Shortcut for Mr. Panic

There are some points of contact between Mr. Panic's promises and our approach, Committee Chairman Konstantin Obradovic stressed in a talk with a "Vreme" journalist. Thus, on his arrival in Belgrade, Mr. Panic said he does not believe in the existence of an idea which is worth killing for, but that everything should be negotiated. This set him far apart from the current, Serbian "real policy". A similar thing is written in the document which the Committee adopted as the basis for political dialogue: "A national program which relies on the use of force and refuses to apply political methods has brought Serbia to its present position."

If Mr. Panic really does intend to rely on the knowledge of experts as he announced, then he could not bypass talks with the Foreign Relations Committee of the Citizens' Alliance.

Dr. Obradovic, an expert in the Belgrade-based Institute for International Politics and Economics, stressed that the primary interest of the Committee members was to contribute toward lifting the sanctions with their proposals. "Because there is a real danger of the sanctions' long-term imposition threatening the basis for more moderate options in Serbia that are politically, socially and internationally acceptable", he explained.

"The international community is not interested in destroying anybody; its principal interest is not to allow anybody anywhere to realize their intentions by force. The victory of violence would be a dangerous and contagious example to others, particularly in the former Eastern bloc", Dr. Obradovic underscored.

He believes that with an about turn in their domestic and foreign policies Serbia and Montenegro would win back the support of a considerable number of international factors.

Again finding favor with the world would be of considerable importance in protecting the Serbs outside Serbia. "This regime is not the only one to blame, but it was the most direct in employing force. The Croatian regime showed greater intelligence. Had force not been applied, the Serbs outside Serbia would have received better protection", said Dr. Obradovic.

He is convinced that a change of borders inside Yugoslavia by force will never be tolerated, but: "Nobody ever said the so-called administrative borders were unchangeable. The goal to have all Serbs live in the same state will never be accomplished, but a change of borders by negotiation certainly will be possible."

Konstantin Obradovic spoke in favor of a long-term international status for the controversial territories, until the rule of law begins to govern in the former Yugoslav republic, with full protection for the national minorities.

An essential precondition for bringing the situation back to normal is to bring war criminals to trial: "Only so can we wash away the stains from all nations in order to be able to live as good neighbors again."

Mr. Panic, the future federal prime minister, who says that he learned the ways of modern democracy in the almost four decades spent in the United States of America, will probably recognize the democratic character of the Citizens' Alliance's letter, if he reads it. However, the Citizens' Alliance's letter presents a concept which the candidate for the post of prime minister designate is undoubtedly aware of, but which he has not confronted yet publicly: "A precondition for pursuing such a policy is the resignation of Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic."

The proposals of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Citizens' Alliance are to:

1) immediately recognize the former Yugoslav republics as independent states;

2) ask the United Nations to exempt from the embargo, in the same way as medicine, food and humanitarian aid, all means necessary for the normal functioning of the independent media;

3) ensure the protection of the interests of the Serbian people in other states in keeping with international norms;

4) ensure Serbia's constructive participation in the continuation of the Yugoslav Peace Conference;

5) request economic and humanitarian assistance and the international community's support for Serbia's transformation according to the citizens' concept, because only thus can long-term war and poverty in the region be avoided;

6) disarm all paramilitary units and coordinate the region's security system with Europe's;

7) initiate a drive in the Yugoslav lands to establish a joint policy with the goal to punish the perpetrators of serious violations of international humanitarian law, i.e. war crimes and crimes against mankind;

8) cooperate with all neighboring nations, particularly the peoples in former Yugoslavia, and create conditions for a productive and peaceful life based on good neighborliness.