BELGRADE, June 1 (Hina) - UN Transitional Administrator for the Croatian Danube river region, General Jacques Klein, denounced Belgrade authorities Sunday for still not having solved the important issue of demilitarised areas in
Yugoslavia 15 kilometres from the border with the UNTAES area in Croatia. In an interview to the Belgrade news agency Beta, Klein criticised Belgrade for not having ensured rights to a dual citizenship to Serbs in the Danubian region.
BELGRADE, June 1 (Hina) - UN Transitional Administrator for the Croatian
Danube river region, General Jacques Klein, denounced Belgrade
authorities Sunday for still not having solved the important issue of
demilitarised areas in Yugoslavia 15 kilometres from the border with the
UNTAES area in Croatia.
In an interview to the Belgrade news agency Beta, Klein criticised
Belgrade for not having ensured rights to a dual citizenship to Serbs in
the Danubian region. #L#
The stumbling-block with these especially important issues for
Serbs in the UN-administered area was not Zagreb, but Belgrade, Klein
stressed.
Why did not the people take their Croatian citizenship certificates
and vote, Klein asked, explaining that it was because they feared that
if they wanted to leave the region in a year or two, they would have
nowhere to go if they had previously accepted Croatian citizenship.
Klein stressed he had expected Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan
Milutinovic to do something about the issue during his visit to Zagreb.
HE stressed Belgrade was fearful of granting dual citizenship to
Serbs in Croatia as it would have to enable the same for Albanians in
Kosovo, Macedonians in Yugoslavia and it would end up with millions of
dual citizens.
The same goes for the demilitarisation of the bordering area, Klein
said, adding that it would mean that Croatia would not bring its troops
into the region. If Belgrade wanted to stabilise this area and encourage
the residents, the demilitarisation issue should be resolved with Zagreb
soon.
On the contrary, after UNTAES troops left, Croatia could bring in
its troops into the Danubian area legally, Klein said.
Establishing that Croatia fulfilled its commitments, Klein said
that Croatia was setting aside four million kuna every month for the
region since last June, and even six million kuna.
The issue of the Croatian Danubian area was for Zagreb an anchor
obstructing it in the realisation of other goals, such as membership in
the EU and economic integration with Europe, Klein said, adding that it
wanted the issue resolved in a peaceful manner.
(hina) lm
011436 MET jun 97