SERB-LED YUGOSLAVIA IGNORES RIGHTS OF OTHER SUCCESSOR STATES

ZAGREB, Sept 4 (Hina) - Dissatisfied with the draft document on the succession to former Yugoslavia which was submitted for discussion to successor states of Yugoslavia by international mediator Sir Arthur Watts, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia drew up its own proposal called 'Memorandum on Understanding'. Head of the Croatian government Office for the project of succession to the former Yugoslavia, Bozo Marendic, and a member of the Croatian delegation in the negotiations on succession, Vladimir Duro Degan commented on the draft document on succession proposed by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as the draft document of Sir Watts. "Memorandum on Understanding" proposed by Yugoslavia did not offer anything new, but reiterated Yugoslavia's views from the start by which Yugoslavia should keep all property through succession, and that as many commitments as possible should be transferred to successor states, Marendic said. The proposal of the international community about the succession to the former Yugoslavia registered all views, Marendic said. It clearly shows the intention to compromise. However, the Croatian delegation felt that the proposal sacrificed Croatian interests more than those of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, he said. Degan added that the four successor states (Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Macedonia) had the same views about the principles of succession and they were not creating any platform against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, but were certainly concerned about their own rights and the rights and legally protected interests of Yugoslavia as one of the equal successor states of the former Yugoslavia. With the proposed Memorandum, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, however, showed a lack of will for reaching an agreement. Marendic and Degan held that in the Memorandum FRY stated views which were not in compliance with the Agreement on the normalization of relations between Croatia and Yugoslavia, in which Yugoslavia had agreed that the succession would be carried out on the principles of international law. FRY's proposal "does not recognize Vienna conventions, the opinions of the arbitration commission, international practice as regards succession so far, not the work that has been put in by the international community and experts from successor states," Marendic said. "FRY's goals are clear to us and they have been the same from the start, and those are views due to which no progress has been achieved despite the invested work and effort," Marendic said, adding that "FRY wants to dictate to everybody". (hina) lm jn 041828 MET sep 96