Yugoslavia Urges Serbia-Montenegro Talks on Federal TiesYugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica Thursday called for a quick start of new talks between Serbia and Montenegro on federal ties following a narrow win by separatists in Montenegro's parliamentary elections last weekend.The results of the elections indicated that the attempt for Montenegro to secede from Yugoslavia is hardly to be realized, Kostunica said while meeting with visiting Swiss President Moritz Leuenberger. The slim majority gained by pro-independence coalition led by Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic in the latest elections has postponed his promised summer referendum on quitting Yugoslavia, but Djukanovic has vowed to hold it sometime later. Kostunica told reporters that the functions of the federal government organs can be reduced but they must be effective. The Swiss experience in this regard can be used by Yugoslavia for reference, he noted. Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic on Thursday told the press that the Republic of Serbia is about to hold talks with Montenegro on everything in future relations except the independence of Montenegro. Serbia can accept Montenegro's proposals which called for greater autonomous powers, Djindjic said, adding that the future federal government will only take charge of the issues of defense, diplomacy, finance and human rights, and hand other powers to the two republics. This will benefit both Serbia and Montenegro, he added. Serbia and Montenegro constituted the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992 when the former Yugoslavia collapsed. |
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