Thursday May 6 , 1999

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Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic saw on Thursday distinguished Greek politician and proven friend of this country, Karolos Papouglias, Greece's former long-standing foreign minister and incumbent chairman of the Greek Parliament's foreign affairs and defence commission.

In a friendly and frank conversation, Karolos Papouglias underlined the Greek nation admired the courageous nation of Yugoslavia which resolutely defended its freedom and independence. The Nato aggression on Yugoslavia is against the nation of a sovereign country, peace and security in this region and should immediately be halted. The Greek nation is unanimously opposed to the bombing and believes that all open issues in Yugoslavia should be solved exclusively by political means. Greece and Yugoslavia are friendly countries whose nations are linked by the joint history of freedom fight and Greece wishes to make its contribution to the restoration of peace in the Yugoslav region since it is only in this manner that the progress of the Balkan region could be ensured. President Milosevic emphasized the Greek nation's opposition to the aggression was a great encouragement for our nation in the defence of the country and thanked the Greek nation for its solidarity and support. The Yugoslav nation's resistance to the dictate of force has been met with strong support from all freedom-loving people in Europe and the world who dismiss hegemonism and militarism and whose commitment is to live freely and equally. He underlined that our country would continue to pursue peaceful policy and politically to resolve all issues, President Milosevic said that the key principles of a political solution to Kosmet must be based on the equality of national communities living in this region and the preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia and Yugoslavia. It is our belief that accord on all open issues can be reached through a political process and direct negotiation which implies a halt to the aggression, restoration of peace and return of all Yugoslav citizens to their homes, President Milosevic said. The talks were also attended by Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic and Greek ambassador to FR Yugoslavia Panayotis Vlasouplous.

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Serbian President Milan Milutinovic on Thursday received Carolos Papouglias, stated the Serbian president's cabinet.

The talks expressed joint strong condemnation of the unscrupulous NATO aggression against our country. Carolos Papouglias conveyed to President Milutinovic expressions of the Greek people's great solidarity and friendship and their resolute opposition to NATO's aggression. The citizens of Greece are united in the condemnation of this brutal attack on the friendly Serbian nation. Greece maintains that in question is an extremely dangerous challenge to peace in the entire region and wider. President Milutinovic emphasized that the bombing, killing of civilians and devastation of their homes, the attempt at the systematic destruction of our country's economy and infrastructure represent serious crimes against peace and humanity. Apart from this, NATO has plainly taken the side of terrorists, with the ruthless destruction of cities and villages in Kosmet and by forcing thousands of Albanians to flee their homes, it has shown it does not care in the least for them. Excuses that the aggression was carried out due to

the alleged afflicted condition of the Albanians are transparent and unscrupulous. The settlement of the problems in Kosovo-Metohija can be reached only by political means, through direct talks between representatives of all national communities living in Kosmet. The talks conducted with certain representatives of the Albanian national community confirm our belief that this is the interest of the majority of Albanians in Kosovo-Metohija, stressed Serbian President Milutinovic.

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The chairman of the Yugoslav Parliament Chamber of Citizens foreign affairs committee, ljubisa Ristic, met at the federal assembly with Karolos Papouglias.

Both sides assessed it was necessary immediately to halt NATO's bombing and aggression on FRY, in order to launch a political process for resolving the crisis. I return to Athens with optimism, which comes as sa result of talks with Milutinovic and Milosevic and I hope that the events that will ensue will not dispel this feeling that I have, stressed Papouglias.

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The foreign ministers of the G8 member countries adopted, at their session in Bonn on Thursday, principles for a political resolution of the crisis in Kosovo-Metohija.

The adopted declaration advocates, as it is said, ~effective international civilian and security presence in Kosovo-Metohija under a UN mandate~. Russia insisted that NATO troops could not be stationed in Kosovo without the Yugoslav government's consent, Tanjug has learned from diplomatic sources in Bonn. It is also necessary to launch a political process for adopting a provisional political solution that would ensure essential autonomy for Kosovo-Metohija, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, pointed out the G8 ministers. Prior to this, it is pointed out, it is necessary to establish an interim administration in Kosovo-Metohija, in accordance with a UN Security Council decision. Also envisaged is the disarmament of the terrorist so-called Kosovo Liberation Army, as well as the investment of comprehensive measures for the sake of economic development and the stabilization of the entire crisis region. The declaration also speaks about the need to withdraw military, police and paramilitary forces from Kosovo-Metohija, as well as the provision of conditions for the unhindered return of all refugees and displaced persons. The ministers have entrusted the political directors to draft appropriate UN Security Council Resolutions and German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer to inform China, as a permanent Security Council member country about their Bonn agreement.

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US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and other participants in Thursday's G8 ministerial conference in Bonn, on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the adopted conclusions and pointed out that the efforts for a political resolution of the crisis in Kosovo-Metohija were heading in a good direction, but that a lot of work was obviously left to be done, especially as regards the coordination of stands on international presence in Kosovo-Metohija.

Russian Minister Ivanov said at a press conference that ~something has moved~ in the direction of resolving the crisis, but he at the same time warned that it was still early to speak about a ~final breakthrough~.

~We have a lot of work yet to do~ said the Russian minister.

Ivanov on Thursday again reiterated the request for the NATO aggression against Yugoslavia immediately to be halted or at least a pause in the bombardment to be declared.

~Unfortunately, I did not encounter understanding among my colleagues from NATO~, Ivanov said. Russian Minister Ivanov, however, said that the form of international presence in Kosmet is yet to be discussed. As regards NATO troops, Ivanov said, their stationing in Kosovo-Metohija is out of the question without the Yugoslav government's consent.

According to Madeleine Albright, ~Thursday's joint declaration from Bonn is a step in the right direction~. She emphasized in front of reporters the importance of the fact that Russia has been fully included in the diplomatic efforts for finding a political solution for the crisis.

This fact was also pointed to by the host of the gathering, German Foreign Minister Jozef Fischer, stressing that there can be no lasting peace in the Balkans without Russia.

~We have made an important step forward in resolving the crisis~.

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Commenting on the results of Thursday's G-8 ministerial session in Bonn, the Russian media highlighted the fact that the participants in the gathering for the first time transferred the solution for key problems in the regulation of the situation in Kosmet to the United Nations.

This, commentators emphasize, still does not mean that all the differences in the approaches of the interested parties have been overcome and that NATO will immediately halt the aggression. However, Ivanov said that the very fact that Thursday's meeting was held, as well as that for the first time discussed on such a high level was a concrete plan, showed that all the sides realize that the problem can be resolved exclusively by peaceful means.

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Thursday's Group 8 meeting is assessed in the first reactions of British analysts as a significant part of the diplomatic process for overcoming the Kosmet crisis. The diplomatic process, however, will last for a while yet.

At the same time, it is warned that many differences still remain, primarily in the domain of the form and nature of international presence in Kosovo-Metohija.

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Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini described Thursday's Group 8 ministerial meeting in Bonn as significant progress and the opening of the door to the adoption of a UN resolution on ending the Kosmet crisis.

Dini pointed to Russia's constructive role in Thursday's G-8 meeting.

The Italian ANSA news agency reports that the ministers stand prevailed in Bonn that the appropriate moment should be used in order to make a distance from military and take a step loser to political logic

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Russian President Boris Yeltsin on Thursday said that the situation in Yugoslavia would occupy one of the central places in his work, until the situation in the Balkans is normalized.

Until explosions fall silent, until people in Yugoslavia feel safe, we will work on this on a daily basis, and I will do so personally as well, said Yeltsin at the beginning of his meeting with his special representative for resolving the situation over Yugoslavia, Viktor Chernomyrdin. Chernomyrdin then submitted a report to the head of state on the talks he had had in Washington and New York, and after the meeting he said that Russia was continuing work on a peaceful settlement of the situation concerning Yugoslavia. The main task in resolving the situation in the Balkans is the cessation of the bombardment, the return of refugees and the ensuring of Yugoslavia's indivisibility, said Chernomyrdin after his talks with Yeltsin.

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US Senator James Inhoff faced the Americans with the truth that NATO's bombardment was to blame for the wave of refugees and the crisis in Kosovo-Metohija.

In a statement to the US NBS TV network, Inhoff sharply criticized NATO's military committee and German General Klaus Naumann and his false claims that NATO must continue the air campaign in order allegedly to help the Kosmet Albanians. I am also concerned for the refugees but I have personally spoken to many of them in Tirana and Albania and I have witnesses who accompanied me with cameras and filmed my interviews with refugees. Every one of them to the last told me they had had no problems until the beginning of the bombardment, stressed Inhoff.

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Nato aircraft, which have carried out air assaults against FR Yugoslavia for a 44th day running, targeted civilian facilities in Nis, Kraljevo, Uzice and Prahovo overnight.

Tanjug correspondents reported injuries and immense material damage. At 10.10 p.m Nato struck the north-western industrial zone in Nis including a fuel dump, the Energogas company and the Vetfarm medical storage facilities. This storehouse was completely destroyed and considerably damaged were residential facilities in the immediate vicinity.

Several strong detonations rocked the region north-west of Uzice at 2.40 a.m.

A strong blast was heard in the village of Ladjevci near Kraljevo shortly after 10 p.m.

At the same time, Nato warplanes struck with three projectiles the city of Prahovo on the Danube. The District Civil Defence Headquarters in Bor said in an assault on a fuel depot in Prahovo two reservoirs, an electrical transformer station and distribution station were damaged. One person was injured and massive material damage was caused. This was the first Nato onslaught on the region of Negotin. Nato warplanes hit exclusively civilian facilities in the broader Lipljan region overnight, particularly along the Stimlje-Dulje road and the vicinity of Pristina.

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Nato warplanes struck at Novi Sad at 2.30 and 2.40 p.m on Thursday.

In the Detelinara district, an electrical transformer station was destroyed and four persons were lightly injured. Three projectiles damaged or completely destroyed nearby buildings and automobiles. Additional three detonations were heard in the northwestern part of Novi Sad.

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Nato aircraft targeted twice the village of Nocaj in the municipality of Sremska Mitrovica on Thursday.

Blasts were heard in the hours between 12.05 and 12.15 and the bombs inflicted damage on nearby private houses.

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NATO warplanes hit anew civilian targets in the Uzice district 30 minutes after noon on Thursday.

A number of strong detonations sounded throughout Uzice environs, as well as in the wider region of Zlatibor. There are no official reports on the consequences for the time being.

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At 11:36 on Thursday, the NATO aviation targeted the newly built RADIOTON factory in the village of Lepina, and the primary school in the village of Skulanevo. Six missiles were fired and cluster bombs were also used.

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Two-year old Nenad Radosinovic who was heavily wounded in a NATO aircraft assault on the Djakovica bus near Savine Vode on May 3, is feeling somewhat better, but his condition is still critical.

The boy was transferred in difficult condition to the surgical clinic in Pristina where doctors are still fighting for his life.

In Wednesday night's bombing of Lipljane hit was the house of Stojan Antic. In the attack, his eight-year-old daughter Milena was seriously wounded, whereas the other family members sustained slight injuries.

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Lukic Vuletic injured in last week's Nato strike at the town of Murino died in Berane hospital on Thursday rising the death toll to six.

Another six injured in the same Nato attack are being tended to in this medical institution.

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Yugoslav Foreign Minister Zivadin Jovanovic gave interviews to the Austrian daily newspaper Kurier and US TV network CNN.

Yugoslavia agrees to an international presence in Kosmet, that is a UN mission, but the details of it should be harmonized between FR Yugoslavia and the UN, Minister Jovanovic told the Austrian Kurier newspaper. He underlined under way was Viktor Chernomyrdin's diplomatic initiative backed by Yugoslavia. The main points of the initiative are an end to all military activities, free return of all refugees, free access of the UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross and the start of dialogue on the future of Kosovo-Metohija, the Yugoslav Foreign Minister said. The mandate, national composition and scope of international forces should be agreed on by FR Yugoslavia and the Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, Jovanovic said. He added Yugoslavia and Serbia were doing everything to re-start the political dialogue with Kosmet Albanian representatives. In the interview to US CNN network minister Jovanovic said Yugoslavia had a proposal to curb the aggression and commence the diplomatic political process for solving the Kosmet problem on the principle of the equality of all national communities living in the southern Serbian province. He called for the energy of Europe and the whole of international community to be directed towards construction and development rather than destruction.

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The chairman of the Yugoslav Assembly's Chamber of Citizens, Ljubisa Ristic, had talks at the federal parliament with Cuban Ambassador Omar Medino Kuintero.

It was jointly concluded that it was necessary immediately to cease NATO's bombardment and aggression against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Ambassador Kuintero said that it was an honor to have for a friend the Yugoslav nation which, in these difficult times is defending, not only its own, but also the future and freedom of all of mankind and all nations that could be endangered. Our goal is to reach an acceptable political solution and to achieve the equality of all citizens in Kosovo-Metohija, said Ristic, pointing out that a political agreement could be implemented by civilian UN and OSCE structures from countries that did not take part in the aggression.

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Yugoslav Justice Minister Zoran Knezevic addressed an appeal to other countries' justice ministers on the occasion of NATO's aggression of FR of Yugoslavia.

In over 100 replies of justice ministers, among whom are those by the ministers of some aggressor countries, support is expressed to Yugoslavia and solidarity with its nation, as well as the condemnation of NATO's bombardment. The Yugoslav justice minister's appeal first met with the response from the Greek and Russian justice ministers, Yanopoulos and Krashnenikov, who condemned NATO's aggression and denied its true grounds. Reactions also came from the Greek state council's judge, the Romanian judiciary minister, a group of American Senators, experts in international law of Cambridge University and many others.

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Russia and Spain share the stand on resolving the situation caused by Nato's aggression against FR Yugoslavia, the Russian President's special envoy Viktor Chernomyrdin said following a meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister Abel Matutes who is on a working visit to Russia.

The war should be ended at the negotiating table and under UN auspices, Chernomyrdin said and added Moscow and Madrid would continue to co-operate to this end. The Spanish minister said a breakthrough in the settlement of the Kosovo-Metohija crisis had been achieved lately owing to Russia's efforts.

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On Thursday, China said it was outraged by the continuation of Nato's bombing of Yugoslavia.

China called on Nato immediately to put a halt to the military intervention and the bombing of Yugoslavia so as to create conditions for a political resolution of problems in Kosmet, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Ju Bangchiao said. China supports the international community's efforts for a political solution to problems in Kosmet on condition that every political solution be reached with the consent of FR Yugoslavia.

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In regard to NATO's aggression against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the suffering of its civilians, Ghana's President Jerry Rollings has sharply condemned the Movement of Non-Alignment for its passive attitude to the crisis in Kosmet.

As announced in Akra on Thursday, Rollings expressed astonishment at the fact that the non-aligned countries had not condemned the bombing and offered to provide assistance to the victims of the NATO bombardment in Yugoslavia.

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The Macedonian government has called on all embassies in Skopje to provide emergency aid for the accommodation of refugees from Yugoslavia.

Defence Minister Nikola Kljusev openly told the western alliance it must assume responsibility for the refugees. Foreign Minister Boris Trajkovski branded the international community's promises to help house the refugees as a farce in which nobody no longer believed.

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The general secretary of the International Journalists' Federation, Eidan White, wound up his visit to Belgrade on Thursday.

White reiterated NATO's request for media facilities in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to cease being bombed and for the media war to be halted. He also appealed for all the necessary measures to be taken for journalists professionally to perform their duty and for the entire process of media manipulation to stop. White called on all journalists and the media in the world, including those like CNN and others which have shamefully made a name for themselves by spreading falsehoods about Yugoslavia, to make an effort to check out every information regardless of its source.

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Three million children have been compromised by the consequences of the 44-day-old devastation of FRY, said the chairwoman of the federal government's commission for cooperation with UNICEF, Margit Savovic, in Valjevo on Thursday.

UNICEF representatives are the only ones of all humanitarian organizations who have been present in our country throughout the entire course of NATO's aggression. They have toured Surdulica, Aleksinac, Paracin and several Belgrade hospitals. On Thursday, they paid a visit to Valjevo hospital where they announced an increase of aid to children and mothers in Valjevo, said Savovic.

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As part of its visit to Serbia from May 3 to 9, a delegation of the Tambovska region in the Russian Federation, on Thursday visited the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, where it discussed, with representatives of the interested Yugoslav firms, possibilities for expanding the existing and establishing new economic cooperation.

The Russian Federation's plenipotentiary representative for the Tambovska region, Oleg Ivanovic, expressed hope that the aggression against Yugoslavia would soon be halted and that the country's economic renewal would be placed in the forefront.

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At Thursday's session of the Administrative Committee of the Kosovo-Metohija Chamber of Commerce it was assessed that the economy, despite difficult conditions for doing business as a result of the NATO aggression, is functioning and satisfying the priority needs of the country's defense and the supply of the population with basic provisions.

Concluded at the meeting was that all the necessary efforts were being invested in order for the economy to function with as few difficulties as possible and to perform its production tasks as speedily and simply as possible. It was also pointed out that increasingly present was the open support of the trade and industrial chambers of a number of countries, including Italy and Greece, as well as numerous companies and businessmen of the world

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The Greek branch of the DOCTORS OF THE WORLD international association will continue delivering humanitarian relief to the Pristina Clinical Hospital Centre, doctor Nikolaou Lakis told journalists on Thursday.

Lakis accompanied to Pristina a Greek convoy of the DOCTORS OF THE WORLD international association which came under attack from the NATO aggressor on the General Jankovic-Pristina road near Urosevac at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. There were no dead or injured in the assault.

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A concert entitled ST.GEORGE'S DAY IN THE SQUARE was held in Belgrade's Republic Square on Thursday.

Taking part in the concert, held on one of the Serbian greatest Orthodox holidays, during air raid alert, was the trumpet orchestra of Fejat Sejdic and famous folk music singers. Citizens of the Yugoslav capital once again expressed their bitterness over the NATO aggression against Yugoslavia, but also relentless resolve to persevere in the defense of their fatherland.

Copyright (C.) Radio Yugoslavia