Croatian State authorities verified the Agreement on Ploce Harbour use and transfer through Neum. Croatian President Tudjman’s representative Sarinic verified the agreement on the behalf of the President, as well as the Minister for Economy, Porges. HR Princinpal deputy Klein and US Special Envoy Sclar were also present at the occasion. Sarinic said that the agreement must go through the Parliamentary procedure, that it does not endanger Croatian territorial integrity, and that it will be a part of the Agreement on Special relations between BiH and Croatia.
2:00
NATO Secretary General, Solana and NATO Commander for Europe, Clark arrived to BiH today. Tomorrow, Solana and Clark will visit Special Multinational Division in Butmir, and will meet with BiH Presidency members.
1:00
The Council of Ministers held a session today. CoM adopted the Statute of the Agency for Improvement of Foreign Investments in BiH, and appointed Ivan Skoko for Croat representative in the Commission for Media. CoM also discussed appointment of the BiH commission for resolving the computer problem of 2000.
2:00
In his interview for Belgrade daily “Blic” RS Prime Minister Dodik refused accusations that his government leads into fusion of the RS into BiH and accusations about creating the joint BiH Army. Dodik said: “I stress that definitely and permanently there is no fusion of the RS into BiH and that such RS as it is now, with the present government, strengthened by democratic processes, represents the best embankment for unitary BiH.”
0:30
OSCE President Personal Envoy, General Jean said that achievements of all sides, signatories of the Vienna agreement from January 26 1996, are impressive and were accomplished within a short time. Mandate of military missions of the BiH Federation in the RS and of the RS in the Federation was also discussed, as well as the ways of improving their operational activity.
1:00
Serbian forces surrounded about 80.000 Kosovo Albanians, mostly women and children, near Pec, Albanian sources from Pristina reported. There is a concern that Serbian forces are preparing an action against these unprotected civilians. It was also reported that Kosovo Liberation Army soldiers are no longer in this area. (Voiceover said that 40.000 Albanians found themselves trapped, in an attempt to escape Serbian armoured convoy in Progress, a UN official said.)
1:00
NATO prepared the plans for allocation of troops in possible action in Kosovo. One of options is also limited air strike that would enable cease of conflicts, as well as actions of ground forces. NATO maneuvers begin tomorrow in Macedonia, aiming to check the capabilities of the Alliance to intervene between two countries in a possible conflict, according to predefined scenario.
1:00
After many years, first train from Ploce arrived to Blazuj cargo station. The train carried fuel for “Energoinvest” and “Energopetrol”.
1:00
Only one house was repaired in the village of Doljani, although there are 252 burned houses in this part of Jablanica municipality. Returnees hoped that the International Community would have had the same enthusiasm about house reconstruction as said in the beginning of return to this village.
1:30
The Coalition for Return held meetings with German authorities in all 16 German provinces. The main issue of meetings was intensified refugee return to BiH, and problems of their settlement.
1:30