BELGRADE, November 16, 2004

• MAROVIC AND SANADER ADOPTED A JOINT STATEMENT
• SAMI AND SANADER: OPEN ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED BILATERALLY
• KOSTUNICA AND SANADER: RELATIONS BETWEEN SERBIA-MONTENEGRO AND CROATIA IMPORTANT FOR REGION

• LUXEMBOURG FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS SERBIA-MONTENEGRO
• COUNCIL OF EUROPE OFFICIAL: SERBIA-MONTENEGRO HAS UNTIL APRIL TO MEET OBLIGATIONS
• LJAJIC, CROATIAN MINISTER ON TRANSFER OF PRISONERS
• SWEDISH MIGRATIONS MINISTER VISITS BELGRADE
• MILITARY COOPERATION BETWEEN FINLAND AND SERBIA-MONTENEGRO TO START NEXT YEAR
• SCG PRACTICALLY SUSPENDED COOPERATION WITH ICTY, MERON

• TADIC: ST. SAVA CATHEDRAL IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR SERBIAN PEOPLE
• PRESIDENT TADIC MEETS WITH MINISTER SHOIGU
• AUSTRIA, SERBIA SIGN AGREEMENT ON GREATER ECONOMIC COOPERATION

• ADRIATIC-IONIAN INITIATIVE CONFERENCE OPENS
• MONTENEGRIN PM MEETS WITH LUXEMBURG FOREIGN MINISTER
• I SHALL DISCUSS SETTING UP OF MOVEMENT WITH MY ASSOCIATES, DJUKANOVIC

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Beta)-Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader and Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic said they were pleased with their Belgrade talks on Nov. 15, and also with the agreement signed on the protection of minority rights in the two countries.

After the meeting, Sanader said that the future of Croatia and the state union was in Europe that was becoming unified.

Sanader stressed the importance of the agreement on the protection of minority rights, signed by the Serbia-Montenegro human and minority rights minister, Rasim Ljajic, and Croatian Justice Minister Vesna Skare Ozbolt.

He described the document as a big step forward, although the issue was defined through the national laws in both countries.

Sanader further said that he and Marovic had also discussed the issue of missing persons, adding it was a very important issue in relations between the two countries.

Marovic told the press that his meeting with Sanader was very important, constructive, and successful, adding that it had also confirmed that the political goals of both countries were to improve bilateral ties and strengthen regional stability, at the same time aiming at European integrations.

He also said that Croatia's example in the process of European integrations, especially in meeting the obligations to The Hague based International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, was instructive.

Marovic and Sanader adopted a joint statement on mutual ties in cooperation, European and Euro Atlantic prospects, outstanding issues, and direct goals.

Sanader is the first Croatian premier to have visited Belgrade since the break up of the former Yugoslavia in 1991.

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Beta)-Serbia&Montenegro parliament speaker Zoran Sami and Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said on Nov. 15, that relations between Belgrade and Zagreb were the key factor for the stability of the region and that all open issues will be resolved in bilaterally in future.

Serbia-Montenegro and Croatia are both interested in joining European integrations and it is necessary to improve antiparliamentary cooperation between the two countries, it said in an announcement from the Serbia-Montenegro parliament, where the talks were held.

Such cooperation will open the doors for other kinds of bilateral cooperation, primarily economic, and for the development of good relations between the neighboring countries, it said in the announcement.

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Beta)-Serbian Premier Vojislav Kostunica and his Croatian counterpart, Ivo Sanader, said in Belgrade, Nov. 15, that relations between Serbia&Montenegro and Croatia were one of the key elements for stabilization not only in these two states, but the whole region.

At a news conference in the Serbian government building, Sanader and Kostunica emphasized the importance of the agreement on the mutual protection of minorities that they had previously signed, adding that the protection of human and minority rights was one of the basic values of a united Europe.

Commenting on his conversation with the Croatian prime minister, Kostunica said that they had discussed issues concerning the future, as well as those belonging to the past.

Croatian Prime Minister Sanader reiterated that the issue of returning Serbian refugees from Croatia their property was not a political but a technical and financial question, which his government intends to resolve by the end of the year, or somewhat later.

Sanader once again said that Croatia was ready to exchange its experience regarding accession to Euro Atlantic institutions with Serbia&Montenegro and underlined that both countries share the same hope of joining the EU, adding that although Croatia was "some steps closer to the EU", it did not wish to leave the region.

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Beta)-In his conversation with Serbia-Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic, the Luxembourg foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, expressed his government's readiness to continue to support Serbia-Montenegro on its way to accession to the EU.

According to an announcement, Asselborn said that full cooperation with the Hague tribunal would significantly facilitate the process of Serbia-Montenegro's accession to European and Euro Atlantic integrations and said he hoped for a successful outcome to the process.

President Marovic and Minister Asselborn also discussed economic cooperation between Serbia&Montenegro and Luxembourg, especially support for investment in Serbia-Montenegro and the implementation of an agreement on readmission, it said in the announcement.

On Nov. 15, Asselborn and Serbia-Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic signed a protocol on cooperation between the two countries in implementing a project on the destruction of stocks of antipersonnel mines in Serbia-Montenegro.

The donation is worth EUR100,000, Draskovic told the press at a joint news conference.

During a short break, Asselborn told the press that Kosovo "is not just the problem of the Balkans but also of the European Union," and that the EU was hoping that Serbia-Montenegro "will be able to stay together."

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Beta)-On Nov. 15, the Luxembourg foreign minister, Jeoan Asselborn expressed support for the preservation of the state union of Serbia and Montenegro and it's swift accession to European integration processes.

In his conversation with Serbian Premier Vojislav Kostunica, Asselborn advocated full respect for human rights in Kosovo and Metohija, it said in an announcement from the Serbian government.

The two officials said that bilateral relations between the two countries were very good and that there are possibilities for improving economic cooperation.

Starting from Jan. 1, 2005, Luxembourg will chair the EU.

Kostunica said that Serbia&Montenegro was determined to join European integration processes and that the feasibility study for Serbia&Montenegro's accession to the EU will be finished by spring 2005.

The government priorities are European integrations, the rule of law, the reform of the judiciary and state administration and the creation of favorable conditions for investment and economic progress, said Kostunica.

He also emphasized the hardship of the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, who are denied their basic human rights.

Kostunica said that the solutions outlined in the government plan for Kosovo would make it possible for Serbs and no Albanians in Kosovo to lead a more peaceful and secure life, it said in the Serbian government's announcement.

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Beta)-Serbia-Montenegro has until next April to meet obligations stemming from its membership in the Council of Europe, according to Council of Europe senior official Jean Louis Laurent.

Laurent said this during a Nov. 15 meeting with Serbia-Montenegro Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic after arriving in Belgrade at the head of a monitoring delegation. He placed special emphasis on cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

According to Laurent, the Council of Europe is prepared to continue helping the country with enforcing important international standards in the sphere of human rights and the rule of law and in programs meant to reform legislation, the judiciary, law enforcement and so on.

Draskovic said Serbia-Montenegro's strategic interest is to take part in European integration and pointed out the similarity between the country's obligations to the Council of Europe and requirements for joining the EU.

He added that full cooperation with the Tribunal is an international, democratic, and national obligation that Serbia-Montenegro has to meet in order to remove the main obstacle on the road to the EU, according to an official news release.

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Beta)-The Serbia-Montenegro human and minority rights minister, Rasim Ljajic, and Croatian Justice Minister Vesna Skare Ozbolt on Nov. 15, agreed that the transfer of the convicted Serbs from the Lepoglava prison to the state union should start very soon.

The state union ministry announced that Ljajic would visit the prisoners in Lepoglava on Nov. 19, who has been on hunger strike since Nov. 13. During the visit, Ljajic and Skare would discuss "details and concrete actions relating to the transfer."

The announcement also said that the Croatian minister agreed on starting a procedure for signing a bilateral document on the transfer of convicted persons and extradition.

The Croatian Justice Ministry has confirmed that 26 Serb inmates in the Lepoglava prison, convicted of war crimes, have been on hunger strike since Nov. 13.

All the convicts are citizens of Serbia-Montenegro, who have been protesting against the slow resolution of their requests to continue serving their prison sentences in their own country.

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Beta)-Serbia-Montenegro Human and Minority Rights Minister Rasim Ljajic told Swedish Migrations Minister Barbo Holmberg that Belgrade will meet all obligations stemming from a readmission agreement with EU countries in order to secure visa free access to the bloc.

Stressing that the agreement signed with Sweden is functioning well, Holmberg stressed that her country is ready to support the swift and proper reintegration of people who return to Serbia-Montenegro, said an official news release.

She also underscored the importance of protecting human and minority rights as a condition for EU membership and welcomed progress made in this respect by Serbia-Montenegro.

HELSINKI, Nov 15 (Beta)-The defense ministers of Finland and Serbia-Montenegro, Seppo Kaariainen and Prvoslav Davinic met in Helsinki, Nov. 15, to debate the establishment of bilateral military cooperation between the countries and a Scandinavian initiative for cooperation in the defense sector, BETA was told by a Serbia-Montenegro delegation.

Military cooperation between Serbia-Montenegro and Finland will be established next year and Finland is supposed to help train members of the Serbia-Montenegro army for participation in peacekeeping operations, BETA has learned from its sources in the delegation.

NEW YORK, Nov 16 (Tanjug) - President of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) Judge Theodor Meron said Monday in his report to the United Nations General Assembly that Serbia and Montenegro does not fulfill its international obligations relating to its cooperation with the ICTY. Since the beginning of 2004, Serbia and Montenegro has practically suspended its cooperation with the Tribunal, said Meron, adding that apart from the surrender of Col. Ljubisa Beara, no other cooperation of Belgrade with the ICTY existed. On behalf of Serbia and Montenegro, Serbian Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Zoran Loncar presented to the General Assembly, as he told Tanjug, information that clearly speaks about the cooperation forms so far. "I presented concrete stands on the cooperation, concrete data about how many persons were relieved of their obligation to keep state secrets, particularly since the National Council for Cooperation with the ICTY has been working in its new session, as well as about the number of documents forwarded to the ICTY, and the activities Serbia had launched to provide for war crimes trials to be held before domestic courts," said Loncar.

MOSCOW, Nov 15 (Beta)-Prior to a charity concert at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, Nov. 15, Serbian President Boris Tadic said that the St. Sava Cathedral in Belgrade was of great importance for the Serbian people and that it will represent the essence of the nation's Orthodox Christian spirit in an appropriate way.Tadic, who is also the president of the council for the construction of the St. Sava cathedral, emphasized the historical importance of St. Sava for the Serbian religion and culture. He said that St. Sava had taken his monastic vows in a Russian monastery in Mt. Atos, which is another example of the important role of Russia in Serbian history.

The two countries have much in common, said Tadic, adding that the Russian people "have shown great solidarity with the Serbs during the organized ethnic cleansing of Serbs and other no Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija over the last few years, when many people were killed and exiled and over 150 churches and monasteries were burnt down."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that it was necessary for the Contact Group to continue its work based on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244 on Kosovo.This is necessary in order to protect the interests of the Serbian and other no Albanian communities in Kosovo, said Lavrov in Moscow.

MOSCOW, Nov 15 (Tanjug) - Serbian President Boris Tadic said Monday following talks with Russian Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu that they had agreed on numerous issues and already scheduled the next meeting. Tadic underscored Shoigu's exceptional role in sending relief aid to the most distant parts of Kosovo following the March events. Shoigu said that the talks mainly focused on the forthcoming session of the two countries' inter-government committee for economic cooperation. According to him, bilateral economic cooperation has recorded a dynamic growth of trade amounting to an annual 40 percent. Shoigu expressed hope that this year's trade will reach one billion and a half dollars.

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Tanjug) - A Serbian state delegation to Vienna, headed by Minister of Capital Investments Velimir Ilic, on Monday signed an agreement on greater economic cooperation between Austria and Serbia, Belgrade Railway Transport Company Manager-General Milanko Sarancic told Tanjug. He said that in the agreement, the Austrian and Serbian ministers of transport and capital investments had defined joint investments in transport infrastructure, particularly in the development of Serbian railways and transport along the international Danube waterway. "The stress was laid on the readiness of Austrian bankers to grant favorable credit lines for the development of the Serbian economy," Sarancic said. Delegation members told Tanjug that the aim of this visit was the setting up of an Austrian-Serbian working group, which would focus on development projects in transport.

BUDVA, Nov 15 (Tanjug) - A two-day conference of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, comprising of seven countries of the region, opened in the Montenegrin Adriatic resort of Przno on Monday. The conference, chaired by Montenegro, will be made up of six round table discussions focusing on the fight against organized crime, environmental protection and sustainable development, education and inter-university cooperation, culture, economy, tourism and cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises, and transport and maritime cooperation. The round table on environmental protection and sustainable development will focus on the protection and sustainable development of the Adriatic-Ionian basin and other issues linked to Montenegro's successful cooperation with countries of the region, such as the introduction of coastal management in this Republic.

BELGRADE, Nov 15 (Tanjug) - Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic said in Belgrade on Monday that he had informed Luxemburg Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Jean Asselborn about views of the government in Podgorica about the situations in the member-states and the state union as well as solutions for the existing problems. The meeting was an opportunity for good talks about the situation in the region, Djukanovic told reporters after his talks with Asselborn. Djukanovic said that Montenegro and Luxemburg had continuous good political cooperation and developed economic relations within which several economic projects in Montenegro were taking place.

Asselborn said after the meeting that the Montenegrin government would decide on the way for electing members of the Serbia-Montenegro parliament. He said that Djukanovic had informed him about differences in the interpretation of the Constitutional Charter of Serbia-Montenegro and added that the issue of elections for the state union parliament should be resolved by the two member-states. Asselborn said he had arrived in Belgrade to get information about the situation in Serbia-Montenegro and added that he and Djukanovic had discussed elections for the state union parliament, structure of the state union and double-track approach to the European Union. The EU goal is to give all countries in the region a chance to become EU members, Asselborn said.

PODGORICA, Nov 16 (Tanjug) - Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) President Milo Djukanovic said Tuesday that he will soon discuss with his closest party associates Svetozar Marovic and Filip Vujanovic the setting up of a movement for independence of Montenegro, which is something he had so far been included in only as the leader of the party whose program is focused on the issue.

Commenting on Marovic's statement that he knows about the setting up of a movement only from what he had read in the newspapers, Djukanovic said in a statement published by Vijesti that he plans to soon discuss with the DPS vice-presidents and other organs the party's participation, as one of the political subjects in the overall organization. "Even when we do not have time to get informed about an issue, this should not be the reason to doubt that any one of us may do something that would be very much different from our common political and other interests," said Djukanovic.