News Headlines
- Dayton acquires New York Declaration
- BiH Presidency members address UN Security Council
- Excerpt from Izetbegovic’s address to UN Security Council
- Izetbegovic Advisor summarises events in New York: NY Declaration, adoption of Permanent Election Law accorded with international principles and standards and BiH Constitution, Holbrooke disappointed with work of BiH institutions and statehood
- BiH delegation members return from Dayton – Bicakcic press conference at Sarajevo airport
- Mihajlovic and Dodik on Dayton conference
- BiH efforts to enter EC still has our support – Austrian Ambassador in farewell meeting with Silajdzic
- BiH to receive one billion dollars for Inter-entity Return Committee, to enable return of over 100,000 families as part of New York Declaration
- World news
- Tudjman’s health remains unchanged, domestic media report him on life support
- LS demands OHR replace Head of Kovaci Municipality Slavko Topalovic for not allowing return of Bosniaks
- Essential change in state government’s logic needed, it is a source of crime and corruption – LBO
- Women’s Party addresses letter to Ambassador Barry
- Former HVO members tried in Zagreb instead of Livno
- Regional Gorazde Refugees and DP Council demands High Representative replace OHR representative in East Bosnia because he went on holiday while exiled Kopaci settlers freezing in tent settlement for 3 weeks
- Kopaci tent settlement co-ordination board demands 100,000 DM, 20 trucks, 20 tons of oil and 100 tons of aid for fall harvest from Bicakcic and BiH Federation Ministry for Refugees
- Egyptian Embassy sponsors 25 BiH participants for modern agriculture training in Egypt
- Srebrenica settlers block Zavidovici-Banovici road over electricity while power-company says this act unnecessary
- Two Bihac and Velika Kladusa men, former freedom soldiers, now fighting just for bread – is this the greatest defeat for BiH?
- RS Customs HQ report on “Stop Smuggling” campaign, over 2.7 million KM in seized assets
- Sarajevo Canton police catch Golf thieves
- Sports
- Weather
News Summary
Dayton acquires New York Declaration
The Dayton Agreement has acquired the New York Declaration, in which the BiH Presidency reaffirmed its dedication to the formation of a sovereign, fully-integrated and multiethnic BiH compiled of two entities and respect of its three constitutional nations. The Presidency agreed that the country’s future lies in integration with Europe and, to make this possible, have reached an agreement on establishing the BiH State Border Service. The SBS is a state level institution to be run by the Ministry of Civilian Affairs and Communications. Representation of any nation will at no time be greater than 2/3 or lower than 1/10 of the entire staff. All SBS units will be fully integrated and members of any nation can serve at any border post. The Presidency agreed that SBS legislation, in accordance to this agreement, will be submitted to the BiH Parliament by 24 November and full units established by 31 December 1999.
03:22
BiH Presidency members address UN Security Council
The New York Declaration also announces a permanent secretariat for the joint BiH Presidency and prioritization of full financing for state ministries. BiH Presidency members confirmed support to the adoption of the Draft Permanent Election Law, demonstrated a willingness to improve inter-entity military cooperation, agreed that the state government will serve as a central data base and be the supervising body for BiH passports. The Presidency also admitted that return results were poorer than expected and that corruption and lack of transparency were significant problems. All of these issues were addressed in BiH Presidency members’ speeches to the UN Security Council four years after signing of Dayton Agreement and all three BiH Presidency members gave optimistic speeches before the Council, extending full support to the Dayton Agreement and New York Declaration. All emphasized discontent with returns and the need for faster economic reforms and privatization. Croat member Ante Jelavic, for instance, is not pleased with the work of the ICTY, which has an important role in the reconciliation process. “Big fish are still free and the prison ratio is disproportional” says Jelavic. He is also discontent that no indictments were made for crimes against Croats. Holbrooke was pleased with Bosniak member Alija Izetbegovic’s optimism. Serb member Zivko Radisic supported the other two Members, saying, “Dayton has no alternative.” However, pointing to negative aspects, Radisic said “IC help is unbalanced, although the conduct of some RS institutions contributed to that unsuitable treatment.” Holbrooke said that the IC role is far from over, but the BiH Government can and must do more on the implementation of the Dayton Agreement.
02:25
Excerpt from BiH Presidency member Alija Izetbegovic’s address to UN Security Council
In his address to the UN Security Council, BiH Presidency Member Alija Izetbegovic spoke of renewal in BiH, which prioritizes rebuilding infrastructure, therefore failing to achieve satisfying results in economic progress. The return of refugees is obstructed on many levels and must be expedited. He repeated the need for the constitutionality of all three nations in all BiH territory. Izetbegovic said that a functional border control is the best antidote for corruption, saying that corruption is not connected to donor’s funds for they are exclusively managed through NGO’s and directly by donor countries.
01:35
Mihajlovic and Dodik on Dayton conference
BiH Council of Ministers Co-chairman Svetozar Mihajlovic and RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik gave their comments on the Dayton conference.
“In last two days, we discussed the following subjects: concept of property, democracy and ethics, market economy and national and regional security” says Mihajlovic. “The unavoidable issue was war crime indictees, most participants demand a change to the SFOR mandate, making them obligated to go after these men and not just arrest them on sight as has been so far” says Dodik.
01:18
Women’s Party addresses letter to Ambassador Barry
“The P-2 form, resulting from the PEC Rules and Regulations and as such remains in effect for the next elections, legalizes ethnic cleansing” the Women’s Party said in a letter to OSCE Ambassador Robert Berry. The party is calling on Barry and the OSCE to accept their mistakes, evaluate the consequences and remove the errors as soon as possible.
00:21
Former HVO members tried in Zagreb instead of Livno
The trial of three former HVO soldiers, accused of killing 3 Bosniaks in Mokronoge, Tomislavgrad Municipality, in August ’93, is being held before the Zagreb Cantonal Court and not the authorized Livno Court. According to ONASA, a verdict is expected later this week.
00:32