VIENNA, May 19 (Hina) - The talks on succession to former Yugoslavia, which are being held in Vienna, could result in a consensus on a General Agreement although many open issues remain to be solved, the head of Croatia's negotiating
team Bozo Marendic said on Saturday after a week of intensive negotiations. The two-week talks among representatives of five successor-states to the former Yugoslav federation, which are being held at the OSCE headquarters at Vienna's Hofburg Castle, started on Monday and should be wrapped up by May 25. Marendic told Hina the Vienna talks could result in a consensus on a General Agreement on succession, which would consist of a framework and a certain number of annexes which were an integral part of the entire agreement. Marendic said that "some delegations are not willing to give up their demands which other delegations hold objectively unrealistic and unacceptable." Nevert
VIENNA, May 19 (Hina) - The talks on succession to former
Yugoslavia, which are being held in Vienna, could result in a
consensus on a General Agreement although many open issues remain
to be solved, the head of Croatia's negotiating team Bozo Marendic
said on Saturday after a week of intensive negotiations.
The two-week talks among representatives of five successor-states
to the former Yugoslav federation, which are being held at the OSCE
headquarters at Vienna's Hofburg Castle, started on Monday and
should be wrapped up by May 25.
Marendic told Hina the Vienna talks could result in a consensus on a
General Agreement on succession, which would consist of a framework
and a certain number of annexes which were an integral part of the
entire agreement.
Marendic said that "some delegations are not willing to give up
their demands which other delegations hold objectively unrealistic
and unacceptable." Nevertheless, he added, all sides wanted to
reach an agreement.
The General Agreement should be based on authentic facts and meet
the principles of international law, he said.
The document should incorporate all issues which have been included
in the agenda of the Vienna talks. One of the most contentious
issues is the financial annex to the General Agreement, Marendic
said.
Sir Arthur Watts, international mediator for succession, said at
the beginning of the talks the delegations should reach agreement
on the division of diplomatic and consular offices abroad,
immovables and movables on the territory of the former Yugoslavia,
archive materials, financial assets and liabilities of the former
Yugoslavia as well as on acquired rights, intellectual property and
pensions.
Watts and his collaborators have been preparing an amended text of a
draft agreement so that the delegations could reach an agreement on
all or most of the issues next week. The text of the agreement, which
is kept secret for the time being, will be distributed to the
delegations on Sunday evening.
(hina) sb rml