SERBIAN PUBLIC KNOWS LITTLE ON ZAGREB-BELGRADE AGREEMENT

BELGRADE, August 25 (Hina) - The integral text of the Agreement on the Normalization of Relations Between the Republic of Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) was on Sunday published only by the Serb "Dnevni Telegraf" daily. The non-publication of the Agreement enables different interpretations of its contents and the singling out of those regulations estimated to benefit the Yugoslav side. Firstly, the acknowledgment of continuity of statehood of FRY, followed by the rights on the return of Serb refugees to Croatia, the return of their property and the right to pensions earned in Croatia. The daily completely ignores Articles 1 and 2 of the Agreement, according to which "the Contracting Parties respect each other as independent, sovereign and equal states within their respective international borders" and "shall respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of the other Contracting Party". The majority of the Serb population, informed exclusively via state media, still does not know that by signing an agreement on the normalization of relations with Croatia, FRY acknowledged "the existence of the continuity of Croatia's statehood". All articles and commentaries point out only that Croatia acknowledged FRY's statehood continuity. (hina) ha lm 251512 MET aug 96