EUROPEAN BRIEF (DELETED) FOR 19 MARCH 1990

Created: 3/19/1990

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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'UGOSLAVIA: SIi 1ST SENTIMENT RISING IN SLOVENIA

RISING NATIONALIST ANO SECESSIONIST SENTIHENT IN SLOVENIA IS DEFYING PREMIER MARnOVIC'S PP.GPOS.tO PQLITICAl ANO ECONOMIC RE FORMS and MAI AT. On UNITY,

Th{ SIOVINE ASSEMBLY RECENTLY DECLARED THE REPUBLIC'S ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE AND POSTPONED DECIDINGACKAGEONSTlTUiIOMU AM'nOm'nTS PROPOSEDMARKOVIC TO EXPAND THE PREMIER'S POWER TO SET NATIONAL ECDNOMU POLICY. THE ASSEMBLY ALSO DECIDED TO DRAFT PROPOSALCONFEDERAL" YUGOSLAVIA; ASSEMBLY LEADERS THREATENED To CONSlOER SECESSION if BELGRADE REJECTS IT. SOME SlOVfNf ftUSlNf^UUK RiPORTEOLY Will SUPPORT SECESSION UNCIR SUCm

SLOVENIA HAS LOOSENED ITS TIES TO THE fEOERATIQN SINCE THE OE FACTO BREAKUPHE NATIONAL COMMUNIST PARTY IN JANUARY AND AS ITS RilATiOMS UlTH SERBIA HAVE BECOME TENSE. SLOVENIA RECENTLY WITHDREW ITS CONTINGENT FROM THE FEDERAL POLICE IN SERBIA'S ROSOVO PROVINCE ANO THIS MONTH CUT OFF PROGRAM' THAT BENE'IT SERBIAN-CONTROLLED AREAS.

SLOVENIA'S RELATIONS WITH THE FEDERATION ARE AT AAND THE REPUBLIC'S LATEST MOVES COMPLICATESATIONAL CONSENSUS ON VITALLY NEEDED ECONOMIC REFORMS. THE PRESS REPORTS PUBLIC SENTIMENT FOR SECESSION IS CROWING. MANY OFFICIALS HOPE SLOVENELATIONS WITH THE FEDERATION WILL IMPROVE AFTER THE SLOVENE ELECTION NIIT nClfTr.. BUT THE CAMPAIGN COUIO IKFlAMI NATIONALISTi NTS BlTOND WHAT jVlHl LEADERS CAN CONTROL. IF SUPPORT IN THE SlOV-NE BUSINESS COMMUNITYNITED YUGOSLAVIA

SIGNIFICANTLY, BELGRADE WILL HAVE ONLY THE THREAT OF h LITARY tNTlHVFNUCN TO FOR EST All SERIOUS Oil IBERATIONS ON SECESSION. 4HLjt