Blic, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
October 23, 2000

FRY president Vojislav Kostunica in Trebinje with RS leadership

Full diplomatic relations between BH and Yugoslavia soon

Special relations and dual citizenship for citizens of Republika Srpska

TREBINJE (Fonet/Beta/Tanjug)- Yesterday in Trebinje Republika Srpska
premier Milorad Dodik and FR Yugoslavia president Vojislav Kostunica
emphasized the necessity of establishing diplomatic relations between BH
and FRY, on the basis of which special relations between Yugoslavia and
RS could also be achieved.

"During the course of today's discussion I acquainted the FRY president
with the current political and economic situation in RS and in doing so
I expressed the opinion, which met with Kostunica's concurrence, that it
is necessary to establish diplomatic relations between FRY and BH as
soon as possible, on the basis of which special relations between RS and
FRY could also be established," said Dodik for SRNA. He stated that
during the discussion with Kostunica he also emphasized the necessity of
regulating the issue of dual citizenship, that is, that FRY should
recognize the right of RS citizens to claim citizenship.

"President Kostunica expressed complete understanding of this problem
and I think that all things will move in this direction very quickly,"
said the RS premier, announced that he would meet again with the
Yugoslav president "very soon".

The RS prime minister stated that he did not know why Kostunica was
going to Sarajevo and that he would have liked "an altogether different
itinerary".

"I think that an official BH delegation should have gone to Belgrade and
reached an agreement on the establishment of diplomatic relations, so
that RS and FRY Yugoslavia could have relations as well," emphasized the
RS premier.

President Kostunica, who visited Trebinje on the occasion of the
reburial of the remains of the poet Jovan Ducic, was greeted at the
entrance to the Church of the Holy Annunciation by the Bishop of
Zahumlje, Herzegovina and Primorje Atanasije with the words: "Welcome to
Herzegovina, Mr. President" and dubbed him Stevan Vojislav the Second,
thus symbolically linking him to the Nemanjic dynasty.

"This is the first time in 50 years that a Yugoslav president has
entered a church," stated Bishop Atanasije.

After a welcome by the highest officials of Republika Srpska, Kostunica
also inspected the ceremonial guard of the RS Army and paid his respects
to the spirit of Ducic upon entering the church. He participated in the
ceremonial blessing of the Herzegovian Gracanica, Ducic's eternal
resting place, which was performed by the Serbian Patriarch, Kyr Pavle,
and attended Holy Liturgy served on this occasion.

Following the conclusion of the liturgy, the Patriarch gave Holy
Communion to the FRY President. The bishops and archpriests of the
Serbian Orthodox Church during the course of the liturgy in their appeal
to the Lord mentioned in their prayers "our Christ-loving president
Vojislav".

At a formal academy after liturgy, prior to the final laying to rest of
Ducic's remains in the newly build church, President Kostunica was
introduced as "the faithful Dr. Vojislav Kostunica, Ducic's admirer,
whose ancestors, the Damljanovic family, came to Serbia long ago from
Herzegovina". Poet Matija Beckovic said that Vojislav Kostunica is "not
only the first president who has been christened but also the first who
has crossed himself."

The president of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zivko
Radisic, RS vice-president Mirko Sarovic and RS parliamentary speaker
Petar Djokic also spoke with Kostunica in the residence hall of the
Herzegovian Gracanica. At the deadline for this issue of "Blic",
Kostunica was engaged in talks with members of the presidency of Bosnia
and Herzegovina at Sarajevo Airport.

Translated by S. Lazovic (Oct. 22, 2000)