Headlines
- The BiH CoM proposed that the BiH Presidency include one amendment in adoption of the agreement on border dispute between BiH and Croatia;
- 36 states and 17 international organisations have confirmed their participation at the Stability Pact Summit in Sarajevo;
- 14 Serbs were buried in Staro Gracko today;
- First Donors Conference was held in Brussels – $1.6 billion necessary for the reconstruction of Kosovo;
The agreement on the border dispute was not adopted at today’s session of the CoM although the report of the Border Commission had been accepted. The CoM also discussed issues pertaining to preparations for the Stability Pact Summit. Serb representatives in CoM insisted on the draft agreement on the border line being accepted in case it included an amendment by which BiH and Croatian police will not be able to cross from one side of the river to another before the agreement is ratified. Mihajlovic emphasised that this amendment would prevent possible problems and expressed the expectation that the BiH Presidency members would reconsider and verify the draft within the amendment during the course of the Stability Pact Summit. The CoM adopted the proposed agreement on financing of the European Commission programme of 69 million EUROs for return of refugees.
After his Greek tour, Dodik said that the people of RS can count on the support of the Greek Government;
News related to the Stability Pact Summit
SRT carried quotations from the Declaration on purposes, benefits and importance of the forthcoming Summit for BiH. The item was accompanied by OBN footage of Sarajevo, buildings where the Summit will take place, SFOR– emphasising their role in security issues.
SRT also carried the news on two scheduled meetings of the BiH Presidency: one with Marti Ahtisaari and the other with Bill Clinton.
Carlos Westendorp said that BiH strengthened after the Kosovo crisis and foresaw further improvement after the Stability Pact Summit.
Kosovo and FRY related news
SRT carried the news on the funeral of 14 Serbs in Stari Gracko where Patriarch Pavle served the mass (Patriarch said that these 14 people were innocent victims and added that “we would be able to forget this event maybe in 1000 years, but above all we have to find a way to live together in Kosovo”). Kouchner, Serb politicians from Kosovo and Nebojsa Vujovic also attended the funeral. SRT carried the news on British KFOR Military Police investigating the crime and their determination to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Besides other news items on incidents, murders and kidnaps throughout Kosovo, SRT carried the news on activities of opposition parties in Serbia: hunger strike of reservists in Nis continues, hearing of Djindjic before the Military Court in Belgrade and his statement after the hearing (APTN), statement of Ivica Dacic (SPS spokesman) and Nebojsa Pavkovic (the Commander of the 3rd Army).
Srebrenica local multiethnic authorities held a session today and discussed the possibilities of economic reconstruction of the municipality. Representatives of OHR, OSCE and the RS Government (Ostoja Kremenovic) also attended the meeting. Kremenovic said that the RS Government would provide the funds for reconstruction of the Srebrenica economy and expressed the expectation of support from international donors.
The second bidding for state-owned capital took place in Doboj. Two companies were sold: “Grmec” ( 28,605 KM ) and “Derventa” ( 256,328 KM). Two other tenders were announced as unsuccessful (“Novitet Petrovac” from Derventa and “Knezicanka” from Kozarska Dubica) due to the lack of interest in these companies.