- Milosevic and Chernomyrdin Discuss Yugoslav Position on Kosovo Crisis at all-day Meeting in Belgrade
- Three Citizens Killed and Several Injured in NATO Attack on Aleksinac, Power Facilities and Infrastructure Damaged in Belgrade, Leskovac, Pirot and Kosovo
- PM Dodik Expects that Hague Tribunal Will Re-examine Role of Co-Chairman of BiH CoM, Haris Silajdzic in Last Bosnia-Herzegovina War
- Croatia Officially Requested US to Extradite Priest Momcilo Djujic
Today’s all-day talks between Russian Envoy, Chernomyrdin and Yugoslav leadership in Belgrade, are a continuation of the hurried negotiating process, in which, according to the assessment of the analysts, there has been progress towards a solution of the crisis in Yugoslavia. After the agreement in Moscow that the UN Security Council approves a mandate for the international forces in Kosovo, the obstacle in the negotiations is the size and the composition of the forces. Russian diplomatic sources claim that command of the forces should be taken over by one of the neutral countries, for example Finland.
The essential component which will influence the resolution of the Yugoslav crisis is raising of the Hague Tribunal indictment against the highest Yugoslav officials. It caused numerous reactions: RS Vice President, Sarovic stated that the indictments did not contribute to a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the Kosovo crisis. Srna reports that the NA Deputy from the SNSD, Simic, assessed that the indictment against the President of Yugoslavia was at this moment irrational and harmful and was directed against a peaceful solution which had started to emerge.
President of the Serb Coalition for the RS, Lazarevic, stated at a press conference in Banja Luka that the indictment was an accusation against the entire Serb people.
Member of the Socialist Party of Serbia Main Board, Bogdanovic, said that the statement of the Main Prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal, Arbour, was absurd and immoral.
The FRY Ambassador in Moscow warned that the indictment was an unacceptable attempt by America to sink the peace negotiations and added that the FRY did not recognise the Hague Tribunal.
Beta reports that The President of the Montenegro Socialist Party stated that the indictment against Milosevic was a continuation of riotous force towards the FRY.
The Montenegro SDP Deputy told Beta that this was a critical moment for the FRY and that the IC had shown that it would go all the way. The President of the Montenegro Liberal Council said that raising the indictment against Milosevic could be very dangerous. Montenegro Deputy PM, Kilibarda called on the FRY President to go to Hague voluntarily.
According to Beta, Russia finds that the Hague Tribunal decision could be assessed only as a politically motivated action.
The President of the Foreign Policy Committee of the Russian Duma stated on the occasion of yesterday’s Hague Tribunal’s decision that Americans had humiliated Russia again in public.
Beta reports that Italian PM, D’Alemma considers that the FRY President cannot be given immunity from criminal prosecution in exchange for a peace agreement on Kosovo. He added that the raising of the indictment could not prevent negotiations with Milosevic on Kosovo.
Macedonian PM, Georgievsky assessed that the indictment practically meant that the war would continue for a period of time. With the indictment, the IC did not allow the FRY President to take a step back and to negotiate. The PM said that Milosevic did not have a choice now and that he would fight all the way.
French PM, Jospin, last night welcomed the indictment against Milosevic as a victory of the independence of judiciaries, regardless of the fact that this would have a negative influence on solving the Kosovo crisis.
According to Beta, the Deputy Main Prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal stated today that the indictment against the FRY President could hinder Kosovo crisis negotiations.
Srna reports that the largest American anti-war movement, International Action Center, addressed a message to the US public that the reason for the latest “embarrassing move of the Hague Tribunal” was merely NATO‘s intention of justifying the mass bombing and the brutal illegal war it was leading against Yugoslavia. In an interview to the BBC, Former US State Secretary, Kissinger, assessed that the raising of the indictment would make the search for peace complicated.
Deputy US State Secretary, Talbott, stated today in NATO Council that there had been progress in his negotiations with the Special Russian Envoy, but that one should not expect a fast solution to the Kosovo conflict.
German Foreign Affairs Minister, Fischer, claims that a solution for cessation of air raids on Yugoslavia could be ready by June 18th, when the G8 will meet in Cologne.
The newly elected Russian PM stated to a Hungarian daily that the events in the Balkans erre not only strikes against Yugoslavia but also against Russia.
Beta reports that the Ecumenical Council of Churches last night appealed for the finding of a permanent solution to the Kosovo crisis through negotiations.
In the “New York Times”, former US President Carter expressed regrets about the readiness of politicians to give up political solutions so easily.
According to Beta, financier Soros last night condemned the American strategy in Yugoslavia and emphasised that the US could not force the entire world to knuckle under by bombing.
Tanjug reports that the leader of the Kosovo Albanians, Rugova, today again rejected the invitation of the leader of the so-called KLA, Tachi, for a meeting of reconciliation.
Deputies of the Montenegro Parliament continued yesterday’s discussion on the two resolutions on peace and unity in Montenegro, but this item of the agenda was not completed today. The Montenegro Government condemned FRY PM, Bulatovic as a manipulator, and the Socialist Party as the major aggressor who signed the surrender of Kosovo a long time ago.
RS PM Dodik told Srna that the RS was in favour of BiH with two entities, and against its recomposition. He called on Co-Chairman of the BiH CoM, Silajdzic to explain in a TV duel who was the aggressor in Bosnia. The SRT reports a comment of HR Westendorp on the Silajdzic’s latest statements.
FRY correspondents:
Belgrade media report that at least 3 people were killed and several injured during last night’s NATO air raids on Aleksinac. NATO bombers also targeted Valjevo, Uzice (transmitter of RTS), Belgrade, Cacak, Vladicin Han.
More than 200 missiles were directed at an area of Kosovo from yesterday until this morning and more than 55 facilities and settlements were targeted. NATO aircraft destroyed three transmitters in the area of Pristina.
Itartas reports that the President of the Lower House of the Russian Parliament stated today in Moscow that an international court for NATO should be established because of its aggression against Yugoslavia.
Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry today accused NATO that it had violated the international Agreement on Control of Conventional Arms in Europe by banning Russia from conducting an inspection of NATO forces in Albania and Macedonia.