RS President, Biljana Plavsic, in an interview to a Kragujevac (South of Belgrade) TV station, stated that Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic had fought a just fight for the survival of the Serb people. President Plavsic stated that everybody should have the right to make informed decisions, including Karadzic and Mladic. Plavsic recalled that no extradition should be allowed under the RS Constitution. Plavsic concluded that if the IC wanted to respect fully the DA, Brcko should remain part of the RS
0:35
The question of full and due implementation of the DA in the territory of the former Yugoslavia appears to be boiling. This explains recent credits given to the FRY and President Milosevic’s genuine efforts aimed at calming the situation in BH, and, on the other hand, sharp criticism of Zagreb and President Tudjman’s vengeful politics. While Americans were the first to start making strong statements and announcements on the changing attitude towards the FRY, Germany will also have to join such a position as Washington shortly and will have to make practical moves in that regard through their official relations with Belgrade and Zagreb. A good opportunity will certainly be the planned visit of the German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, and his French counterpart to the Balkans. During his recent visit to Banja Luka, Kinkel expressed a particular interest in the refugee return process and was also presented with full information regarding the situation of Serb refugees from Croatia. In this regard, Plavsic and Dodik warned that Kinkel should intervene with Croat authorities to get them to change their negative views regarding the return of Serb refugees. Germany together with the United States should now put strong pressure on their protégés in Zagreb to start cooperating on the return of refugees.
2:41
The Serbian Ministry of Interior have released a statement this evening saying that 20 people, 4 police officers and 16 Albanian terrorists, were killed in fighting that took place in Kosovo yesterday. According to the statement, Albanian terrorists ambushed and attacked police vehicles on regular patrols in the area of the Glogovac municipality. Another 9 people were arrested during the fighting, whereas others are still being sought.
0:46
President Milosevic of Yugoslavia today appealed to Kosovo Albanians to stop shedding blood in the interests of political profiteers and foreign mentors and stated that the future of Kosovo lay in peaceful coexistence and equal treatment of both nations. Following the recent terrorist attacks in Kosovo, Milosevic sent a letter to President Milutinovic of Serbia expressing his firm view that the issue of Kosovo could only be resolved as a Serbian internal matter.
0:51
The Head of the OSCE mission in Croatia, Guldiman, has expressed concerns regarding the increased number of Serb citizens of Croatia immigrating to Western European countries to seek asylum. “We have recently received positive signals in terms of the possibility of Serbs returning to Croatia. OSCE are not only focusing on Eastern Slavonia but also on the whole of Croatia”. According to Guldiman, the next seven days will be particularly important in this regard, which is why he will be traveling to Knin on 9th March to see for himself that the return- related rules and regulations are fully functioning on the ground.
1:32
The Head of the Repatriation Department of the Belgrade-based UNHCR Office, Andrei Kozakov, has stated that the number of refugees who currently live in Serbia and who wish to return to their homes has been rapidly increasing. This is why, Kozakov said, we have initiated a registration of refugees in collective centres across Serbia. During the first week of the registration process that started on 2nd February 600 families applied to return, whereas the number of families registering to return increased to 1,300 during the second week. According to Kozakov, ‘the more refugees who register to return, the stronger are our chances in negotiations with the receiving countries”.
1:22