What Giani De Michaelis has said?

"I wanted to send a clear message and I did not expect that every opinion of mine will be accepted given the existing differences". These are the concluding words of Giani de Michaelis in his famous interview to "Politika", in which he obviously put a special emphasis on the "differences". Not only was his opinion not accepted; it was not published either and when he protested, his attempt to address the Serbian public was branded as "crooked business". The Minister was sharply condemned in "Politika" for trying to create "international jungle" at the expense of Serbia and its dignity. The story has an introduction: after the meeting of EC foreign ministers in Brussels and after the meeting of the Italian government, Giani de Michaelis took it upon himself to explain to the warring sides in the Yugoslav dispute the new attitude of the European Community towards what used to be Yugoslavia.

On December 19 he invited Slobodan Aleksandric, the "Politika" correspondent in Rome, and talked with him; He sent to Zagreb the chief of his cabinet Mr. Garafini the next day and he came to Ljubljana in person on December 21. While he was giving an interview to "Mladina" (a paper from Ljubljana), minister De Michaelis mentioned the unpublished interview he gave to "Politika". The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs used the diplomatic channels in order to make "Politika" publish the interview. Failing to achieve this, on December 23 they placed an official protest with short excerpts from the text. It is true that newspapers have always been reluctant to publish interviews which they did not ask for. On the other hand, the assumption of Giani De Michaelis that the attitude of Europe and that of the Italian government which he came to spell out would make news in the Serbian press is not that arrogant and haughty. At the time when we are living in fear as to what will happen next, which republic will want to be recognized, is there an end to this war, a word from the mouth of the Italian Foreign Minister concerning these issues is bound to make the news. His attempt can be understood with little good will: the poor man thought that "Politika" would be interested in what he had to say. Had by any chance Giani De Michaelis given support to Mr. Milosevic, dr. Kostic or general Kadijevic in their struggle against the "assassination of Yugoslavia" by Brussels, that interview would definitely merited the front page of "Politika" and it would not matter much whether it was sought or given. Giani De Michaelis, however, said what was up to him to say.

The interview starts with the introductory note, where the Minister gives credit to "Politika" for being the respectable paper which scrupulously expresses the attitudes of the "Serbian regime"; he then goes on to say that he understands only too well the reasons why the Serbian regime frowns upon the decision made at the Brussels EC foreign ministers' meeting, to then warn "the Serbian public, the political parties, the government and especially President Milosevic to consider carefully what happened on Monday and to evaluate the errors which would affect the interests of the Serbian people and the future of Serbia". The agreement which was reached on Monday, says De Michaelis, overcomes all the differences, it is an agreement of all European countries which will be joined by the USA. "I have spoken about this with President Yeltzin and Minister Koirev, and I believe that the Russian Government will send the message to President Milosevic to that effect. What I want to say is that Serbs do not have any choice now", points out De Michaelis.

The Minister then reminded Milosevic that he had been criticized because of his "consistent attitude" by both Serbs and Croats, which does mean something. He was almost pleading with him: "We will recognize ten or twelve republics of the former Soviet Union in a week; on December 30 or December 31 an important meeting of KEBS ministers is taking place in Prague. When all the new countries will become members, can it be that only Serbia does not want to join in? During the unpublished interview for "Politika" Giani De Michaelis asked as many as five times: does Serbia really wants to stay "outside Europe", "outside the European family", "an orphan"...? Giani De Michaelis grants the right of self- determination to the Serbs in Croatia, but not the right to secession, which goes for the Germans living in South Tirolia (Alto Adige) as well. He has nervously and passionately tried to explain that there is a single rule for the entire Europe and that it will not be changes to suit Serbia. "Europe has said that borders cannot be forcibly redrawn", says De Michaelis. "We have not succeeded in explaining the following: the federal army will never succeed in changing anything, Yugoslavia is in the process of disintegration...

The Army has no political backing, the generals of the Red Army who will find their way into the future were smarter. But does Slobodan Milosevic offer to the Serbian people? We have sent the offer to all the yugoslav republics, including Serbia. Milosevic will make a historical error and the Serbian people will pay a high price unless he sends the request for Serbian recognition until Monday... There will be no regrets, neither will Europe change its stand. " Upon "Politika's" remark that the only problem refers to the borders, the Italian Minister says: "We can talk about the borders... We will require that all republics sit down and talk to continue with the process through the United Nations, but why should Serbia be left out? Secondly, the federal army should immediately stop the war; the idea of turning Osijek in another Vukovar is pointless". De Michaelis reminds that he has as an Italian representative struggled for mediation and has not supported the German stand that Slovenia and Croatia should be immediately recognized, but also for the procedure during which there should be room for political initiative... "I shall be free to say this: if Serbia does not submit its request until December 23, but on January 5, 10 or 14, Europe will understand that; even that is a way out from the present crisis".

"Italy", says De Michaelis, "is interested only in a single just solution for all the Yugoslav peoples. And that means for all its nations. Italy, although through the Adriatic sea, borders with entire Yugoslavia and we cannot be satisfied with the solution which suits only the Slovenians or the Croatians and not the Bosnians, Macedonians...". When asked whether he ever considered the formation of "a smaller Yugoslavia, but which would really be Yugoslavia", De Michaelis says: "Someone should put forth such a proposal...", but warns referring to the Soviet experience that "the forms of association cannot be imposed from above, they have to be proposed at the bottom with a clear desire to do so... The decision in Alma Alta was born at the bottom, with many republics, none of which want to lose their profile. The same goes for Yugoslavia... But it is equally important that Belgrade realizes that solving the crisis by force, which to some seemed possible only a few weeks ago, is now impossible. I hope that Belgrade is aware that even Greece will recognize Croatia and Slovenia... Everyone, even Romania and Bulgaria will follow that route. There is already the case of Iraq, which has been isolated from the world; does Serbia really want to be the second country to experience the same fate?".

"Neither is the recognition of the Serbian Krajina", says De Michaelis, "rejected in advance, but it will be subject to negotiation on the advice of Lord Carrington. Nobody will impose by force to the Serbian minority something they do not want, but the solution should be proposed. Violence, the paramilitary gangs, the intervention of the Army, leads nowhere. Battles will be won, property destroyed and still you will get nowhere. Nine million Serbs cannot, if one could say that, live like orphans. A big lesson that has been learned in the past 40 years is that borders cannot be forcibly redrawn", says Giani De Michaelis, and that was the "most crooked" thing this diplomat has said. In the meantime, while the scandal was still fuming, the President of the Republic of Serbia gave one of his famous interview: this time for another paper, "Vecernje Novosti". He first scolded the press for having instigated "hate towards other Yugoslav nations", for "the systematic media intoxication of the people which contributed to the isolation of Serbia and he Serbian people", to then welcome the placement of the Serbian Krajinas under the protection of the UN peace-keeping troops which would put an end to this war, and he wished for peace in Yugoslavia in his New Year message to the citizens of Serbia. It is as though he had heard the message of Giani De Michaelis, although it had not been published in "Politika".