Back From the Dead and Into Jail

The Premier of RS, Milorad Dodik, has "survived" thus far all attempts to "reconstruct" his cabinet in a way which would permit the entrance of the radicals and representatives of SDS.  Shortly after this failed reconstruction, Dodik, together with Biljana Plavsic and Momcilo Krajisnik, went to Belgrade for talks with Slobodan Milosevic.  No announcement has been issued about talks in Beli Dvor, but even after this meeting speculation continues as to what will happen with RS.  According to some, Milosevic will attempt to destabilize Dodik, who supposedly is against many of Milosevic's policies.  According to others, this confrontation is "mere masquerading" before the public because Dodik himself felt how close he had gotten to the President of FRY.

The interview with the Premier of RS was conducted shortly after his return from Belgrade and only a few days before Dodik's latest trip to Washington.

VREME:  You returned recently from Belgrade.  There is talk that you met with the President of FRY, Slobodan Milosevic.  What did you talk about?

I don't see anything spectacular about my going to Belgrade.  We met and had a discussion with the objective to exchange information about what is happening in RS.  Besides this exchange of information, nothing extraordinary happened.  As far as the talk itself is concerned, which has attracted so much public attention, I must say that it has all been overly politicized.  A meeting which can be considered an exchange of ideas ought not to attract so much attention.

Are you in conflict with Slobodan Milosevic, and if so--why?

Evidently politics cannot do without speculation.  I believe we had a discussion in which I represented a firm view on the reconstruction of our government.  I refused a reconstruction which would assume the entry of SDS and radicals into the government.  I had my own views on that.

What kind of reconstruction of the RS Government did Slobodan Milosevic demand, and when did those pressures on you begin?

There is really nothing spectacular or unusual in this.  Different people simply have their own proposals.  SDS and the radicals had a proposal about joining the government.  They thought it would be a good thing, whereas I do not think that it would be a good thing.

I refuse to acknowledge all other speculation in that direction.

Is it true that after that talk, the borders on the River Drina were closed for export of goods from Serbia into RS?

There really are certain glitches concerning fertilizers which are needed for summer sowing by farmers.  There really are certain problems whose resolution we have been expecting for several days already.  As far as I know, all other goods are considered on the  lists of approval.  They are steeped in the usual red tape.  The imports are the same as they have been thus far, except for fertilizers which present a problem from the RS perspective.  A balance has not been established between RS and Yugoslavia, even though we already paid the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for that fertilizer.

Is the information cited in some western media correct about contacts between your Government and Radovan Karadzic regarding his surrender to the Hague Tribunal?

I personally and the Government of RS do not have any contact with Karadzic, but we do publicly express our opinions on this issue.

And what is that opinion?

I hope you are aware of it.  We stated that it would be best if Karadzic were to hand himself over voluntarily, and that we are expecting him to do this in the time to come.