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<title>Democratic Party - Press Release (08.05.99)</title>
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<td valign="top" width="460"><h3 align="center"><font face="Arial">YUGOSLAVIA AFTER THE
WAR</font></h3>
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<td valign="top" width="460"></a><font face="Arial"><p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"></font>Belgrade,
07. May 1999.<font face="Arial"></p>
<p ALIGN="JUSTIFY" style="text-align: justify"> </font>
“New York Times” in toady’s issue brings together statement of
president of Democratic Party, PhD Zoran Djindjic and president of Montenegro, Milo
Djukanovic as follows: <font face="Arial"></p>
</font><p>
"In
spite of the tragic events of the past month, we remain committed to Yugoslavia's
integration into Europe with EU membership as the ultimate goal. The road to Europe is the
only route that will help our country resolve its considerable problems. At the same time,
European integration is the only way to build a lasting peace and stability throughout the
region. Only a democratic and stable Yugoslavia can secure stability in the Balkans. Today
this goal is of interest for the region, but also for Europe and beyond. We write to
underscore that the democratic political forces in Yugoslavia are committed to this goal.
Hopes for democracy however now depend more than ever on unambiguous and long-term
international support. The future of our country hinges on meeting key conditions – the
urgent end of the war, the return of the refugees and a political settlement in Kosovo.
The international community needs to play an active role in achieving each aim. To
establish a lasting peace, the outside world needs to do more than solve the Kosovo
crisis. The international community must throw its weight behind a program of
political and economic reconstruction. Military intervention in Kosovo gave way to new
problems whether or not that was intended. With intervention the West has now taken on
part of the responsibility for finding a solution to these problems. The short-term
consequences of the war are clear. Hundreds of thousands of Albanians have been expelled
from their homes, and the economic and political infrastructure is being destroyed. The
fabric of society is unravelling which could herald a new danger – increasing political
extremism. It is difficult to imagine that any economic or political renewal can occur
without help from the outside world. Yugoslavia's Regional Importance Stability of the
Balkans, with Yugoslavia as a cornerstone of any durable peace, currently is top priority
for the international community. Yugoslavia's stability is crucial because of: - its size
and geographical position in the Balkans- the potential as a flash-point in the future-
its role as a determinant of stability or instability in neighbouring Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Macedonia and Albania- the fact that international credibility will depend on
how the Yugoslav crisis is resolved- how the crisis in the Balkans will radicalise
relations between Russia and the West </p>
<p> A New
Strategy for Yugoslavia </p>
<p> To date,
international strategy vis-à-vis Yugoslavia boiled dow to crisis management. This
strategy mostly dealt with the consequences of the crisis, while ignoring its roots. A new
strategy must be oriented towards the future. Its basic premise should be: - the
establishment of democratic political institutions- accelerated economic reconstruction-
intensified regional Cupertino It is impossible to imagine that democracy can be
established in our country without a complete political transition - in Serbia and
Yugoslavia, the current government which has little in common with democracy. Successful
political changes depends on the following: - The consolidation and strengthening of the
democratic opposition in Serbia (within the Alliance for Change) and close co-operation
with the democratic Government of Montenegro- The creation of conditions for free and fair
elections in Serbia and Yugoslavia- Guarantees that the international community will help
with economic reconstruction and Yugoslavia's integration into Europe if democratic forces
prevail- Intense international co-operation with democratic forces in Yugoslavia and the
complete international isolation of undemocratic political forces- The establishment of a
special OSCE Commission that will monitor political transformation in Yugoslavia, headed
by respected European politicians (for example a team including Felipe Gonzales, Hans
Koschnick, and Franz Vranicki) Accelerated economic reconstruction will be possible only
with a variation on a Marshall Plan for the renewal of the region. That plan should
include the formation of an international commission(especially from the US and EU), which
will formulate plans for reconstruction and development, determine what aid will be made
available and identify possible sources of such help, as well as -ultimately - to
supervise the plan. We believe that intense regional co-operation should start with the
establishment of a permanent Conference of Balkan Countries, which would define the
principles of a peaceful solution for regional conflicts, demilitarisation of the region
and economic co-operation.</p>
<p>
The
First step: What should be done immediately? </p>
<p>
Even
before the end of the war, it should be stated clearly and unequivocally that democratic
and economic reconstruction in Yugoslavia represents an official and binding position of
the international community towards the Yugoslav crisis. Such a statement would give hope
to the citizens of our country and point the way out of the current hopelessness. Only if
we restore the future to our country can we expect to overcome our tragic present. After
the war, it will be impossible to pick up where Yugoslavia left off. The cycle of the
politics that over the past ten or more years led our country to this tragedy must be
broken. If the war ends with a signature on a peace agreement, and the same political
leadership remains in power, with Slobodan Milosevic at the helm, the tragedy and violence
will continue. The political landscape must be reshaped which means a complete
transformation. This will help create new foundations on which to build our country. The
country will be destroyed, people will be unemployed, and Yugoslavia isolated from the
outside world. Intense efforts will be necessary to win the trust of the outside world and
to rehabilitate ourselves of the huge moral criticism because of the war in Kosovo. Serbia
has been plunged back to the past, and it is difficult to imagine that the democratic
opposition can function after this NATO campaign since that would mean that we are saying
that we are part of that Europe - that West. The West that bombed us destroyed bridges,
roads and factories and killed civilians. People will protest both in Serbia and
Montenegro. But herein lies hope-- that there can be a new beginning with the democratic
forces in power. Milosevic's politics are now facing destruction, and there exists a
glimmer of a chance to build something new on those ruins. If anything good can be
extracted from the evil that it is now among us, is the chance for a total reversal and a
new beginning for Yugoslavia. This can be achieved only with decisive international help. <br>
</p>
<p>Milo Djukanovic, President of Montenegro<br>
Zoran Djindjic, President of the Democratic Party <br>
<br>
</p>
<p ALIGN="right" style="text-align: right"><strong>The Press Office of the Democratic
Party</strong><a href="../../contact/index.html"></p>
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