Turkish troops were unacceptable as part of the U.N. peace-keeping force in Bosnia-Herzegovina on any grounds. Under the U.N. Charter, the U.N. Security Council and U.N. secretary-general were directly responsible for peace and international security and in case of the civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina, they have to do everything possible to reach a lasting peace as soon as possible, and not to contribute to escalation of the conflict, the statement said.

FBIS3-9637_2

Demirel on Ties, Balkan Issues

reflects the desire for peace by the two peoples. With these thoughts I am looking forward to my visit to Romania. [Oroveanu] Considering the political, historic, and geographical situation, in your opinion, what role may Turkey and Romania play together in our area and in the existing overall international relations? [Demirel] The traditional friendship between Turkey and Romania does not only represent the foundation for intensifying cooperation between the two countries in all areas, but also constitutes a factor for ensuring an atmosphere of peace, understanding, and cooperation in the Balkans. Turkey and Romania are two important countries in this area. From a regional point of view, our countries are important in the Balkans both in terms of population and economic potential. Both endorse a responsible policy of promoting peace and stability in this area. Both are struggling for seeking a just and lasting solution to the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Their desire to contribute to peace in this area is welcomed by the international community. Therefore, it is natural for the excellent relations between Turkey and Romania to contribute to establishing stability in the Balkans. At the same time, both Turkey and Romania want to be part of the European structures, whose principles they honestly embrace. They are both members of the Treaty of Cooperation in the Black Sea Area and both support the initiatives for cooperation in the Balkans. Turkey and Romania and, like them, the entire area have gained a great deal from cooperating within these forums, as well as within other regional and international organizations. [Oroveanu] Mr. President, in your view, what are the chances for the cooperation projects in the Black Sea area and its immediate vicinity? [Demirel] As you know, there is a significant economic potential in the Black Sea area, including natural resources. We believe that economic cooperation in the Black Sea basin will help the countries in this area benefit from this potential. We are confident that the establishment of lasting multilateral economic relations based on free trade will contribute to the prosperity of this area. The chances for the success of the Treaty of Cooperation in the Black Sea Area (BSEC) affirm themselves along with the transformation process experienced by most of the economies in the BSEC countries. One has to bear in mind, however, that BSEC represents a long-term investment the fruits of which will be noted in the long run.

FBIS3-9639_0

Further on News Conference

Language: Turkish Article Type:BFN [Report by Serdar Dimli from Bucharest] [Text] President Suleyman Demirel and Romanian President Ion Iliescu held a joint news conference this morning in Bucharest where they assessed the outcome of Demirel's visit and answered reporters' questions. Iliescu stated that Demirel's visit is proof of the joint political will to further bilateral relations between the two countries. Indicating that the political dialogue held with Demirel was very beneficial, Iliescu added that the favorable relations between the two countries will contribute to the peace and stability in the region. Iliescu pointed out that the geographical proximity and the complementary economies of the two countries necessitates added cooperation. Iliescu stated that the trade volume between the two countries will be increased from $400 million to $1 billion. Demirel, in turn, stated that Romania and Turkey have taken great responsibility upon themselves within their geographical boundaries and the existing world order. Stressing that there are no problems between the two countries, Demirel said that this visit proves the existence of the political will needed to achieve cooperation in all areas. Demirel said that Turkey appreciates the political and economic reforms in Romania. Demirel noted that Turkish and Romanian business circles will be encouraged to make reciprocal investments as well as investments in third countries. Pointing out that both countries are situated in problematic regions, Demirel stated that Turkey and Romania agree in solving all conflicts by negotiations. In a written communique on Demirel's visit to Romania, it was stressed that the relations between the two countries are excellent. The work to be undertaken to further cooperation was cited in the communique as follows: Furthering cooperation in the trade and industrial area and speedy preparation of a free trade agreement; facilitation and encouragement of mutual investments; undertaking close cooperation regarding communications and land, maritime, air, and railway transportation; developing infrastructure projects; and establishing a Turkish cultural center in Constantsa and a Romanian cultural center in Istanbul. During the Turkish-Romanian meetings in Bucharest, the two presidents agreed to further efforts regarding the Black Sea Economic Cooperation. Both sides agreed to continue the active political dialogue on bilateral and international platforms. Meanwhile, a cooperation program was signed in Bucharest. Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin and his Romanian counterpart signed the cooperation agreement. Demirel departed for Constantsa following the news conference.

FBIS3-9659_0

Commentary Views Regional Security Issues

Language: Macedonian Article Type:BFN [Commentary by Mirka Velinovska: "Season of Confederations"] [Excerpts] Even if it is proven that most of the world's media have assessed the United States' and Russia's performances badly, saying that they only appeared to be participating in the settlement of the Balkan problems and that it was not actually a rerun of Yalta, the unavoidable conclusion is that the changing world has been caught in a contradiction. It needs a break to gain time and see where and how to go on. Forces are once again gathering, the process is reversed. The blocs fell apart, the problems that had existed before transformed themselves into mutant forms after the balance of the bipolar world was disturbed, and neither now nor in the near future will there be any efficient mechanisms for their solution. Therefore, there will probably be, if only for a short time, a return to the old tried and tested experiences. That is why there is Russian presence in the Balkans. The Russian Blue Helmets have been in Croatia, as part of UNPROFOR [United Nations Protection Forces], since the beginning of the mission, but they went to Bosnia at Karadjic's request. This was an excuse, they took advantage of the good opportunity. One of the political anomalies is that Russia has now achieved something it could never do before [the Russian presence in Bosnia] -- neither in czarist times, nor through ideology, let alone during Tito's lifetime -- with UN sponsorship and as a partner of the United States. Maybe the world is trying to dress its ranks, to think in a different way, but it is a fact that it is still following the pattern it has shaped and that is the reason for us, in Macedonia [The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia -- FYROM], to believe that all solutions are possible, and expected, in the still undefined political territory that is the Balkans. Let us not forget that Macedonia is not in the CSCE system of collective security, it is not on the list of countries with a ticket for the Partnership for Peace plan, the United States has frozen the establishment of diplomatic relations, and in that sense, all options are still possible. What was the role of Greece in urging Russia to enter the Balkans -- practically at the gates of NATO? Logically, there should not be many reasons, but just

FBIS3-9663_0

Martic Letter Protests Croatian `State Terror'

Language: Serbo-Croatian Article Type:BFN [Text] Knin, 28 Mar (TANJUG) -- Milan Martic, president of the republic of Serb Krajina [RSK], sent a letter today to Butrus-Ghali, secretary general of the UN Security Council, in connection with the extension of the UN peacekeeping forces' mandate. The letter says: Excellency, The people of the RSK welcome your report to the Security Council of 16 March 1994, because you proposed extending the mandate of the UN peacekeeping forces in the RSK and the Republic of Croatia until 31 March 1995. This decision, with the involvement of the United States and the Russian Federation, will prevent further bloodshed and destruction. However, I expect great problems on the road to achieving a final peace, because the expectations intimated in your letter to the Security Council of 28 January 1994 have not been fulfilled. At that time you expressed your intention of carrying out a detailed assessment of the role and functioning of UNPROFOR [UN Protection Forces] before the Security Council considered extending its mandate. This assessment -- although it was made with the assistance of command centers under Yasushi Akashi, Thorvald Stoltenberg, Mrs. Sadako Ogata, and all the UNPROFOR Officials, at least according to your report -- does not make a single mention of the suffering of the Serbian nation in Croatia, or does it condemn this UN member for its state terror against Serbs, which began in 1990. You are well aware that the Republic of Croatia was the first to begin ethnic cleansing and that, according to your report of 15 May 1993, UNPROFOR had registered, up until 18 March 1993, 251,000 exiled Serbs in the Republic of Serbia and Yugoslavia alone. Despite this, in your latest report -- in Section III, point five, paragraph "d" -- you request that refugees be returned only to areas under UN control. In other words, the Serbs driven out of Croatian towns -- and at that time, on 15 May 1993, you said that they were greater in number than the Croatians who used to live in the RSK before 1991 -- do not concern you. In point six, you accuse us of having a different view on the UNPROFOR mandate, while we are only asking that the facts on the expulsion of Serbs from Croatia be registered in the normative documents of the United Nations, and only then will the UN Security Council be in

FBIS3-9696_0

Claes To Support EU Associate Membership

Language: Slovene Article Type:BFN [Excerpt] Belgian Foreign Minister Willy Claes is visiting Slovenia. He has already met with the highest state officials, namely, President Kucan, Prime Minister Drnovsek, and Foreign Minister Peterle. After the talks Willy Claes and Lojze Peterle signed a bilateral agreement on road and air traffic between Belgium and Slovenia. The ministers assessed today's talks at the news conference from which we have a report by Igor Juric: [Begin recording] [Juric] Willy Claes assessed the talks as successful, which is not surprising because there are no problems between the countries. He emphasized the importance of the signing of today's agreement and spoke in favor of imminent agreement on double taxation and protection of investments, and an agreement on cultural and scientific cooperation, which would strengthen the contacts between the countries. He spoke most, however, about the relations between Slovenia and the European Union: [Claes, in English with superimposed translation into Slovene] I believe that the time has come for final negotiations on associate membership between Slovenia and the European Union. At the end of the week I will meet with Jacques Delors and urge him that the negotiating team that has already visited Slovenia faces the council as soon as possible and proposes its views on negotiations. The final admittance will, of course, depend on the European Parliament and the parliaments of individual member-states of the Union. I believe that Slovenia meets all the criteria and our state will support you wholeheartedly in this. [Juric] In the continuation he also said he doubted that the next expansion of the European Union would occur before 1996 as the present members must first resolve their internal problems. He concurred with our foreign minister that a gradual approach is needed in the integration with the European Union. Minister Peterle said that Slovenia has made the biggest steps toward the European Union so far while Belgium was the chairman of the Union. The result of good relations between the countries is also the signing of today's agreement, which is the first between the countries, and will definitely help more intense economic cooperation. [passage omitted] [end recording]

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Daily Views Possible Support for Walesa

the Sopot Public Opinion Research Institute [PBS], as many as 46 percent of rural area inhabitants declare support for him. So far, the Confederation for an Independent Poland [KPN] has not demonstrated its reluctance toward the president. KPN deputies backed (along with the Democratic Union--UD--and the BBWR) the presidential bill on the procedures of passing the Constitution; they also do not conceal the fact that their, just like Lech Walesa's, greatest enemy is the SLD. They would be ready to take part in establishing a new government under the patronage of the president. UD wants to take a position above the dispute between Walesa and the SLD. As it often happens in this grouping, one unequivocal stand has not been specified; it is known, though, that UD is rather on the side of the SLD, whose finance minister would probably be inclined to continue the policy of economic reforms carried out so far. However, neither UD (rather dissatisfied with recent decisions made by Walesa) nor the KPN (approving of the activities of the current president) will decide to support Walesa in the elections. UD and KPN leaders have presidential ambitions themselves. Leszek Moczulski even stated officially that, in 1995, he would run for the Belweder. Lech Walesa, who frequently refers to traditional values and calls himself a man of the right wing, cannot count on support from a party that is so definitely leftist as the Labor Union [UP]. Even though we may suspect that Ryszard Bugaj's party would not accept some proposals made by Dariusz Rosati (lowering taxes, for instance), in the prestige dispute between Aleksander Kwasniewski and Lech Walesa it would side with the former. Artur Smolko, one of the UP leaders, even called Walesa "a president of destabilization." Also, one cannot rule out the possibility that, in the coming elections, UP will field its own candidate--for example, Aleksander Malachowski. An entirely open war is being waged between Lech Walesa and the SLD; some observers believe that this is... The Initial Stage of the Presidential Campaign ...in which the most dangerous counter-candidate of the present head of state may be Aleksander Kwasniewski. Social Democracy of the Polish Republic does not intend to be grateful to Walesa for "strengthening the left pillar" for a long time; it is more likely to remember his "Solidarity" past and his fighting against the SLD in the present government. The extraparliamentary right (which

FBIS3-9744_0

Iliescu Views Upcoming Visit to Greece

Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Bucharest ROMPRES, 28/3/1994 -- In an interview with a press correspondent of the Macedonian news agency of THESSALONIKI, President Ion Iliescu of Romania said his visit to Greece over 30-31 March "has a special political significance, both for the bilateral relations and for the general development in the Balkans." "The Romanian-Greek relations, which I can term as excellent," the president of Romania said, "are based on long and solid traditions. Along history many have been the circumstances in which our countries helped each other in friendship and solidarity. Maybe the inter-war period was the most flourishing, when Romania and Greece were the promoters of development and cooperation in the Balkans. "After the 1989 revolution in Romania, the relations between Romania and Greece have followed an ascending curve in all spheres, building an atmosphere of mutual confidence which we intend to capitalise during this visit. We shall avail ourselves of this opportunity not only to enhance the relations of friendship and cooperation between our countries, but also to find new practical ways of developing the political consultations, economic collaboration, cultural and human contacts between our peoples. We have always appreciated the assistance Greece has rendered to us, the attachment to our demarches for integration in the European Union and for gaining full membership to the Council of Europe. The Greek Parliament was the first to ratify the treaty for Romania's association with the European Union. It was also Greece that upheld the idea of non-differential treatment by NATO of the countries in the Centre and East of Europe and we believe that Greece can have a new and important contribution in all the phases of Romania's integration in the Euro-Atlantic structures. "At the talks we are going to have in Athens we shall doubtlessly approach the aspects concerning the complex situation in our region. By dialogue and exchange of ideas we hope to bring our contribution to finding the best solutions apt to strengthen stability and peace in this part of Europe," President Ion Iliescu said.

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Crvenkovski Meets With Bulgaria's Daskalov

Language: English Article Type:BFN [Text] Skopje, March 27 (BTA corr. Nikolai Koev) -- On his way to Tirana Bulgarian Foreign Minister Stanislav Daskalov stopped in Skopje and had almost two-hour talks with his Macedonian [The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia -- FYROM] counterpart Stevo Crvenkovski. Mr. Daskalov is due to pay an official visit to Tirana. The two foreign ministers met at one of the government residences in Skopje and discussed a wide range of issues of mutual interest. Foreign Minister Daskalov confirmed Bulgaria's principled stand for establishing goodneighbourly relations in the region of the Balkans and stressed the particular importance of Bulgarian-Macedonian cooperation for the general political climate in the region. Mr. Daskalov expressed satisfaction over the decision of the Macedonian Government to speed up the construction of the Kumanovo-Kriva Palanka-Gyueshevo railway line which will make it possible to open a Bulgarian-Macedonian railway corridor as part of the large East-West transport project. The Bulgarian foreign minister also reiterated Bulgaria's stand that the Balkan countries should refrain from direct or indirect involvement in the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina and should keep their neutrality in the interest of a speedier solution of this conflict. Macedonian Foreign Minister Stevo Crvenkovski stressed his country's striving to pursue a constructive Balkan policy and the importance of promoting Bulgarian-Macedonian relations. Mr. Crvenkovski noted the need to activate bilateral trade and economic relations as well as contacts in all spheres of mutual interest. The two sides agreed that Bulgaria and Macedonia have real possibilities for establishing friendly relations in conformity with international norms and standards and to emerge as a stabilizing factor in the region of the Balkans.

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Serbian-Muslim Trade Along Front Lines

Language: Serbo-Croatian Article Type:CSO [Article by Branko Peric: "Mark Brothers"] [Text] The top government leadership of the Srpska republic was alarmed in early January by the emergence of a special form of war profiteering: large-scale trade with the enemy. Data of the security services indicated that prohibited trade had been taking place for quite some time at 26 points along the "lines of contact," mainly with the Muslim army. Military experts estimated that this phenomenon is a "form of planned special warfare" and that it could seriously threaten the country's defense capability. On 18 January 1994, the president of the state formed a state commission headed by Major General Bogdan Subotic to interdict this phenomenon "by all available means." The chairman of the state commission has formed a staff of the best-known experts from Public Security and Military Security, inspectorates, and judicial bodies, and he chose for the operation known as "Border 94" Teslic Opstina, in which the border with the Muslim army is about 120 km long, and where trade with the enemy has assumed "disturbing proportions." The knowledge gained by the state commission has astonished everyone. In Vucja Planina an open-air market where several hundred people gathered has "operated" daily right alongside the trenches. Serbian and Muslim soldiers, Serbian and Muslim civilians, were buying and selling. Everything was being sold, just like at the ordinary open-air market. The Serbs even hauled goods to the Muslim trenches in trucks. The Muslims were being sold artillery shells and even mortars. The Serbs in Teslic who live in daily fear of shelling, who have come to the town from the direction of Tesanj, cannot believe that the Serbian soldiers are selling those same shells to the Muslims. The Fund During the operation, which lasted a month in Teslic, goods intended for prohibited trade were confiscated in the amount of 990,000 German marks [DM]. Cash derived from prohibited trade amounting to DM337,698, 42,870 Austrian schillings, 18,000 Swiss francs, and $3,250 was confiscated from individuals. Inspections by the inspectorate shut down 35 private firms and independent shops. Twenty-three legal entities inspected were found not to have paid state tax on time in the amount of DM3,403,427. With the interest accrued, the tax obligation of those debtors amounts to DM9,655,000. Criminal and misdemeanor charges were filed against 422 persons, and 49 persons were detained. Criminal charges were also filed against the opstina president, the

FBIS3-9824_0

Daily Views Admission Request

Language: Polish Article Type:BFN [Commentary by Maria Wagrowska: "A Signal for the West"] [Text] Poland will soon submit a motion requesting admission to the European Union [EU]. This very act itself will not really draw us closer to membership in this organization; however, it will confirm to all of Europe and to the Polish people that Poland links its future to the West. When European Commission Deputy Chairman Hennig Christophersen heard the news about the intention of the Polish authorities, he did not really encourage taking this step; he implied, however, that the motion would be a clear declaration of Poland's intention. Poland will be able to think about equal participation in the West European integration only when the present "Twelve," and then "Sixteen" (after the European Free Trade Zone states join the union) decide that it has proved itself. Right now, there are no reasons to claim that the EU will want to admit Poland, Hungary, or other postcommunist states of Central Europe. The only such signal--which, however, is by no means a commitment--was the Declaration by the Copenhagen summit of the "Twelve" in June 1993. Despite that, it is good that the Government of the Polish Republic decided to submit the motion, which was backed by the president. The resolution by the Council of Ministers, which consists of representatives of postcommunist parties (in the past, the Polish Peasant Party used to express considerable reservations concerning the association treaty, whose fragments dealt with trade in agricultural products), finally dispels any doubts concerning the pro-Western direction in the foreign, and partially commercial, policy of our state. The government's decision puts an end to the speculations of some Western observers, who claimed that Poles have difficulties resulting from an insufficiently liberalized exchange of goods and services with the "Twelve"; they also pointed out that Poles are disappointed with the stands of both the EU and NATO on Central Europe and thus may be discouraged from the West. The announcement of submitting a motion requesting admission in the EU may also help work out some intermediate form between association (which has been in force since 1 February 1994) and full membership in the EU. Even though so far no intermediate form has been discussed, various ideas keep coming up, in the West, as well, about how Central and West Europe could be linked more closely: politically, militarily, or economically. It is impossible

FBIS3-9864_0

Embargo on Oil Products Seen as Economic Loss

Language: Bulgarian Article Type:BFN [Krasimir Tsigularov commentary: "Yet Another Own Goal"] [Text] The Bulgarian Danube ports are no longer expected to handle petrol and liquid fuels for export. Such goods shall no longer be transported on the Danube. The ban not only applies to ferryboat transports. In this manner, our country is formally complying with the restricted Yugoembargo. This is how Bulgaria itself is actually erecting another barrier obstructing its already weakened foreign economic relations. In addition to this, our country is doing so while perfectly realizing that it cannot expect any advantage whatsoever from its action. There is even more: Quite a few Bulgarian companies that benefited from the cheap river transport faciilities for re-exporting oil products are going to complain. With one stroke they are all practically ostracized as embargo violators. It is not difficult to forecast that the elimination of the Bulgarian competition would be very profitable for some foreign companies -- simply because any vacuum in international trade is easy to fill. The candid enthusiasm with which we recently joined the embargo against Iraq led to losses that are expected to affect our economy for a long time in the future. Hundreds of millions of dollars have vanished somewhere in the course of Desert Storm, as a result of unfulfilled business deals and more than $1 billion were lost as a result of Iraq's unpaid debts toward our country. It appeared at one time that we would be placed at the end of the queue of those waiting for compensation in connection with the Iraqi embargo, but even this was forgotten with time and we never got anything. The act of submissively joining the Yugo-embargo cut off the main route of Bulgarian exports to the West. Transit corridors through Serbia have been opening repeatedly over the last three months, but not even one truck has passed through them. As far as Turkey is concerned, it is about to further complicate the procedure for the transport of oil products and petrol through the straits, after the tragic incident in the Bosphorus. Gas deliveries through Ukrainian territory are frequently causing concern because of the controversies between Russia and the Ukraine, and also because of unsettled accounts. As things are going, we might nostalgically remember some Bulgarian magicians who used to set fire to water and transform it into fuel. After the Danube was closed for petrol barges, no

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Sarinic Comments on Accord

has been insisting on it. The problem of controlling the borders is naturally the fundamental problem, however, because it creates conditions for the prevention of an influx of weapons and special units from the east. This further creates conditions for the resolution of difficult problems, very complex problems, in a normal way--problems of the type of autonomy. All these solutions will be based on our Constitution and the constitutional law. In this regard, however, Croatia will particularly insist that the next UNPROFOR mandate should create conditions for controlling borders. I must say that UNPROFOR does not have the power to implement it today. But, you know, what before seemed to be science fiction-- that NATO could come and secure these borders--is becoming a very realistic possibility today that is being examined by all, including the top players in the international arena. [Correspondent] At the end, these negotiations lasted quite long. What was the atmosphere like, and why was it shrouded in so much secrecy when it came to the flow of information, when it came to all those things in which our public was so much interested? [Sarinic] This is almost a provocative question from you, because personally I am not much inclined to great media coverage. I believe that we must not interrupt business and come out with details from the course of negotiations when such serious business is being dealt with, because many different interpretations will be given that can have a negative effect on the results of the negotiations. We were very disciplined. We had agreed with the mediators in these negotiations, and nobody, as you saw, made any statements. [Correspondent] What are further steps to be taken now? [Sarinic] Further steps are the following: We must not treat the signed agreement in a static way. It is only phase one, and it is to be implemented on the ground in seven to 10 days. We will have additional meetings immediately afterwards, which we have to prepare and at which we will examine economic issues. Talks on the specific political solution will be held after that. I think that talks on phase three will begin in three weeks or one month. They are not going to be concluded in one night. No matter how long they may be, we created conditions for them today. [Correspondent] Mr. Sarinic, thank you very much for the interview. [Sarinic] Thank you.

FBIS3-9880_0

Central American Economy Ministers Meet, Review NAFTA

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Text] Guatemala City, 23 Feb (NOTIMEX) -- Central American economy and commerce ministers today analyzed the impact that the North American Free Trade Agreement will have on the region, it was reported in this capital. Having established a Tariff and Customs Council, on Wednesday the ministers will approve the proposed tariff rates for some products and on Thursday, as members of the Economic Council, they will discuss the mechanism for joining the trade agreement. A source close to the meeting said that "the region paid $1.6 billion in tariffs in recent months." Economy Ministers Delmer Urbizo of Honduras, Enrique Cordova of El Salvador, and Pablo Pereira of Nicaragua participated in the discussions. Costa Rican Economy Minister Roberto Rojas and Guatemalan Economy Minister Eduardo Gonzalez also participated, and they will discuss options to negotiate a trade agreement with the United States, which could begin with parity for some benefits of the North American treaty. The ministers will analyze the report titled "Commercial Relations Between Central America and the United States," to which NOTIMEX had access. The report establishes the negotiation of "parity" for some benefits or "full-rights" participation in the trilateral treaty. According to the report prepared by consultant Harold Rodas upon request from the UN Development Program (UNDP) and the Secretariat of Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), "the United States' commercial policy towards the region is not clearly defined." The area's concern is apparent, and that is why efforts are being made to maintain the tariff benefits received from the United States and even to expand them in view of the benefits Mexico obtains by commercial agreements since NAFTA became effective in January. The report asks: "When will Central America break the chains of dependency on a preferential system? Is the region prepared for the challenges of reciprocity?" According to Rodas, these questions arise because there "is an abyss between the political will and factual reality." Regarding the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), through which the United States imports 4,300 duty free products from 139 countries and territories, the officials will review the 15-month extension approved by the United States which ends on 30 September. This preferential scheme seeks to sponsor beneficiary countries' economic and industrial development, and its legal base on a worldwide level is derived from Article IV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The beneficiaries can export eligible products duty

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Molirena Candidate's Government Plan

Labor Code. Elimination of political influence in labor relations by reducing the government's participation in the regulating body. Training and skill-enhancement for personnel -- Special utility and port tariffs for export corporations B. Support for the Colon Free Zone and international trade activity -- Expansion of available areas for growth and construction of new warehouses and holding and shipping facilities -- More efficient and competitive port services, which are essential for servicing international trade -- Improvement and expansion of communications and transportation services -- Private operation of the national Railroad Company -- International passenger and cargo services from the Enrique Jimenez Airport (formerly France Field) -- Maintenance and widening of the Panama-Colon Highway -- Protection, safety, and control for passengers and cargo between Panama City and Colon -- Fight against drug trafficking 3. Immediately begin construction of 115,000 dignified homes at a cost of $250 million, which will generate 35,000 direct and indirect jobs during my administration -- Development of Tocumen as an international air traffic hub -- Promotion of the free zone for distributing fuel and oil byproducts 4. New investments and improvements in public works and services -- Heightened quality and efficiency in public services (health, education, security, transportation, power, water, telephones, ports, and waste management) will begin during the first 100 days of this administration -- Awareness of public employees' responsibility and the taxpayers' right to receive better public services at all government agencies -- Institutional development requires public administration reforms, and such reforms will be implemented -- National reforestation plan -- Reforestation, forest production, and export programs -- Development of 50,000 hectares of lumber forests across the country -- The creation of 20,000 temporary and permanent jobs in rural areas -- Streamlining and strengthening of tax breaks for reforestation projects -- Environmental and ecological conservation 5. Investment promotion A. Support for the promotion and development of the tourist sector, highlighting ecotourism -- Creating a single office to resolve excessive government bureaucracy and simplify procedures -- We will improve coordination between the public and the private sectors to allow coherent planning that will promote growth. We will also implement an evaluation system to allow rapid decisionmaking and expeditious actions to encourage investment in the tourist sector -- Establishment of installations and facilities for cruise lines B. Promotion of a maritime business and international cargo transshipment center with cargo container operations in Manzanillo, Telfers, Cristobal, and the port

FBIS3-9902_0

Jose Luis Rodriguez Discusses Measures With Economists

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Text] The presidents of the provincial executive councils of the National Association of Cuban Economists [ANEC] has met with the national organizing committee of the Cuban Economists Congress. Jose Luis Rodriguez, minister president of the State Committee for Finances, participated in the meeting and gave a detailed report on measures under study to streamline national finances on the basis of the workers assemblies discussions. Rodriguez pointed out that the adoption of measures to protect the lowest income strata in the nation are being studied. The meeting was useful in clarifying the participants' doubts and in discussion of alternatives. According ANEC president Aristides Naranjo, the meeting was essential to review the progress of the work conducted in the provinces by ANEC's more than 18,000 members in support of the efforts of the Basic Cooperative Production Units, People's Councils, and Administrative Councils. The Cuban economists are also participating in the workers assemblies to offer their opinions in the search for solutions to improve the national economy.

FBIS3-9904_2

Roundup of Economic Activity

Havana Province municipalities are to have such structures in marginal lands, with a view to solving the demand for such production in the area. Also, three new tourist installations have been inaugurated in Holguin Province: a marina in Boca de Sama [Bay]; a new restaurant, El Fuerte, in Guarda la Vaca; and the La Roca nightclub. Radio Rebelde at 1255 GMT on 23 February reports that as part of the solidarity with Cuba campaign being carried out in Canada, the ship Energy arrived in Cuba bringing donations estimated at $250,000. The donations include 10 containers with some 80 tons of specialized medical equipment, bicycles, papers, and wheelchairs. Cuba Vision at 0200 GMT on 23 February reports that in the last 32 years over 221 million vaccination doses have been distributed in Cuba. This resulted in the elimination of polio in 1962, diphtheria in 1969, neonatal tetanus in 1972; there were only two cases of whooping cough reported in 1993. There have been no cases of measles in 18 months. There were fewer than 10 cases each of rubella and mumps in 1993. Meningitis was widespread in the 80's but there were only 69 cases in 1993. Radio Rebelde at 1800 GMT on 23 February reports that representatives from more than 20 countries are participating in the Computing-94 conference being held at the Havana Convention Center. Computer Science Expert (Arturo Rivagorda), who is also chairman of the Spanish national association of computer security systems, in stressing the importance of this conference, said that the efforts being made in this area are the same as those being made worldwide and that Cuba can perfectly well become integrated with countries of other regions, including Europe. Cuba Vision at 2320 GMT on 23 February reports that the Labor Union of the Banco Popular Espanol made a donation to the campaign for the children of Chernobyl receiving treatment in Cuba. Workers donate 1 percent of their wages; so far, they have collected $4,000. Radio Reloj at 1530 GMT on 25 February reports that members of the National Association of Innovators and Efficiency Experts in Santiago de Cuba have managed to establish a new system to be added to the irrigation system that will help cut fuel by 13 percent. The provincial board has thus declared that this new system will be added to all equipment with Motor A-41 during the first quarter of this year.

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Mexican Agricultural Imports Ban Causes `Outrage'

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Text] Buenos Aires, 26 Feb (NA) -- Felipe Sola, agriculture, livestock, and fishing secretary, today stated that the government "will not remain indifferent to the outrage" caused by the Mexican Government's decision to forbid the import of some Argentine agricultural products. Sola has asked the Foreign Ministry to "urgently" convey a protest to the Mexican Government, and to demand that the measure be revoked. On 16 February the Mexican Agriculture and Hydraulic Resources Secretariat banished the import of rice, wheat, garlic, and peanuts from Argentina for health reasons, although this decision was not officially reported to Buenos Aires. In a communique Sola stated: "We are confronting a serious nontariff restriction to commerce, which sets a very bad precedent for future commercial relations." He said: "The argument of plagues and diseases is nothing new for Argentina, and the measure is technically groundless considering that most of them also affect Mexico." He added: "Mexico imports these products from other countries such as the United States, which is also stricken by the same plagues." Sola believes that "the Mexican Agricultural Secretariat's attitude is dishonest" and added: "I cannot understand either the measure or its implementation, as under the same criteria Mexico should have already suspended the import of a great number of products from the United States." He noted that should this measure persist, the export of rice, peanuts, and garlic projected for this year will be harmed. The measure worsens the situation for wheat because of the U.S. and Canadian decision to subsidize its sales.

FBIS3-9924_1

Roundup of Electoral Developments

The FMLN Womens Group on 23 February presented their platform to the leftist coalition, demanding greater participation in the party and the government, free health care and education, and equal pay for equal work. The women proposed the creation of a women's ministry to protect women's interests. (San Salvador Canal Doce Television in Spanish 0300 GMT 24 Feb 94) All the presidential candidates' platforms include promises to solve water, health, education, crime, and economic problems. Nationalist Republican Alliance, Arena, candidate Armando Calderon Sol stressed the peace achieved by the Cristiani Government will be consolidated when his ticket is elected. Christian Democratic Party, PDC, candidate Fidel Chavez Mena said he will change the direction of the economy, freeze prices, and eliminate the Value Added Tax. FMLN-CD-MNR coalition candidate Ruben Zamora said farmers will have access to credit, all the villages will have potable water, crime will be controlled, and the government will fight corruption. National Conciliation Party, PCN, candidate Roberto Escobar Garcia claimed the most important projects were carried out during the PCN administration; adding the same will be done during his administration. National Solidarity Movement candidate Edgardo Rodriguez Engelhardt said he supports a decentralized government with more local autonomy. (San Salvador LA PRENSA GRAFICA in Spanish 21 Feb 94 p 3) Approximately 26,000 demobilized Armed Forces members threatened to obstruct the upcoming elections if a series of irregularities concerning the payment of their compensations is not corrected soon. They claimed the government played a dirty trick because their documents state they have abandoned their posts. This has caused great discontent among the demobilized men, who are prepared to take up arms again and fight for their rights. (San Salvador Canal Doce Television in Spanish 0300 GMT 24 Feb 94) The UN Observers for El Salvador, Onusal, reported today 400,000 Salvadoran citizens will not vote in the 20 March elections although their names appear on the electoral lists. Supreme Electoral Tribunal President Luis Zaldivar questioned the veracity of the report because, in his opinion, no one can predict how many people will vote in the next general elections. The voters' registration list shows 2.7 million people are registered to vote, but the Onusal report said the list should have been purged because it includes people who live abroad and others who never showed up to claim their electoral card. (San Salvador Canal Doce Television in Spanish 0300 GMT 24 Feb 94)

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Argentine Defense Minister Visits To Resolve `Bad' Ties

open conflict. The current situation has not reached that extreme but it is really bad. With difficulties in the process of Mercosur [Common Market of the South] and problems on economic matters, the foreign policies of the two countries are going in different directions: While Argentina is getting closer to the United States, Brazil opens new fronts of conflicts with Washington every day. This is particularly true on military matters. The Brazilian Armed Forces have expressed their anti-American position and refused to take a step back in their independent arms race development. The Brazilian Armed Forces have charged that the United States is trying to go over Brazilian sovereignty in the Amazon, and have indirectly accused several neighboring countries -- including Argentina -- of allowing the Pentagon military exercises and bases in their territory for that purpose. This situation has worsened the historic military distrust between Argentina and Brazil. Camilion is aware that the situation now involves a triangle: In his meetings with U.S. officials in Washington last year, Camilion was able to personally see the concern of Bill Clinton's administration over the future of Brazil. This is why he said on 24 February that Argentina "will under no circumstance sacrifice its relations with Brazil to strengthen its links with the United States." Argentina and Brazil also agreed that the Argentine purchase of U.S. Skyhawk planes is no reason for conflict. Brazilian diplomatic sources said: "No one believes the rearming effort is against Brazil." Camilion also publicly said: "Argentina is not interested in creating any problems with its neighbors." It is not easy, however, to make progress on the military chapter of Mercosur, as was clearly established at the first Mercosur armed forces seminar, held in Buenos Aires last year, when due to the different positions no common agreement beyond the formal was reached. Camilion admitted: "Integration in that area is not so easy." As an example, Argentina and Brazil are rivals in the bidding for supplying 764 training airplanes to the U.S. Air Force and Navy. Camilion said: "The two countries' airplanes are among the best." Then in a conciliatory manner he suggested that the two countries' military industries could reach a cooperation agreement if one of them gets the contract. The briefing Camilion will give President Carlos Menem today after his return to Buenos Aires on his talks with Itamar Franco will certainly not cover just these issues.

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Expert Criticizes New U.S. Antidrug Policy

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Text] Although it is the first time since 1904 the United States has admitted that drug trafficking is also a U.S. domestic problem, expectations regarding the U.S. Government's change of attitude regarding countries such as Peru and Bolivia are not very encouraging because "in their capacity as producers, they will be abandoned to their fate; they will be given no aid and no importance will be granted to alternative development crops (for coca leaves)". This statement was made on 10 February by the UN expert on drug affairs and agricultural development, Iban de Rementeria, who said the change in the antidrug strategy announced on 9 February by U.S. President Bill Clinton represents a "complete change in U.S. anti- drug policy." De Rementeria said: "Since 1904 the United States has maintained that drugs are a foreign problem. This is the first time they have admitted it is a domestic problem. This is a step forward because they admit that it is a health and educational problem and not just a police issue." The UN official believes this change of attitude regarding the drug problem was promoted by the failure of the U.S. administration's antidrug policy, which during the past few years cost more than $10 billion per year. "Drug consumption in the United States has really not dropped. During the past six years the number of consumers has remained more or less the same," he said as he commented that it is estimated there are 10 million cocaine and marijuana addicts in the United States. In referring to Clinton's new strategy, de Rementeria said: "We must not have illusions because we remain alone in this field." From his viewpoint, the importance of reducing or substituting coca crops has become a secondary issue. De Rementeria added: "I do not see how we can plan an alternative development program with the current international agricultural policies if the GATT Uruguay Round has institutionalized subsidies in developed countries and this condemns agriculture in the Third World to failure."

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Daily Downplays Hopes of U.S. Antinarcotics Strategy

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Editorial: "The Peasant and the New Antinarcotics Strategy"] [Text] U.S. President Bill Clinton recently announced a drastic change in the U.S. Government's antinarcotics strategy. The idea is to emphasize prevention rather than repression which, generally speaking, has been used since, or even before the tenure of President George Bush. One reason for the change of strategy is that the one used so far has proven ineffective and only increased the number of consumers by an average of 140,000 new addicts per year to the incredible current number of 10 million consumers. At the same time as it announced the so-called New National Antinarcotics Strategy, the White House also asked the U.S. Congress to approve a $13.2-billion allocation to implement this program. This includes a substantial increase in the funds earmarked for cooperation with drug producer countries. This directly concerns us because Peru is the world's biggest coca leaf producer and the money allocated for cooperation is earmarked for eradicating plantations and destroying laboratories. U.S. Government officials have said that this money -- which will not reach Peru or Bolivia until October -- will also be used to strengthen the Peruvian and Bolivian judicial systems and to train their respective specialized police units. Despite a relative increase, and the strategy implemented in Peru, the main changes by U.S. officials do not seem positive. Iban de Rementeria -- a UN expert in narcotics affairs and agricultural development who termed the U.S. strategy "a complete turn around" -- has stated that although it is right that the United States has admitted for the first time since 1904 that the drug problem is a domestic problem, there are other aspects that reveal faults in the new strategy as far as our countries are concerned. Rementeria said: "There should be no illusions because we continue alone in this field," adding that prospects for Peru and Bolivia are not good because "in their capacity as producers they will be abandoned to their fate, they will be given no aid, and no importance will be granted to the alternative development crops." To a certain extent, the current international agricultural policies upheld by the GATT are even more serious because the recent Uruguay Round has institutionalized the subsidy system in developed countries, condemning agriculture in the Third World "to failure." Bolivian Chamber of Deputies President Guillermo Bedregal has mentioned the serious social conflicts that

FBIS3-9977_0

U.S. Support for Rangel Bill Increases

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Text] Some 30 U.S. congressmen have expressed their support for a bill to lift the blockade of Cuba, which will be discussed next month at the initiative of U.S. Representative Charles Rangel. In statements to PRENSA LATINA, Rangel's spokesman, [name indistinct], said that hearings will begin on 17 March in two House of Representatives committees, and although the bill will not be submitted to a vote, these hearings will serve to broach the subject. The document was sent to the capitol in May 1993, bearing the title, "Bill for Free Trade With Cuba," and although it did not receive the support of the entire Congress, it became an important point of discussion both inside and outside the Legislative Branch. In a letter to the U.S. Government, (?Congressman) Rangel asked why the United States trades with Vietnam, China, and Russia, yet cannot do so with Cuba. Rangel's bill -- Rangel is one of the U.S. Legislature's black leaders -- is supported by another 30 legislators who argue that it is the population of Cuba that has suffered the damages caused by the embargo. According to spokesman [name indistinct], Rangel gets calls from people all over the United States who wish to show their support for lifting the blockade against Cuba, people who also inform the government of their interest in a change of policy toward Havana. He pointed out that the legislator has also received strong support from large groups within the Cuban community who live not only in Miami, but in, among other places, New York, New Jersey, and Chicago. He said there has been a recent increase in the number of voices from various parts of the United States who are calling for the lifting of the embargo against Cuba, including those who were formerly in favor of the embargo.

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President Reina Holds News Conference

and very [word indistinct] proposal. Why this? Well, because there is a way to take advantage of these [words indistinct] and to become more efficient as an institution. [Reporter] Have the Armed Forces begun the debate on privatization? [Reina] This all depends on whether we are convinced it is good for Honduras. In any case, I have firmly committed that if it is done it will be because it is good for Honduras, its economy, and the future of its people. It will be done with the utmost honesty, [words indistinct], controlled, reviewed, supervised, so there is not the slightest doubt of a dirty deal behind the privatization. [passage omitted] What we have to do is present a proposal and discuss it with the Armed forces and the other institutions. This proposal has three options: 1) there will be no more forced recruitment; 2) the Armed Forces has a proposal on the selection of members of this armed institution; and 3) our proposal that recruitment be on a volunteer- educational basis. This can be included and should be included in our proposal to the legislative assembly. As far as Palmerola is concerned, within the context of the Cold War, it is a human tragedy that has lasted for almost half a century, from 1945 post war, to 1989, 1990, 1991, depending on the region where world tensions were being eliminated. There are people who still have the Cold War mind-set; they would like those tensions and ideological confrontations to return. This must be discussed in depth and light must be shed on the Palmerola issue. This is the result of extending an agreement not a treaty. The difference between an agreement and a treaty, for those who are not lawyers, is that an agreement does not have to be submitted to Congress while a treaty needs to be submitted to Congress. Everything relating to military matters should be submitted to Congress. During that time, however, we were involved in a national security situation. Those were very difficult times for Honduras, the hemisphere, and humanity. There was an arms race going on that was going to become the War of the Galaxy. That is why we firmly opposed this because Honduras was going to be the scene of a world war. Having overcome this, the discussion must center on whether international cooperation and collaboration can help us accomplish the points of

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President Disagrees With U.S. Antidrug Aid Reduction

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Text] Cochabamba, 16 Feb (EL MUNDO) -- President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada said: "We disagree with the reduction of U.S. economic aid for interdiction and against drug trafficking. We believe we should have serious and permanent U.S. economic aid without disregarding national sovereignty. We should not be left alone with this problem. The United States now wants to concentrate more on the struggle against drug trafficking within its borders." Sanchez de Lozada held a very confidential meeting in Cochabamba's El Carmen Hotel with a U.S. senator [Robert Graham] from Florida who is a member of a committee on appropriations and intelligence and with the U.S. ambassador. Sanchez said: "The meeting was very important to let them know we believe it is just and necessary to have the continuation of aid but without violating national sovereignty. The struggle against drug trafficking is a Bolivian priority; it is not imposed but we need support for its success." Sanchez emphasized: The policy and appropriation of funds to fight drug trafficking depend a great deal on the U.S. committee. For Bolivia this is very important; there is a trend to cut resources for the developing countries. The U.S. Government also has problems with the budget deficit. Sanchez, who denied reports that the U.S. officials gave some kind of ultimatum for the total eradication of coca within the framework of the "Zero Option" project, said this issue was not discussed. Sanchez added: "There is nothing concrete on the `Zero Option' project. What we are after is a new project that would not leave us with the traditional mechanism of repression, eradication, and substitution. The `Zero Option' is still unknown. We are seeking a final solution, not a traumatic solution, to get out of this situation because that would not be good for anyone, for either the country, the peasants, or the world." Sanchez also said he conveyed to the U.S. ambassador and the senator the firm Bolivian commitment, as a country and a society, to struggle against drug trafficking, and "to try to get out of the drug business" that is destroying youths and becoming very dangerous because when it is combined with armed groups or cartels it will create violence. Sanchez indicated that this is an economic and social problem; it is not only a problem of repression because jobs also should be offered to the coca growers -- "this

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Editorials View New U.S. Antidrug Policy PRESENCIA

"emergency rooms are full of people who have been stabbed or shot," is a way of becoming familiar with a distant yet formidable tragedy. Those who want to imitate consumerism could hardly believe Mr. Clinton when he said that people are afraid of going onto the streets because of the violence prevailing there, and that the new law against crime states that the streets will be patrolled by an additional 100,000 policemen. This shows that the drug issue in the United States is really serious. Consequently, we should not be surprised that part of the new effort -- which will have repercussions in our country -- will include restrictions on the offer of drugs. The U.S. President has proposed that rather than "hunting" traffickers as they enter the United States, it is better "to stir up the hornet's nest." This means that the struggle in the countries that produce raw materials or drugs will be much harsher. Clinton said this will be "part of the U.S. foreign policy in the main countries where drugs originate or which are used for transit." This is nothing new for us: Since the 1970's, the U.S. policy in Bolivia and other Andean nations has centered around drugs. Yet this time it has been made clear that the strategy will not seek to merely intercept shipments, it will seek to destroy the cartels that produce and sell drugs "using better technology and more ingenious methods." Besides, the United States now expects these countries to show their "full political will to persecute the drug-trafficking bosses." Clinton has asked the U.S. Congress to increase by $76 million -- to a total of $427 million -- funding for this activity in 1995, without specifying the use of the funds. In the case of Bolivia, we know how important alternative development programs are for giving Chapare peasants other sources of income. Even though militarization -- which was so dear to the Bush administration -- has been finally eliminated from the bilateral agenda, police interdiction work, with DEA help, has increased without the activities of that agency having been regulated. The Bolivian Government should obviously support the all-out struggle that the United States and the international community are waging against the fearsome world of drugs. Provisions are necessary, however, to wage this fight within the framework of institutional democracy, preventing the justifiable U.S. zeal from affecting Bolivian sovereignty and initiative.

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Editorials View New U.S. Antidrug Policy [LA RAZON]

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Editorial: "The Drug-Trafficking Problem: Unfavorable Winds Blow From Washington"] [Text] The U.S. antidrug policy seems to have taken an unexpected and dramatic turn. First President Clinton himself, and later on the main U.S. Government authorities responsible for this area, announced to the world that the new administration had decided to lay emphasis on the prevention of drug consumption, and reduce repression activities. This announcement made sense taking into account the lamentable and universal failure of the repression activities carried out by the Army and police of that superpower, as well as of those carried out by the cocaine producing countries. The millions invested during the last years of the U.S. Republican administration were wasted, because repression by itself only pushes drug prices up, and this in turn gives the drug traffickers more power, thus generating more production and involving new people in this illegal trade. Another irrefutable argument was that U.S. taxpayers were sick of seeing their money ill spent on repression actions within their country and abroad, instead of being used for more profitable purposes. Bolivia received this news with a sense of relief and hope. The escalation in repression activities was not solving the problem at all; on the contrary it was creating the appropriate conditions for a fearful and dangerous wave of violence which -- like what is happening in Colombia -- could lead to bloodshed in the country, cause victims having nothing to do with drug trafficking, place the democratic process at stake, increase political and personal rivalries, and bring more hunger and unemployment to the conflictive rural areas engaged in producing coca leaves. Recent reports from Washington point in a different direction, however, and one not so encouraging for Bolivia, as the plan to emphasize prevention rather than repression only applies to the United States, as the armed struggle against drug trafficking in Bolivia will be even greater. As a correspondent of the international media pointed out when the announcement was made on 9 February, the change furnished by Clinton's plan forecasts days of peace for the United States but of war for Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, and Mexico. One could say that the increasing militarization of the struggle against drug trafficking is a positive fact, because it is a chance for the Armed Forces and police to receive more funds, thus relieving the National Treasury. This, however, is a cynical and

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Article Views Blame for Human Rights Violations

the rest of the world, especially continental Latin American countries, will soon be reviewed. At the same time, the Pentagon admitted and confirmed that it trained military leaders from Latin American countries, which were later charged with violating human rights in their respective countries. Regarding this, sources from President Clinton's own administration have confirmed that the review the Pentagon refers to began after it was reported that 45 Army officers from neighboring El Salvador, who were trained in the United States, have been implicated in the massacre of unarmed civilians in El Salvador during the 1980's. This has been confirmed in a report by a special UN commission, appointed to investigate this, and recently delivered to the amazement of the peoples the world over. The special UN report revealed in detail who and how six Jesuits were murdered in a San Salvador university, clearly establishing the Salvadoran Army's responsibility in this crime, which shook the world at the time. What is most ironic in all this is that the Salvadoran military members were trained in the School of Americas at Fort Benning, Georgia, United States, not to kill priests, but to defend democracy and human rights in their country and in Latin America. The review the Pentagon refers to is to determine which countries are to receive U.S. military and police training and equipment. The situation taking place in the United States is of such a nature that many of the human rights defense groups in that country are pressuring President Clinton to change its programs for International Education and Training and for Foreign Military Financing, created to encourage stability, democracy, and respect for human rights in U.S. allied countries and especially in our Latin American countries. There is awareness in the United States that money from "gringo" tax payers has been used in the name of the defense of democracy and respect for human rights, precisely to violate those rights in the countries from which these soldiers came, and were educated, taught, and trained in U.S. military schools. In the name of human rights and using democracy as a pretext, savagery has been committed in Latin America against the civilian population, and this continues. One can very well say that in a certain way the United States has much to blame with what has taken place with regard to human rights, which still continues to happen in our countries.

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Businessmen `Satisfied' With Prospects in Cuba

Language: Portuguese Article Type:BFN [Report by "special correspondent" Jose Maria Mayrink in Havana] [Text] Brazilian citizens Rodolfo Andriani and Leonardo Fares, who were in Havana in late January to negotiate an energy deal with the Cuban Government, were satisfied with the first contacts made. The businessmen commented: "Judging from the development of the negotiations, it is quite likely we will establish a joint venture [preceding word in English] in the next two or three months." Andriani is general director of Inepar Trading, a Parana State company trying to enter the Cuban market with Audiolab Electronic Systems, from Belo Horizonte, of which Fares is president. The idea is to refurbish thermoelectric plants and, eventually, participate in the nuclear project. "The Cubans accept any deal," said the Brazilian businessmen after observing the speed with which the representatives of the socialist public enterprises close deals with foreign capitalists. In Brazil's case, some previous agreements at the government level have expedited the negotiations. Brazilian Ambassador Jose Nogueira Filho, who has been in Cuba for about one year, commented: "In the transportation field, for example, the Cubana de Aviacion airline already has one flight a week between Havana and Sao Paulo, and soon we will have a Brazilian airline covering this route." Moreover, a Cypriot shipping company has a regular service between the Cuban ports and Belem, in Para State, where it unloads cement and loads timber. The trade balance currently tilts in Cuba's favor. Last year Cuba exported goods worth $21 million and imported goods worth $9 million. The volume this year will be even larger. Prospects are also good in the tourism field, where the Cuban Government has focused its investments. The first deals already have been made, and Spaniards are Cuba's main partners in this field. In 1993 the hotel business made $600 million. This year, with an income of more than $1 billion, the hotel business should surpass sugar production. Canadians and Venezuelans also are interested in this sector. Foreign capitalists have even greater interest. Chilean and Israeli businessmen have engaged in fruit production while the French, Canadians, and Swedish are interested in oil prospecting. A South American diplomat tells business people inquiring about the prospects in Cuba: "The only risk of investing in Cuba is that the United States might lift the embargo because, if so, then they will crush the competitors."

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Robaina: Time To Change Rules on Exit, Entry

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [By Javier Rodriguez] [Text] Havana, 25 Feb (PL) -- Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina said today in this capital that the holding of a conference with representatives of Cuban emigrants will take away from the United States the banner it has traditionally brandished against Cuba. During a conversation with Mexican legislators visiting the Caribbean island -- a conversation to which PRENSA LATINA had access -- the foreign minister said this fact is the first achievement of the preparations now under way for the meeting scheduled for April. We are reaching out a hand and a bridge to those who want to maintain normal relations with our country, and those who say they have nothing to talk to us about have excluded themselves, he added. Answering questions from the visitors, Robaina said the idea behind the conference is to speak to people who are living abroad for different reasons, and he noted that family ties cannot be broken because of ideological positions. Among the opportunities presented by the conference, the minister noted possible academic exchanges, the possible granting of scholarships to emigrants wishing to study in Cuba, and the editing of publications for Cubans living abroad. Robaina also said paperwork for entering and leaving Cuba could be facilitated, because "the time has come to change rigid rules" that have always been prompted by the aggressive attitude of certain sectors now trying to exert pressure once again to discourage attendance at the conference. We believe normal relations with Cuban emigrants constitute one of the elements that can help change U.S. Government policy so that the pressure from those inciting violence against Cuba will cease to exist, as well as the pressure exerted on those who are opposed to the hysteria, he noted. Robaina said different conditions exist today, and this is why the emigrants have already said they want to attend the conference and talk about a future of acceptable ties with their country of origin.

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TRABAJADORES Article on U.S. Blockade

obstruct that bilateral supply until it was suspended early in the 1960's. They have later tried everything within their means to force the rest of the world to do likewise. The situation substantially worsened for the Cubans following the disappearance of socialist markets in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, which served to considerably lessen the general effects of the blockade for more than 30 years. Under these circumstances, aside from receiving less income in convertible currency, Cuba was compelled to pay higher costs in freight and product prices -- given the distances and given the special deals with businessmen who render their services or supply medical products despite the risk of paying the sanctions imposed by the U.S. blockade. As a result of this, on a given year within the first half of the 1990's, Cuba had to disburse an extra $45 million to cover its public health needs. Had it not been for the blockade, the amount would have allowed, to use an example, the purchase of enough powdered milk to produce 180 million liters of this product. One of the most negative effects of the U.S. policy of isolation is the high cost of freight paid to import merchandise from ports and airports in Europe and other distant areas. Cuba: Were it not for the astronomical freight prices.... It is appropriate to remember that, since the implementation of this line of conduct, the White House has forbidden U.S. ships to load merchandise shipped from any country to Cuba or to dock at any Cuban port; and in 1962 it established the so-called "black list" of ships from other countries that traded with the island. The provision to be removed from that list was to suspend all trade with the island. It is well known that this case history was somehow recast in 1992 for the so-called Torricelli amendment, to officially threaten with strong sanctions the ships that carried any merchandise to Cuba. As of 1993, official statistics show Havana had an annual expense of $6 million in air and maritime freight for the public health sector. The amount would have been $1 million or $2 million if the cargo had been purchased in markets located nearby and under the normal circumstances which surround these deals. The effects of the blockade are simultaneously reflected in a foreign debt increase and a greater disbursement of hard currency given the

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TRABAJADORES Article on U.S. Blockade

import merchandise from ports and airports in Europe and other distant areas. Cuba: Were it not for the astronomical freight prices.... It is appropriate to remember that, since the implementation of this line of conduct, the White House has forbidden U.S. ships to load merchandise shipped from any country to Cuba or to dock at any Cuban port; and in 1962 it established the so-called "black list" of ships from other countries that traded with the island. The provision to be removed from that list was to suspend all trade with the island. It is well known that this case history was somehow recast in 1992 for the so-called Torricelli amendment, to officially threaten with strong sanctions the ships that carried any merchandise to Cuba. As of 1993, official statistics show Havana had an annual expense of $6 million in air and maritime freight for the public health sector. The amount would have been $1 million or $2 million if the cargo had been purchased in markets located nearby and under the normal circumstances which surround these deals. The effects of the blockade are simultaneously reflected in a foreign debt increase and a greater disbursement of hard currency given the excessive cost of freight, air freight in many cases, to guarantee the prompt arrival of critical products which guarantee the health -- sometimes the life -- of human beings. The frequent use of air freight, despite the fact it is much more expensive than sea freight, is because under current circumstances Cuba's medical reserves do not always allow the long waiting time by sea, in addition to the fact the blockade also restrictions affect the availability of vessels. The following is one example that illustrates this. As already known, Cuba has been affected by a neuropathy epidemic. Airfreight costs from Europe amounted to $237,448 just to cover a partial shipment of a contract for vitamins and excipients (a substance that dissolves) to manufacture tablets for the sick and as a preventive measure for the rest of the population. Had the blockade not forbidden access to the U.S. market and access to nearby U.S. affiliates, to acquire these products freight costs would have been $55,900. In other words, Cuba had to pay $101,548 extra for just one of the many transactions carried out to face this epidemic. Another case. When examining payments made between 1991 to 1992 for 32 products used

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TRABAJADORES Article on U.S. Blockade

in medical assistance from Europe, one can see in airfreight alone $26,037 was spent. From the United States this would have only amounted to $2,413. With the $23,624, which Cuba was forced to pay due to the blockade, Cuba could have purchased 10,453 packages of methotrexate, which is used to treat children suffering from acute leukemia, in other words, 87 percent of this product's yearly requirement. The Obsession To Leave Cuba Without Medicine [subhead] For three decades the White House explicitly forbad Cuba to acquire medicines in the U.S. market, the world's most important. At the time, THE NEW YORK TIMES harshly criticized this. Something similar occurs with chemical reagents, which are essential for the clinical analysis that guarantees health services to the people and vital products for the development of the medical- pharmaceutical industry. The U.S. siege surrounding these essential materials has forced Cuba to pay between 30 to 40 percent more to intermediaries and spend more time to obtain the products it needs, sometimes urgently. If one considers the fact Cuba has very few financial resources, one can better understand all the efforts the Cuban authorities have to make to maintain the level of medical assistance Cuba has, despite everything. The neuropathy epidemic serves as an example for a better idea regarding this. Let's take, among the numerous documents, a contract Cuban sanitary officials made available to me, covering only three products (reagents) earmarked to fight the neuropathy epidemic, which were purchased from a European supplier. The complete operation, including freight, cost $1,938 per shipment. To have some idea of how this affects the Cuban economy, let's say that according to the price catalogue of the U.S. firm Sigma, had there not been a blockade, the f.o.b. [free on board] price for these products would have been $827; that is, 134 percent less for each purchase. If this saving could have been made, with the money difference, approximately 2,485 milliliters of cattle fetal serum could have been obtained. This is an essential reagent component used to test pregnant women for abnormal fetuses. Another comparison serves to demonstrate more crudely the realities of this uncommon process. A contract for 1992 to 1993 which includes prices of 24 medical products turns out to be particularly significant when it is compared with the supply of similar merchandise offered by Miami- based Talgrex International Export Company. In one single purchase, $986,386 in

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U.S. Doctors Attend Havana Health Services Workshop

a bilateral workshop on health exchanges with another group of doctors and psychologists who came to Cuba at the invitation of the Center of International Policy. The meeting covered the subjects of public health in both countries in terms of their current situations and outlook, the consequences of the blockade on Cuban medical and sanitary conditions, and the program to reform public health services presented by President William Clinton. After learning in detail the effects of the blockade on the Cuban economy and its negative repercussions on the lives of the people, particularly on the lives of children and the elderly, the APHA delegation voiced a consensus in its determination to increase the campaign against this measure. Rodriguez, of Cuban origin, voiced her pleasure with this visit to the island after so many years of absence. Rodriguez said: It has been a moving experience, and foremost it has reinforced my wishes to continue working to eliminate what the U.S. authorities call an embargo against Cuba. When mentioning that the rest of the delegation has the same commitment, she added that APHA -- which she described as an institution that has always maintained a progressive line in its professional and social work -- will organize other contacts with Cuban colleagues in the future. Meanwhile, the participation of Wayne Smith and Cuban Foreign Ministry officials in the workshop gave a touch of alternative diplomacy to the meeting. Smith was the chief of the U.S. Interests Section in Havana during the Jimmy Carter administration. Dr. Abelardo Ramirez, Cuban vice minister of public health, said we are mutually learning about the social problems of both nations, particularly in the field of health. This field represents a common ground among nations and a means for personal and collective relations inasmuch as the wellbeing of humanity favors the development of all people, he pointed out. Ramirez feels that the presence of these delegations constitutes a stimulus for the professionals and workers in Cuban public health services who are determined to maintain the achievements reached in medical assistance despite the difficult times of the national economy. This is an example for other sectors of U.S. society, he added, and on our part we are committed to improve these meetings which could cover many more topics. To this effect, Smith said other visits by professionals to Cuba will continue to be organized by the Center of International Policy.

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Military Industry Guarantees Supplies For Defense

of Eastern Europe. In response to the foreign diplomats and journalists, he said: "I assure you that we can produce sufficient amounts of ammunition to defeat any enemy no matter how powerful." For the first time since its creation in 1962, the FAR opened these installations to foreign visitors. According to appearances, PRENSA LATINA observed that the visitors enjoyed total freedom to enquire about the available production capacity. One detail that caught the diplomats' attention was the small amount of Soviet-made machinery, although the former USSR was practically Cuba's only weapons supplier. The majority of the equipment there is Italian, German, or Spanish. When asked about this, Russian Ambassador Arnold Kalinin said that there is currently very little military collaboration between the two nations. He told PRENSA LATINA: "there are still a few specialists on the island, but they are working mainly on weapons and machinery maintenance." Gen. Perez Rospide explained that to date ties between the Cuban military industry and its former allies in the former USSR are nonexistent. He emphasized "we have no need for them right now." The ingenuity and initiative of hundreds of workers and specialists, civilian and military alike, have kept our techniques in top condition, the Cuban soldier said. Colonel Eladio Fernandez, director of the Manicaragua military industrial site, said that 1992 was the industry's toughest year. Last year, though, the sector began to recover. Specifically, he said, many of the industry's facilities have been put to work to meet the needs of the people or other local industries such as tourism and even foreign investors. We are also open to foreign capital, Gen. Perez Rospide said, mostly for civilian production projects. He explained that the military factories, for example, use part of their facilities to produce scales, refrigeration equipment, and other local tourism industry needs. Perez Rospide added that officials are studying the possibility of beginning a joint enterprise using foreign investment. He said he would prefer not to disclose any details due to the current stage of the negotiations process. Diplomats credited in Havana, along with members of the foreign press, are on the second day of their three-day visit to the country's central region. Cuban Foreign Minister Roberto Robaina told PRENSA LATINA that these tours are geared toward making foreign representatives aware of the true situation of the country and people, who he called the true designers of Cuba's foreign policy.

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Roundup of Reportage on Economic Activities

Article Type:BFN [Editorial Report] The following is a compilation of reports on economic activities in Argentina through 24 February: Finance Secretary Ricardo Gutierrez reported that the nonfinancial public sector, excluding privatizations, registered a 5.121 billion pesos primary surplus in 1993, "the highest level ever in Argentine economic history." This was based on revenues of 44.756 billion pesos and expenses of 40.197 billion pesos and additional resources. (Buenos Aires LA PRENSA in Spanish 19 Feb 94 p 5) A Foreign Ministry press communique reports that the Argentine Government has issued a bond series of $350 million Euro-Titles with a one-year maturity. These securities, which will be sold in international markets, will not be registered under U.S. laws and cannot be offered or sold in the United States. (Buenos Aires NOTICIAS ARGENTINAS in Spanish 2250 GMT 24 Feb 94)

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Roundup of Unrest in Various Departments

Article Type:BFN [Editorial Report] La Paz Radio Fides Network in Spanish at 1100 GMT on 28 February carries, in its regularly scheduled newscast, several reports on demonstrations, clashes, and strikes nationwide. In a 90-second report from Oruro, the announcer comments on university students' plans to stage demonstrations today protesting the central government's failure to meet fund allocation demands; on confirmation by the departmental offices of the Bolivian Labor Federation, COB, that local streets will be blocked for one hour, beginning 1500 GMT, in rejection of the government's failure to meet workers' petition; on a regional meeting of union leaders to begin at 1830 GMT to schedule ways of exerting pressure on the government during this week; and on a Mining Corporation of Bolivia, Comibol, deadline today for miners to tender their voluntary resignation and thus become entitled to a $1,000 bonus. In a one-minute report from Cochabamba, the announcer comments on the declaration of a state of emergency in the tropical Chapare region following frequent clashes between coca growers and Mobile Rural Patrol Unit, Umopar, agents because coca growers refuse to have their plantations eradicated even though, in some parts of the department, they are growing more coca than the compulsory coca eradication program allows. In a two-minute report from Potosi, the announcer comments on the miners' harsh criticism of the current administration and describes the tragic situation prevailing inside Unificada mine where water supply, air supply, and electricity have been suspended to force miners to voluntarily resign. The announcer also reports on the situation reigning at other local mines and protests about the $1,000 bonus from which, in several leaders and workers' opinion, a large amount will deducted under the concept of social contribution. In a two-minute report from Santa Cruz, the announcer comments on local university students' refusal to suspend demonstrations -- which on 25 February ended in violent clashes with the police and a large number of people injured -- unless government meets their fund allocation demands, and on student leaders' protests over police violence during said demonstrations.

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Study Shows Increase in Percentage of Urban Poor

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Text] La Paz, 27 Feb (EFE) -- The percentage of poor families in Bolivian cities increased from 74.7 percent to 80.1 percent between 1987 and 1991, according to a study carried out by the Center of Studies for Labor and Agricultural Development (CEDLA) that was released today. CEDLA asserts that eight out of 10 urban families do not have enough income to pay for their basic needs, according to research carried out in La Paz, El Alto, Cochabamba, and Santa Cruz. According to the study, 80.1 percent of the urban population are poor, of which 49.4 percent are destitute, while the percentage of non-destitute (those who earn enough to buy food, but not clothes or pay for housing or anything else) reached 30.5 percent. The CEDLA study, which was disseminated today by the JATHA news agency, states that "the neoliberal adjustment implemented by Bolivian governments since 1985 has worsened the unfair distribution of wealth, increased the concentration of income, and reduced the purchasing power of salaries and wages." During the last few years, workers in the largest cities extended their work week by four weekly hours, with low salaries, lower income, and less labor stability. The researchers said that not only has poverty increased, but the benefits to which a minority are entitled have been reduced as well. The report states that 15 percent of the working population obtained half the income generated by the Bolivian economy, while the remaining 85 percent of the working population got the other half. Bishop Edmundo Abastoflor, chairman of the Bolivian Bishops Conference, today warned of the serious social consequences that this gap between rich and poor, which increases daily, may bring. "It is shocking to see the squandering of money in the downtown areas of Bolivian cities, with luxury cars and millions' worth of construction work, while you can also see the deterioration in the standard of living of the poor classes," said the bishop, who is worried about the increase of poverty in the country. Abastoflor said that the poor must be helped with political and social measures so that they can improve their standards of living with dignity, as is appropriate for human beings.

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Use of Social Fund To Balance Budget Viewed

Language: Portuguese Article Type:BFN [Article by Carlos Alberto Sardenberg] [Text] After two months negotiating the Social Emergency Fund (FSE), the federal government budget bill for 1994 is as follows: Revenues totalling $89.5 billion, expenditures totaling $81.8 billion, and a primary balance of $7.7 billion (without including the payment of interests). This is enough to pay real interests. Once the interests are paid, there will be a minimum operational balance of $2.2 million. In other words, there is the balanced budget deemed indispensable for the FHC [Fernando Henrique Cardoso] economic plan. The FSE, which stood at $16.1 billion in its original version, has been cut to $15.5. billion. As the FSE seeks to cover gaps in the budget, the $600 million that has been cut will have to be compensated by expenditure cutbacks. Negotiations with Congress have resulted in an increase in the federal government general expenditures by $865 million. State and county administrations will benefit from that. In accordance with the original budget bill, they would have been allocated $11.7 billion. Now, they will receive $13.3 billion. This is why governors and mayors supported voting for the FSE. To compensate for what it gave the states and counties, the federal government earned $500 million by holding back federal public employees' income tax and reducing cost expenditures and investment by $700 million. The executive branch will have to reduce its expenditures by $500 million. The legislative and judicial branches will have to reduce theirs by another $200 million. In other words, the federal government will continue to live on bread and water. From the federal revenue, the budget gained a net $833 million compared to its December version. There has been a positive reevaluation resulting from Cofins [Social Security Contributions] revenue and the results of the campaign against tax evasion. Another $900 million revenue has been obtained through the sale of National Bank for Economic and Social Development shares. It is a feasible budget, but its implementation will require close control by the Finance Ministry.

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Further on Remarks

Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [Text] Santa Fe de Bogota, 28 Feb (DPA) -- Today, Colombian Prosecutor General Gustavo de Greiff said the U.S. Government is not interested in supplying evidence to condemn the chiefs of the drug trafficking mafia because it does not trust Colombian justice. In this manner, De Greiff reaffirmed the difficulties his office has encountered in its attempt to collect evidence in the United States against the main "capos" of the Cali cartel, several of whom have expressed their desire to surrender and collaborate with authorities. "Colombia is being deserted. The United States is not interested in collaborating with Colombian justice although there are judicial exchange agreements," De Greiff pointed out. The prosecutor general added that U.S. authorities are "withholding evidence" to reveal later should the mafiosos be captured in their country without taking into account that several of them are thinking about surrendering in Colombia. In the opinion of the director of the Colombian justice system, the government in Washington should change its strategy of withholding evidence and "open its doors" to criminals who wish to surrender and supply valuable information to defeat drug trafficking. De Greiff confirmed that his office is still in touch with lawyers who claim to represent Gilberto Rodriguez, charged with being the leader of the Cali cartel, as part of a rapprochement process, started last year and intensified in the past weeks. Talks between De Greiff and these lawyers have developed so smoothly that the prosecutor general and the media are not ruling out the possibility that Rodriguez, who is known by the alias of "El Ajedrecista," might surrender in mid-March. According to official reports, Rodriguez wants to take advantage of the decrees President Cesar Gaviria signed in 1990 offering substantial sentence reductions to drug traffickers and terrorists who surrender, confess to at least one crime, and effectively collaborate with the authorities. Spokesmen for the Prosecutor General's Office claim that one of the difficulties facing this process is the lack of evidence to indict the mafiosos because many of the charges made in the past were leveled by the media and cannot be confirmed. Three men charged with being Cali cartel leaders appeared before the Prosecutor General's Office in mid-January but were not held because there were no warrants for their arrest.

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FAA Official on Current State of Agriculture

economic plan. The FAA considers the economic policy to be "intrinsically perverse," meaning that it goes beyond the intentions of its authors and cannot set the right course for the Republic. During the past three years, the conversion plan has achieved something we can all appreciate--stability. It has come at the cost of selling part of our national enterprises, sources of production, and even dams, something that would have been unthinkable years ago. Moreover, the foreign and domestic debt has grown, unemployment and underemployment are on the rise, and the balance of trade deficit is climbing as well. This policy will end up concentrating wealth, meaning that there will be fewer rich people with greater wealth and more poor people who are even poorer, almost destitute. Recently there was a meeting of the government's social team to look for ways to implement an assistance plan, which I think is correct. But this also tells us that this policy is making it necessary to give food to some of our fellow citizens because they cannot survive on their own. [Burgueno Hoese] In your relationship with Minister Cavallo, you have often gotten into serious verbal disputes that have even led to blows. How is your relationship now? [Volando] Look, we are both of Italian descent, and Cavallo "flies off the handle" and starts shouting. No one has shouted at me like that except my father--and he is dead now. Ours is not a personal problem; I disagree with him and he with me; he defends his policy and I criticize it. All of this causes conflicts, which are natural among passionate people. [Burgueno Hoese] You say that both are of Italian descent, but you are both Argentine as well. Is there any point in common between you and the minister, besides your ethnic origin, that would give farmers hope for a solution to their problems? [Volando] I am tremendously optimistic with regard to the future of the Republic. If we have not yet found the way to solve many of our problems, it is not for lack of human resources, but rather due to a deficiency in the governing class. If our institutions are allowed to carry out their functions and the necessary debates and discussions take place, we will come closer to the solutions. That is why I think the results for the Republic will be positive in the medium term.

FBIS3-10134_11

Finance Minister Gives News Briefing

the new currency. The answer is that we will implement it when the people think it is right. It will be implemented when the country has matured and has understood the rules, has understood that we will not implement any unfair practices here or there. Then the time will be ripe for the new currency. If we change our currency now the gain will be small, because society will not have time to adapt. Something that looks unimportant now might change, become important, and make prices go up, breaking the plan's back. This is why we thought it was necessary to adjust things by their mean values. We wanted to protect the possibility of maintaining the program. We wanted the mean values used at one point to serve as the basis for future negotiations. We are not freezing anybody's salary. The free negotiating system is on. I think we must all learn to negotiate more and more. From now on salary earners, civil servants, all those for whom we established a basic salary floor on 1 January, will be able to discuss real adjustments. It will no longer be a matter of recovering losses. Losses are automatically recovered by the URV. From now on the issue will be to correct injustices, negotiate their elimination, work more, increase productivity, earn more, make Brazil grow. Brazil can grow and it will grow. When the real is implemented it will be the expression of a new country, a country such as the one I mentioned when I was installed, a country that has found a new dignity. The country must again believe in itself, because it cannot continue walking with a currency that melts away. It must have a new pataca [old Brazilian silver coin], a strong and firm currency with which to pay for the work of those who have been sweating all this time, those who will no longer be deceived by disappearing earnings. From now on the job will be increasingly large. But I have faith. I have a lot of faith. I can feel this faith in the people. The people are looking forward, despite all the difficulties and hardships, to negotiating and discussing with firmness. I feel this faith in the government. This is a democratic government. I have never seen a more democratic government. This is President Itamar Franco's characteristic. He listens. He listens a lot, and

FBIS3-10134_13

Finance Minister Gives News Briefing

permits the ironing out of differences. A government cannot work well if only one person speaks, even if he is the president, and least of all if he is just a minister. We all have the right and the obligation to give our opinions. Once something is decided we go ahead and implement the decision. That is real democracy, a lot of discussion, consensus, and spirit of solidarity to make things happen. This is our case. And we will march ahead; we will march ahead. And I will conclude by saying that this year was a difficult year for the stabilization of the economy due to the historical pecularities of the elections. Perhaps for that same reason, in a country tired of so much corruption, tired of leaders who did not take risks, make decisions, and remain firm, the time has come for us to really stabilize the economy, and there should be no political process interfering in national decisions. Politicians, yes, but no partisan, individual, or candidate's interests interfering in decisions. We really believe there is still a patriotic spirit, a desire by civilian and military men to serve the country. Here we are both civilians and military, discussing issues within a democratic framework. We make decisions together. Either we believe this or the situation would be serious, but we do believe this is the case. We are certain that this is the case: We are certain there will be no electoral promises capable of destroying the economic goal. We thought Congress was sensitive to the clamor of the people, and it was; the people do not want influence peddling, the people do not want money spent uselessly on electoral promises, the people do not want a minister to say yes to something that should be rejected because it is no good for the country. The people want something else; the people want simple and decent individuals who work and believe. The ministers who are here are making a great effort in that direction. This is how we are. We could make mistakes here and there, but as whole there is a great effort, stimulated by the president. As a whole we do not believe we are the only ones with the truth and the only ones fighting for our convictions. We are not used to fringe benefits; we are used to working like all Brazilian people. This program

FBIS3-10141_0

Mining Technology Accord Signed With Cuba

Language: Portuguese Article Type:CSO [Article by Sergio Danilo: "Brazil and Cuba May Sign Technical Cooperation Accord"] [Text] Rio de Janeiro--Acting through the Union of Mining Geologists, the Government of Cuba has accepted the proposal by the Mineral Resources Prospecting Company (CPRM) to sign a Brazil-Cuba accord in the areas of geology and mining sometime this year. That information was provided to this newspaper by Samir Nahass, head of the CPRM's Division of International Relations. The Cubans have been interested since last year in signing the agreement to allow the two countries to exchange experts in the areas of prospecting and production. Cuba has large mining reserves of nickel, a mineral considered strategic by the world metallurgical industry. The Cubans were previously being given technical assistance by Soviet advisers from the former USSR. Now it is Brazil, with its big potential for nickel mines and its available technology, which will be able to provide Cuba with a package of services. China Brazil's main reserve of niobium ores--the deposit in Seis Lagos, Amazonas, which is owned by the CPRM and has reserves of rare earths--lacks the technology for separating those ores from the other elements that are present. According to Nahass, the Ministry of Geology and Mining of the PRC has offered that technology to the CPRM. Last year four geologists from the CPRM were in Beijing studying the quality of Chinese geology and familiarizing themselves with the mining technologies that may be transferred here for use in the CPRM's projects. The Chinese, who became the world's second-largest producer of iron ore last year (178 million metric tons), want to acquire the technology for concentrating iron ore from the Brazilians.