Ethnic Serbs Plan to Secede From Croatia
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BELGRADE, Yugoslavia — Ethnic Serbs said Thursday their enclave plans to secede from the republic of Croatia, a move likely to raise tensions in the crumbling federation of Yugoslavia.
A Croatian official said the announcement was intended to pressure Croatia before a sixth round of talks today among regional leaders on Yugoslavia’s political fate.
Federal Premier Ante Markovic warned Thursday of an “explosion” of such ethnic unrest if Yugoslavia’s six republics and two provinces fail to agree soon on a means to maintain the federation.
Yugoslavia is facing “economic and legal chaos,” Belgrade’s daily newspaper Borba quoted Markovic as saying.
A statement by the Serbian National Council in the region of Krajina said the enclave plans to secede because it disagrees with Croatia’s vote last week to initiate the republic’s secession from Yugoslavia.
“The Serbian people in Krajina feel there is no reason to leave Yugoslavia . . . and, therefore, they will secede from Croatia,” said the statement.
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