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11 March Latest News
Montenegro’s Foreign Minister
Pleased About Talks With US Officials
WASHINGTON, United States -- Wrapping up a week-long visit to
Washington, Montenegrin Foreign Minister Branko Lukovac reported that the Bush
Administration seems to understand Podgorica’s "delicate position"
in ongoing efforts to form a federation and said it would work to protect
Montenegro’s interests. Lukovac noted Sunday (10 March) that he was satisfied
with his discussions with senior US officials, whom he said urged Montenegro to
continue co-operating with Serbia in attempts to reach an agreement. Though
Washington generally supports EU security chief Javier Solana’s proposals,
Lukovac said, "I am convinced that the USA will not give carte blanche [to
the EU] and back all the EU proposals." Solana, meanwhile, will report on
progress in federation talks Monday during a regular monthly meeting of EU
foreign ministers. (Tanjug - 11/03/02; B92, BBC, Montenegrin Radio - 10/03/02)
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Macedonian Delegation Heads for Brussels
SKOPJE, Macedonia -- A delegation headed by Prime Minister
Ljubco Georgievski headed for Brussels Monday (11 March) on the eve of the
long-awaited donor conference for Macedonia. Skopje hopes to raise 256m euros in
assistance to cover losses incurred during last year’s military conflict. The
World Bank and the European Commission are sponsoring Tuesday’s conference.
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Ixhet Memeti said Sunday that he
expects all relevant institutions, prosecutors and courts to immediately begin
implementing the newly passed amnesty law. That means most jailed National
Liberation Army members will be released and criminal charges against some 300
others dropped.
In separate news, a Macedonian police reservist was gunned
down in a drive-by shooting in Gostivar, 20 km south of Tetovo, late Saturday.
The officer was wearing civilian clothes when assailants opened fire. The
incident is being investigated. (Utrinski Vesnik - 11/03/02; A1 TV, BBC, AFP -
10/03/02; MIA, DPA - 08/03/02)
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Serbian Coalition in Kosovo to Decide on
Cabinet Participation Next Week
PRISTINA, Yugoslavia -- The Serbian coalition Return will
decide after 17 March, when Michael Steiner, UN mission head, is due to return
to the province, whether to participate in the Kosovo cabinet. The Serb
coalition, backed by Belgrade authorities, has demanded more cabinet seats and
has proposed a new ministry for refugees and displaced persons. (BBC, Studio B
TV - 11/03/02)
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BiH Presidency's Chairman Belkiz:
Karadzic’s Arrest Is National Priority
BANJA LUKA, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- The arrest of
Radovan Karadzic is a priority for all of BiH, says Beriz Belkic, chairman of
the three-man BiH presidency. Following a meeting Friday (8 March) with the
president and vice president of Republika Srpska, Belkic stressed that bringing
the former Bosnian Serb leader to justice would relieve Bosnia of what he called
its current burden.
Meanwhile, Bosnia's anti-terrorist chief Ivica Misic said
Sunday that Egypt has requested the extradition of nine members of an Egyptian
militant organisation. The nine reportedly obtained Bosnian citizenship after
the war, but appear to have since left the country. (AFP - 10/03/02; Nezavisne
Novine - 09/03/02)
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Bulgaria's Opposition Elects New Leader
SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Bulgaria's largest opposition party, the
Union of Democratic Forces, elected Nadezhda Mihailova as its new leader Sunday
(10 March). Mihailova, 39, beat incumbent Ekaterina Mihailova (no relation) by a
vote of 2374 to 1365. The new leader served as foreign minister in Ivan
Kostov’s cabinet from 1997 to 2001. She was credited with improving Bulgaria's
ties to the West and bringing the country closer to NATO and EU membership.
Delegates hope Mihailova can turn the party around after its crushing defeat in
last year’s parliamentary elections.
In other news, a senior military official Friday announced
that the army would be reduced by 8,500 people by the end of the year, and by
nearly 22,000 by the end of 2004. Gen Luben Pandev, chief of staff in the army
personnel department, confirmed previous announcements that 45,000 soldiers
would make up the army in peacetime and up to 100,000 in wartime. (24 Chasa,
Trud, Dnevnik - 11/03/02; AP, AFP, BTA - 10/03/02; BTA, Mediapool - 08/03/02)
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Albania: Senior Police Officers Arrested
for Drug Trafficking
TIRANA, Albania -- The interior ministry says Durres police
chief Shamet Bejto has been arrested, along with five other officers, for
alleged involvement in trafficking drugs from Turkey to Italy. Police seized 35
kg of heroin from a boat that was about to leave for Italy early last week.
Another 20 kg of heroin were found in a police car heading for Kosovo at the end
of February. (Tanjug, AFP - 10/03/02)
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Slovenia Calls On Croatia to Revise
Transport Regulations
LJUBLJANA, Slovenia -- Slovene Transport Minister Jakob
Presecnik appealed to Croatia to revise its regulations on the transport of
hazardous substances. Presecnik said Saturday (9 March) that the restrictions
are inconsistent with international agreements. He pledged, however, that
Slovenia would not respond with countermeasures. This is the second major
hauling dispute in recent months between the neighbours -- the last involved
regulations Croatia imposed on trucks carrying oil.
Monday, meanwhile, Hungarian President Ferenc Madl began an
official visit to Zagreb, meeting with his Croatian counterpart Stipe Mesic and
Prime Minister Ivica Racan. Three bilateral agreements aimed at boosting
economic ties are expected to be signed during the visit. (HINA - 11/03/02; HINA
- 09/03/02)
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Hungarian Minority in Romania Gets Right to
Sing National Anthem
BUCHAREST, Romania -- The Romanian government has issued a
decree allowing the Hungarian minority to freely sing their anthem and use
national symbols on their holidays. The cabinet thus overruled its previous
regulation, which allowed the Hungarian anthem only at official international
state occasions and only together with the Romanian anthem. The new decision
results from co-operation between the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania and
the ruling Social Democratic Party.
Meanwhile, the Romanian government, the EU and the Resource
Centre for Roma Communities launched a nearly 1m-euro project to improve the
situation of the Roma minority. The programme will promote community
development, education, health, social security, communication and civil
representation. (Rompres - 08/03/02)
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Bulgaria Chooses Location for Nuclear Waste
Disposal
SOFIA, Bulgaria -- Bulgarian authorities have decided on the
region Marichin Valoto to place a new disposal site for low- and medium-grade
radioactive waste from the Kozloduy nuclear power plant. The Geotechnics
Research Base has already started drilling in the area to determine the exact
location. The second stage of preparation, which begins in July, involves
detailed engineering and geological studies to determine potential environmental
and ecological impact. (Sega - 11/03/02)
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