10 November 97, 19:30
Kalesija – Rifat Muminovic (1966) and Hasan Dzafic (1974) were killed in the separation zone nearby Vukovina village in Kalesija municipality. After this morning’s investigation conducted, with the presence of IPTF, Judge Stankovic said that the identities were determined, and that they were probably shot from an automatic weapon. This was the second tragic event that happened in Kalesija. Firstly, Nermin Mujkic and Nemsudin Karic were attacked without any reason by a Serb citizen Milan Becarevic. According to the Tuzla Canton MUP, Becarevic was related with these cases, as well as with threatening to Alija Avdic and his wife Ufeta. MUP spokesman Avdic said that they will ask for IPTF assistance to extradite Becarevic from Zvornik, in order to have a trial.
Tuzla MUP also announced that the police discovered a plastic bag with 19 pieces of explosive in the “Arizona” market place. Asked about the crimes in the separation zone, UN Spokesman Ivanko said that he cannot confirm whether the victims were of Bosniak nationality.
5:00
Sarajevo – BiH President Izetbegovic has prepared the reply to the Croatian proposal about special relations with BiH Federation. Izetbegovic refused proposed draft agreements, as opposite to DPA, and BiH sovereignty. As reported by BiH Press, the Bosnian side will deliver the proposals of these agreements and also demand for continuing of the Ploce harbour negotiations.
OHR spokesman Haselock said that some of the articles in the agreement are totally unacceptable for the Office. Haselock said that the Article 1 refers to stepwise establishment of free trade zone, customs union, common market and currency union. Haselock stressed that none of these is a matter of BiH Federation, but of BiH as a whole. He added that the Article 2 says that sides must be determined about resolving the matters of boundaries within the state institutions. Haselock said that BiH Federation has no authority to deal with this matter, because it concerns the territorial integrity of BiH. The Article 3 considers the co-operation between legislative, executive and other authorities in the two states, as well as the matters of integration to Europe, joint defence command and other. Haselock said that European integration is a strict matter of BiH. He added that although the defence is a matter of entities, the establishment of joint defence command would represent a violation of BiH sovereignty. Also the agreements about traffic routes and the Ploce harbour must be applied to the whole country. Speaking of international agreements, Haselock said that the Croatian side keeps calling upon Washington agreement. Haselock added that this agreement has been overpowered by DPA and that it is no longer valid.
4:00
Sarajevo – The decision by the Federal Ministry of Education about establishment of two parallel education programmes in the school year 1997/98 has been cancelled by the Minister Rizvanbegovic. The Ministry will initiate a unique education programme which would consider all nationalities.
1:00
Brcko – Supervisor Farrand brought a decision regarding the joint police establishment in Brcko, which determines its national structure. Upon this decision, the joint police in Brcko will be consisted of 52,2% Serbs or 120 policemen, 39,1% Bosniaks or 90 policemen and 8,7% Croats or 20 policemen. OHR spokesman Haselock said that the national structure has been determined on voters registration for the previous elections, and the election results.
1:30
Doboj – This morning about 9:30, Nordic-Polish SFOR Brigade of Multinational Division North, took over the HQ of the Special Police 5. Squad. The reason of the action was disrespect of DPA Annex 1a in regard with special police functioning. The aim of the operation was to disable Doboj Special Police. SFOR intention is to confiscate all weaponry and vehicles, and to secure the communication and office equipment. All the policemen were discharged, and they may appeal to join the restructured civilian police forces.
1:30
Sarajevo – EU Council of Ministers is having a session in Brussels. Among other items, the issues of election results in BiH, RS media before the forthcoming elections, and expansion of HR mandate will also be considered. The matter of protectorate in BiH was also mentioned. About a protectorate establishment OHR spokesman Bullivant said: “There is a very poor desire within the IC to have a protectorate, it’s not on the agenda, it’s too far, too much.”; while BiH President’s First Councillor Hajric said: “A protectorate is not good, because the IC would bring all the decisions, which would decrease all functions of BiH institutions. HR mandate is, actually, an opposite one, to strengthen the BiH institutions.” Opposition SDP party leader Lagumdzija said: “I think that if 19 Articles from Sintra (I call them 19) are not adopted by Dec. 10, OHR will take over not only the proposals, but also the adoption. And we will be left to play consideration and deciding, and when we are unable to adopt, someone else will adopt it. If that is called a protectorate, that is a matter of speaking, someone else decides instead of us.” About the future HR decisions Bullivant says that authority of HR is to make decision, and if there is no acceptance by the majority, to push orders as the law. Hajric said that: “HR gave us the list of 18 problems to be solved. I think that if there was an arbitrage, there would not be two thirds of it.” Lagumdzija said: “It is splendid that someone else would make us the Law on Foreign Investments, when we are not able to. The pity is that leadership has no conscience that we have to make it ourselves.” BiH TV news comment – Obviously, HR will have wider authorisations. A question imposing is whether the responsibilities would go parallel with those authorisations.
4:00