Headlines
- US troops entered in Kosovo – Russian troops still at the Pristina airport
- Negotiations in Moscow reached a dead end
- Kosovo Liberation Army killed two police officers near Pristina
- Norwegian President in BiH
- Topics of TV Info: What did the US Special Envoy said to the BiH politicians and people; The Presidential initiative on return without results
- What is the quality of meat we eat?
- 100th year of the Sarajevo’s Cathedral consecration and the St. Anton Day in Busovaca
Yugoslavia
NATO strikes against Yugoslavia have finished and no one talks about ground intervention any more. Deployment of the Alliance troops is going on, under the auspices of the UN resolution. Russians insist on their responsibility zone, which would not be under the joint command. OBN reporter, Natasa Narancic, reported from Pristina on the current situation. She reported negotiations between the Russian and NATO forces were still going on. OBN reporter from Skopje, Safet Bisevac, reported on the arrival of the USA troops and 30 tanks and armored vehicles in Kosovo.
The Russian Foreign Minister, Igor Ivanov, said that sending of the Russian troops in Kosovo was a part of the plan approved by the Russian President, Boris Yeltsin. Ivanov said that he was not informed on this previously and although he had promised to withdraw the troops, now they would stay in Kosovo. The US State Secretary, Madeleine Albright, said: ” We do not believe that there should be a separate Russian sector because we do not want to see any partition at Kosovo”.
Kosovo – civilians
NATO disarms Serbian paramilitary troops. The question is whether they would have to disarm the Kosovo Liberation Army too? The Yugoslav Army and the Serb refugees leave Kosovo. Agencies reported on burned villages.
Sarajevo
A report on the arrival of the Norwegian President, Kjell Mange Bondevik, to Sarajevo. OBN crew was at the airport when the President arrived. Norway has sent its troops within the SFOR and actively participates in the mine clearing in BiH.
This was followed by a summary on the last week visit of the US Special Envoy for the Balkans, Robert Gelbard to Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Mostar. Gelbard said if the International Community money is not invested in a proper way in BiH then it would be directed somewhere else.
OBN journalist, Sanjin Beciragic, produced a report on the slow refugee return process in BiH and its perspectives for 2000. Unsatisfactory tempo of the refugee return, the Kosovo crisis has further deteriorated. According to the Ministry of Work and Social Affairs, during the first five months of this year, some 20,000 refugees and displaced persons have returned to their homes.
Return to Maljine, Bosanski Petrovac, Setice
This was followed by three reports on the refugee return; return of the Croats to the Maljine village, in the Vlasic area, return of some 100 refugees during the last month to villages in the Bosanski Petrovac area and return of the Bosniaks to the village Setice in the RS Zvornik Municipality.
Sarajevo
Meeting of the Association of the Independent Intellectuals “Circle 99” was held today in Sarajevo. The topic of the Association’s discussion was civilian society. Guests of the meeting were from Germany, and their visit was initiated by the opening of the regional office of the German foundation in Sarajevo.
World
A report on some 300 million voters who voted for the new European Parliament in 11 of 15 EU countries was followed by a piece on meat from Belgium. The meat from Belgium have been imported to BiH. OBN crews from Sarajevo and Banja Luka produced reports on this issue.
Sarajevo – Busovaca
The Catholic’s Cathedral in Sarajevo celebrated today the 100th anniversary of consecration. This happened on the Day of St. Anton, a report on which came from Busovaca. This was a great day for all Catholics in BiH.
Sport
A report from the BiH championship in athletics for seniors, which started today in Sarajevo at the Olympic stadium Kosevo, was followed by a report from Formula One competition in Canada, tennis tournament in London and international football and hockey matches.
Banja Luka
A report on the start of the tourist season in the RS.
Ustikolina/ Gorazde
A piece produced by the OBN reporter, Mladen Vujic, on rafting on the Drina River.