From aki at alb-net.com Wed Mar 13 23:12:49 2002 From: aki at alb-net.com (AKI News) Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 20:12:49 -0800 Subject: [AKI-News] Free Montenegro : Allow for a Free and Democratic Referendum Message-ID: Advocates for Kosova's Independence (AKI) March 12, 2002 ================================= ** AKI Newsletter, Issue 9 ** ================================= AKI STATEMENT AKI strongly supports the position of the citizens of Montenegro who are protesting the current EU policy of upholding and defending the former Yugoslavia. >From their statement to EU leaders and Javier Solana: "We find it truly bizarre and incomprehensible that while Slobodan Milosevic is on trial in the Hague, the EU finds common cause with his followers in Podgorica and Belgrade." "First, we call for an immediate and total end and change of the current EU realpolitik, which is deeply wrong and painful for Montenegro, and potentially damaging and dangerous for the region. After that, we call for international support for a free and democratic referendum on our country's future status. Such a referendum is the only way out of the current unsustainable political impasse." ================================= ** A R T I C L E ** ================================= Letter of Protest and Call for International Support 04 March 2002 Free Montenegrin Intellectuals, Citizens, and Representatives of Civil Society: For a Free and Democratic Referendum To: the European Heads of State and Government Cc: The High Representative of the EU, Dr. Javier Solana As Montenegrin citizens supporting European values and the European integration of our country, we are deeply dismayed that Dr Javier Solana, the High Representative of the EU, has unfortunately decided to join efforts with Greater Serbian political forces in Belgrade and Podgorica in their opposition to Montenegro's right of self-determination. The EU risks undermining and jeopardizing Montenegro's stability and security. We find it truly bizarre and incomprehensible that while Slobodan Milosevic is on trial in the Hague, the EU finds common cause with his followers in Podgorica and Belgrade. The serious deterioration of the political situation in Montenegro in January 2002 was a direct consequence of this alliance. The EU's one-sided and irresponsible policy encourages extremists to escalate the situation and strengthens the hand of those political factions which threaten the use of violence. The EU's insistence on the preservation of the so-called FRY ignores the fact that FRY exists in name only. It was Serbia, not Montenegro, which destroyed this always problematic state through a cascade of unilateral an violent acts in the last decade. Consequently, there is almost nothing remaining between Montenegro and Serbia today that can be preserved or even broken. The pro-Yugoslav rhetoric of the EU and its allies is truly hollow. Most importantly, what will happen to our structural economic reform program recently praised by the IMF and World Bank if the pro-Federation forces take over as a result of the EU "mediation" effort? What will happen if we relinquish the euro as Montenegro's currency and reintroduce the most worthless currency in Europe (the dinar) back into our country? And what will happen to our first but extremely important achievements in the domain of multi-ethnic tolerance and democracy if the so-called pro-Yugoslav forces legitimize their Greater Serbian project with the support of EU? Fortunately, there is still a chance to prevent further negative developments. With this aim in mind, we, free intellectuals and citizens of Montenegro of all different ethnic backgrounds, representatives of civil society, and leaders of the anti-Milosevic and anti-war campaign, call for necessary international understanding, solidarity, and support. First, we call for an immediate and total end and change of the current EU realpolitik, which is deeply wrong and painful for Montenegro, and potentially damaging and dangerous for the region. After that, we call for international support for a free and democratic referendum on our country's future status. Such a referendum is the only way out of the current unsustainable political impasse. It is the duty of the European Union to press all political factions in Montenegro to participate fully in the democratic process, so that the final decision will enjoy unquestionable legitimacy. List of Signatories 1. Milan Popovic, Director, Center for International Studies of University of Montenegro 2. Slobodan Franovic, President, Helsinkee Committee of Montenegro 3. Milka Tadic, Executive Director, Independent Weekly Monitor 4. Srdan Darmanovic, Director, Center for Human Rights and Democracy 5. Neboja Medojevic, Director, Center for Transition in Montenegro 6. Miodrag Perovic, Professor, University of Montenegro, Founder of Monitor 7. Predrag Obradovic, Rector of University of Montenegro 8. Aerbo Rastoder, Professor, University of Montenegro, Editor-In-Chief of Almanach, Journal for Cultural Development of Muslims-Bosniaks in Montenegro 9. Nebojsa Vucinic, Director, Center for Human Rights of the University of Montenegro 10. Nik Gashaj, President, Albanian Cultural Association 11. Anton Sbutega, Professor 12. Miodrag Vlahovic, Director, Center for Regional and Security Studies 13. Rade Bojovic, Center for Democracy and Human Rights 14. Gojko Kastratovic, Director, Montenegrin Film Library 15. Ilija Vujoevic, Professor, University of Montenegro 16. Svetozar Jovicevic, Professor, University of Montenegro 17. Ljubia Stankovic, Professor of University of Montenegro, Member of Montenegrin Academy of Arts and Sciences (CANU) 18. Drasko Djuranovic, Director, Monitor 19. Zeljko Ivanovic, Director, Independent Radio Antena M 20. Branko Vojicic, Editor-In-Chief, Monitor 21. Stevo Vucinic, Founder, Independent TV Montena 22. Vesna Kilibarda, Provost of University of Montenegro 23. Vjera Radovic, Professor of University of Montenegro 24. Sonja Bjeletic, Professor, University of Montenegro 25. Novica Samardzic, Publicist, Editor, TV Montenegro 26. Rajko Todorovic, Painter, Professor of University of Montenegro 27. Darko Sukovic, Editor-In-Chief, Independent Radio Antena M 28. Anka Buric, Painter, Professor of University of Montenegro 29. Balsa Brkovic, Writer, Editor, Independent Daily Vijesti 30. Snezana Nikcevic, Journalist, Editor, TV Montenegro 31. Aleksandar Becanovic, Writer 32. Andrej Nikolaidis, Writer -- ### Questions/Comments, email AKI-NEWS at aki at alb-net.com AKI Website: www.alb-net.com/aki/ From amead at maine.rr.com Fri Mar 15 07:52:08 2002 From: amead at maine.rr.com (Alice Mead) Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 07:52:08 -0500 Subject: [AKI-News] AKI NEWSLETTER--URGENT UPDATE! March 15, 2002 Message-ID: AKI NEWSLETTER (ADVOCATES FOR KOSOVA'S INDEPENDENCE) MARCH 15, 2002 AKI STATEMENT We deplore the recently proposed reorganization of the FRY by EU political leader, Javier Solana. It represents the worst kind of diplomatic solution to a complex, protracted problem--namely, the death of Yugoslavia. With US leadership clearly focused elsewhere, top-down solutions are being forced onto populations who are struggling to achieve respresentative government, to which the population in this region have been deprived--always! Of note--it is against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 for any organization to create a government that is not directly approved by the population it seeks to govern. We support the following critique of the new proposal because we want to support the analysis of the people who actually live in the sad wreckage of this disintegrated former country, who strive against overwhelming odds to create constructive change. They are the experts on their region. Hopefully, this misbegotten plan by Solana will be the impetus which will finally result in a broad-based, open discussion of the future of the region in which all sides, including the Kosova citizens, will have an equal opportunity for well-reasoned input. ********************************************************************* from the Committee of Regional Cooperation: > The Committee holds that with respect to Montenegro the EU is acting >contrary to its own principles. The mission of Xavier Solana is preventing >a referendum as a legitimate means of determining one's own future. The >implications of this attitude are manifold: > >? It is preventing dialogue between the two political options >in Montenegro; >? It is deepening divisions within Montenegro that may lead to >tension and >conflict; >? By supporting the pro-Milosevic faction in Montenegro and Serbia the EU >is becoming a generator of crisis and additional confusion; >? By insisting on the preservation of the de facto non-existent state of >the FRY, the EU is effectively backing the forces which brought about the >disintegration of the SFRY and started the war, i.e. the forces which took >an active part in it. >? This partial attitude of the EU is contrary to the goal of >pacifying and >stabilizing the region. The disintegration of the FRY cannot be stopped >because it follows the dominant logic of the disintegration of the SFRY. A >move to halt this process by force, or to deny the right of >self-determination (as in the case of Montenegro), may cause further implosion of the region with irreparable damage; >Note: this is the full text referred to by RFE/RL in the news item " >SERBIA/MONTENEGRO - Serbian intellectuals urge EU not to block democracy" >(RFE/RL 11/03/2002) -see >http://groups.yahoo.com/group/balkanhr/message/3655. It is obvious that the >text is not signed just by Serbian intellectuals but by intellectuals from >former Yugoslavia. > >--------------------- > > >Committee for New Regional Co-operation: Statement on the Status of Montenegro > > >Belgrade, 10 March 2002. At this moment, the unresolved status of >Montenegro as a state is one of the most pressing issues in the process of >establishing security in the region. The ongoing negotiations between the >FRY and Montenegro under the auspices of the EU, as well as the pressure to >which Montenegro has been subjected, throw into question Montenegro's right >of self-determination. This right, which constitutes one of the fundamental >principles on which the Europe of today rests, has been granted to all >other former republics of the SFRY. The criteria for recognizing the >newly-established states on the territory of the former Yugoslavia were >laid down by the Badinter Commission precisely on the basis of these >fundamental principles. The Committee for New Regional Co-operation holds >that these criteria ought to be used as a basis for completing the process >of the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Montenegro must be allowed to decide on >her future as a state independently and without coercion. > >The Committee holds that with respect to Montenegro the EU is acting >contrary to its own principles. The mission of Xavier Solana is preventing >a referendum as a legitimate means of determining one's own future. The >implications of this attitude are manifold: > >? It is preventing dialogue between the two political options >in Montenegro; >? It is deepening divisions within Montenegro that may lead to >tension and >conflict; >? By supporting the pro-Milosevic faction in Montenegro and Serbia the EU >is becoming a generator of crisis and additional confusion; >? By insisting on the preservation of the de facto non-existent state of >the FRY, the EU is effectively backing the forces which brought about the >disintegration of the SFRY and started the war, i.e. the forces which took >an active part in it. >? This partial attitude of the EU is contrary to the goal of >pacifying and >stabilizing the region. The disintegration of the FRY cannot be stopped >because it follows the dominant logic of the disintegration of the SFRY. A >move to halt this process by force, or to deny the right of >self-determination (as in the case of Montenegro), may cause further >implosion of the region with irreparable damage; >? The preservation of the FRY effectively sustains the Greater Serbia >project. Montenegro was the only country on the side of the Allies to have >been stripped of its independence. Restoration of this independence, taken >away in 1918, is the only way to put an end to the Greater Serbia project. > >Signed > >Latinka Perovic, Sonja Biserko, Isuf Berisha, Olgica Popovic-Obradovic, Ivo >Banac, Obrad Savic, Enver Hoxhaj, Milka Tadic, Peter Kuzmic, Suada Kapic, >Ivan Lovrenovic, Milan Popovic, Rusmir Mahmutcehajic, Jakob Finci, Iso >Rusi, Srdjan Darmanovic, Teuta Arifi, Ylber Hysa > > >Balkan Human Rights List >Subscribe: balkanhr-subscribe at egroups.com >Unsubscribe: balkanhr-unsubscribe at egroups.com > >Home: > >Balkan Human Rights Web Pages: http://www.greekhelsinki.gr > >The Balkan Human Rights List: >http://www.egroups.com/group/balkanhr/fullinfo.html > >The Greek Human Rights List: >http://www.egroups.com/group/greekhr/fullinfo.html > >Dikaiomatika! [monthly human rights review in Greek]: >http://www.egroups.com/group/dikaiomatika/fullinfo.html > > >Your use of Yahoo! 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