13 February 98, 19:30
BiH President Izetbegovic met with the RS Prime Minister Dodik and BiH Federation Prime Minister Bicakcic. The meeting was arranged with assistance of SFOR and Gen. Shinseki, and the main subject of the discussion was the situation in both entities, while Dodik also raised the matter of Vasic’s arrest.
1:30
ICTY has assessed that murder of Hakija Turajlic represents violation of the rules or customs of war. ICTY also considers that there is a grounded basis that Vasic has also violated basic humanitarian laws. The tribunal also asked for more evidence.
1:30
UN spokesman Ivanko said that IPTF verified the list of policemen who arrested Vasic, and that IPTF expects local authorities to give additional statements why the arrest of Vasic required force and long barrel weapons. -IPTF Commissar Seitner officially demanded from the Herzegovina/Neretva Minister of Internal Affairs, Coric to replace chief of police in Prozor, Slisko. -SFOR spokesman Garnaud reported about yesterday’s incident near Maglaj, when about 200 civilians blocked the road and attacked three vehicles of the ‘Cross-roads’ humanitarian agency, claiming they were carrying three Serbs, indicted for war crimes. SFOR and IPTF determined they are not on the list of indicted, but citizens stoned the vehicles and injured one of Serbs.
3:00
HR Westendorp visited UN today, informing the members of the Security Council about the current status of the DPA implementation. Westendorp said that the situation in the past month has been improved, not only because he imposed some of solutions but also because all the sides accepted it. Westendorp also said that Dodik’s Government is ready to co-operate with the IC, to make economic recovery of its country, and to get rid of its war criminals and corruption. Westendorp also said that the politic pluralism rules in the RS, because 4-5 strong parties act there, while in the BiH Federation, there is only one big, multiethnic party from Bosniak side and one from the Croat side.
2:00
HR Deputy, Schumacher and ministers for refugees in both entities visited Mrkonjic Grad, discussing the refugee return with local authorities and the people. The delegation also visited Sipovo. At the press conference held by Schumacher and the ministers it was decided that the right to return is equal for all three nations, that any kind of intimidation is unacceptable and requires immediate investigation, that the housing problem of municipality councillors must be resolved, and that declaration that a city was pronounced open must be practised.
2:30
The Islamic Community Board for Brcko addressed a protest letter to Supervisor Farrand, on demolishing Islamic Sacral objects in this town. The letter informs Farrand on demolishing the sacral objects, and reminds the Orthodox Church to offer others what it asks for itself.
1:30
The SDA addressed a letter to the BiH TV and OSCE Media Commission. The letter says that BiH TV is taking the side of only one option in BiH – the opposition, and that BiH TV is a public and not a private TV, supported by the people, directly or indirectly. (quote) The statistic shows that the biggest part in the BiH TV is paid by the SDA. We do not want you to promote our party, we only ask you to show objectivity which is less and less shown recently. In the country where we are the biggest party, we have to fight for a minimum of media equality. The letter also compares time dedicated to reports from the SDA and the SDP press conferences. The letter also addresses to Mijovic’s mentioning of national parties in the ‘Argumenti’ broadcast asking what national parties are those? Are SDA, SDS and HDZ the same, and who gave you the right to equalise them?
2:00
Travnik Municipality Head, Beganovic made an announcement regarding the recent letter of the Paklarevo village citizens who addressed to MUP. Beganovic said that MUP team went to Paklarevo for determination of the security situation. It was determined that the situation was not violated and that returnees of Croat and Bosniak nationality live together without any major incidents.
1:00