12/05/1997

OHR BiH TV News Summary, 05 Dec. 1997

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05 December 97, 19:30

Sarajevo – BiH HoR Assembly Session scheduled for today, was cancelled after three hours, due to a failure of the appropriate conditions, as Jovan Bijelic, house chairman told journalists. In fact this session was meant to be a third extention of the meeting which started 18 November and was due to discuss some key laws for the country: Law on passports and Law on citizenship. Discussion to cancel Velibor Ostojic’s appointment as the BiH Human Rights, refugees and asylum Commission President, was also expected to be on the agenda, as well as discussion on the initiative for establishing of the Commission for investigation of the inter entity smuggling. Halid Genjac, Deputy HoR President explained that a new SDS request concerning passports was supported as a result of the earlier three hour long discussion, but not a new attempt to start the same discussion over the size of letters on the passports, which was agreed upon.

A prolongation of the BiH HoP fifth Assembly Session scheduled for tomorrow is very likely to be cancelled, since it was earlier decided that it will follow after the HoR accepts the relevant laws.
2:30

Klaus Kinkel and Hubert Vedrene, the German and French FMs pointed out in their joint statement from Bonn following the BiH visit, that there is less and less time for these laws to be accepted before the meeting in Bonn. They said also that, in their talks with the politicians in Sarajevo, they emphasized, that these laws have to be accepted if they expect the IC to go ahead with its support.
1:30

Alija Izetbegovic, BiH Presidency Chairman talked with Jacques Klein, HR Principal Deputy about the topics which will be discussed at Bonn Conference, especially concerning refugee return.
0:30

The documents for the Bonn Conference have not been finalised yet, but they emphasise the tasks for all the bodies in BiH, Jadranko Prlic, BiH FM told Press Conference. The main characteristic of the documents prepared for Bonn, is, among others the stressed readiness of the IC to stay in BiH. He said also that the role of the HR is being enlarged, although there is still no agreement on it among the Contact Group. Asked how Bosnia is going to look after Bonn, Prlic said that BiH will be exactly the same as it has been described in the DPA. No document can change anything on the signatures at that paper. He said also that the EU and some of the Ministers are thinking of establishing of special relations between EU and BiH.
3:00

The forthcoming Bonn Conference is very important for the peace process in BiH since it is taking place in a moment when the IC is engaged to implement the DPA in full, Aisling Byrne, OHR Spokeswoman told Presser today giving public the Agenda of the Meeting in Bonn which comprises a oversight of what has been done by now as well as the HR’s, NATO Secretary General and OSCE President reports, reports on the human rights, refugees rights, security questions in the region, questions of arming, Brcko arbitrage, etc
2:30

The SDA Zepce Municipal Executive Council strongly condemned the incident of attacking two journalists in Zepce. Its letter to OSCE, IPTF, SFOR and OHR pointed out the earlier threats of Zepce HDZ leaders Ante Marincic and Ivo Lozancic, that they will undertake any step in order not to implement the election results in Zepce, which led to the attack.
1:30

Johan Verheyden, OSCE Spokesman condemned at the regular Press Conference, the attack on the BiH journalists and the OSCE members in Zepce and asked for a quick investigation and punishing of the culprits. He also apologised to the BiH TV for the statement in which he used excessively to strong words at the Press Conference, to condemn TV BiH coverage of the funeral of Ermin Rapa.
1:00

The incident in Zepce is not a drop of water in a sea, but a large wave which threatens to suffocate what normally is called democracy and freedom of expression, reads a statement of the Main Council of the BiH Radio and TV Trade Union, sent to the BiH authority and International Organisations, relating to the attack on the journalists in Zepce. A list of those who condemned the attack, followed.
0:30

After an agreement of the federal partners relating to refugee return to the Central Bosnian Canton, a first meeting of the special donors has been held under auspices of Hanns Schumacher, HR Senior Deputy. It is expected that they help and support this action, Schumacher said after the meeting at the Press Conference in the Presidency building, attended also by Vladimir Soljic and Ejup Ganic, Federal President and his Deputy. Explaining details concerning the project, Ambassador Schumacher stressed that the result on return to the Central Bosnian Canton was based on the persevering work of late Ambassador Gerd Wagner on the issue.
3:00