07 October 97, 19:30
Sarajevo – German Defence Minister Ruhe visited BiH today. After the meeting with the Presidency, Ruhe said that obvious progress in peace implementation had been noticed in the BiH Federation, which, unfortunately could not be said for the RS. Other issues discussed were refugee return and disrespect for the Sintra agreement. Speaking of the media, BiH Presidency President Izetbegovic supported the establishment of a state commission for creating media in accordance with democratic standards. In his talks with CoM Co-chairman Silajdzic and Vice Chair Tomic, Ruhe praised the SFOR seizure of TV transmitters. Ruhe was also meant to meet with RS representatives, but inexplicably they did not attend the meeting. Silajdzic said that OHR is expected to take steps in order to force RS politicians towards faster political progress. Although Ruhe did not want to speculate on the possibility of international troops remaining in BiH, he said that the time until June 1998 must be used in the best possible way.
Washington – US State Department hailed yesterday’s surrender of the “Knightly Group” to the Hague. SD spokesman Rubin said that this act will be considered positively at the forthcoming discussions of the World Bank regarding Credit approval for Croatia.
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Mostar – At the press briefing of the IC representatives in Mostar, OHR chief for Mostar Sir Garrod said that the surrender of the “Knightly Group” showed that the Croat people in BiH have made great steps, and showed their readiness to work more closely with the international institutions. Sir Garrod also said that one of the main problems in BiH was that agreements were signed but not respected. UN spokeswoman Moore talked about the car-bomb in Mostar, saying that the UN mission is re-evaluating it’s role in BiH, and that the UN is dissatisfied with the lack of co-operation by the Cantonal police, that is police directorate Southwest. In spite of the UN’s insistence to have access to the investigation files, the main prosecutor Bilic would not let UN and IPTF access the information. The recent joining of the BiH police into the investigation has shown that it is only a farce, meant to avoid the critics.
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Mostar – At the meeting between UNHCR chief for South Bosnia Wright and Her/Ner Canton Ministers Hujdur and Jahic, the matter of refugee return was also discussed. Hujdur told Wright that 3,000 applications for return had been submitted, and that 11,000 refugees declared for return in the whole Mostar area. It was concluded that refugee return is the main task of UNHCR and all levels of local authorities.
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Sarajevo – Provisional Elections Committee published the election results for Bijeljina and Gracanica. In Bijeljina SDS won 19 seats, SRS RS – 14, CDU – 12, SP RS – 7, Democratic Party RS – 7. In Gracanica the results are: CDU – 21, SDP BiH – 8, and Bosnian Party – 1 seat.
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Sarajevo – SDP President Lagumdzija addressed a letter to HR Westendorp saying that it was very important for democratic relations in BiH that all parties and nationalities participate in the creation of the authorities. It should not be allowed that formation of one-nationality authorities opens the way for new majority rule, conflicts and prevention of refugee return. In order to prevent this, SDP proposed OHR to mediate in forming the authorities by the so-called principle of concentration governments, consisting of experts of various nationalities in different branches.
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Sarajevo – Federal Refugee Minister Kadic published the results of refugee return to BiH. Kadic said that in the past year more than 80,000 expellees returned to BiH, of which 70,000 returned from Germany. Kadic said that the main problem is allocating the refugees to the territories where they did not live before the war, which includes about 40%. Regarding the return to Brcko, 1,618 applications were approved so far. UNHCR also published that “about” 146 Bosniaks returned to Banja Luka. Kadic also suggested that the Law on Revoking the Law on Private Property Confiscation should be adopted in RS as well.
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Sarajevo – UNHCR spokesman Janowski said that UNHCR is seriously concerned about non-co-operation of the Sarajevo Cantonal authorities regarding minorities return to Sarajevo. Janowski said that UNHCR has data for about 200 families who have the proper documentation, but their return is still disabled.
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Zagreb – Although the Ploce agreement between BiH and Croatian Presidents was supposed to be achieved by September 30, the deadline was broken again with no results. One of the reasons may be the protest of Ploce City Council which says: It is a rude and unacceptable proposition to give a part of Ploce harbour to the BiH Federation, which would be used as a free zone owned by BiH and ruled by the BiH laws. It is as clear to Americans as to Bosnians that activities in Ploce may be carried out only under Croatian laws, and therefore, there is no political nor economic reasons to create a special zone under BiH jurisdiction. We are assured that Croatian President Dr. Tudjman will ban each exception of even an inch of the Croatian territory, which was repeated by him, so many times. The city Council of Ploce will do everything to implement this principle of the President of all Croats.
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Sarajevo – OHR spokesman Haselock austerely condemned national division in BiH school classes. Haselock said that such a division would be totally opposite to the DPA, and that forming ethnically based classes would seriously jeopardise the peace process and refugee return in BiH.
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