16 February 98, 19:30
Sarajevo – Another gathering of the Srebrenica Women took place in Skenderija Center in Sarajevo today. The goal of their meeting, which lasted almost all day, was to find out the truth about the missing Srebrenica people. Invitations to attend the meeting were sent to representatives of the Bosniaks in the authorities, as well as the representatives of the Diplomatic Corps and International Organisations. Haris Silajdzic, Rasim Kadic and Amor Masovic appeared at the rally at noon. Silajdzic asked for the support of the Srebrenica people to accept the same laws for all on various issues. Masovic suggested that a demand be send to the OHR asking for more freedom on exhumation issues. He also suggested a few ideas on the verification of information on hidden prisoners in Serbia, as well as in Modrica and some other towns in RS. The next rally will be held in 15 days. Six buses with women from Srebrenik arrived in Skenderija, in the late afternoon. Dissatisfied about with their late arrival, they decided to block the transport in this part of the town, causing major problems to users of the public transportation.
2:00
Speaking about the slowing down of the exhumation process, Simon Haselock, OHR Spokesman, explained at today’s Press Conference that the OHR, as well as the families who are seeking their relatives, wish to have a positive identification of the exhumed bodies and not just the removal of a large number of the posthumous remains. He also outlined a plan for all exhumations in the year 1998.
1:00
Brussels – Although a decision of the NATO Security Council on the new peace forces in BiH was announced to be issued today, the formal decision has been put off until Friday, due only to formal reasons, diplomatic sources said. A strong general agreement has been achieved among the 16 alliance countries. The NATO military authorities will be tasked to make an Operational Plan and be authorised to reach a solution for the final mandate of the future DFOR forces.
1:30
Banja Luka – While paying a visit to Banja Luka today, Klaus Kinkel, German Foreign Minister called on Radovan Karadzic to surrender voluntarily to the Hague Tribunal. Kinkel is travelling on to Sarajevo.
0:30
Sarajevo – The world politicians as well as media are still hailing the two Serbs who voluntarily surrendered to the Hague Tribunal two days ago. Louise Arbour was shown saying that she will take care that each such step would be carefully considered during the trial. She said that there are still 52 war crimes indicted persons at large, but they will not be able to avoid a trial for ever. UN Spokesman Alex Ivanko confirmed today that there is enough place in the Hague prisons for all indicted persons.
1:30
Sarajevo – According to a letter from Leny Fisher, the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly President, BiH has made steps forward in achieving conditions for the acceptance in this association, but there are facts which cause concern: Slow acceptance procedure of the Property Laws, as well as functioning of the Municipal Councils after the elections in both Entities. The Federal Prime Minister Edhem Bicakcic has been invited to attend a session of the Committee which will discuss this issue on 17 March.
1:00
Sarajevo – Answering a letter which CoM Co-Chair Haris Silajdzic sent to the BiH Federation and RS Prime Ministers Edhem Bicakcic and Milorad Dodik, Silajdizic insists on the acceptance of Laws valid for the whole BiH territory. Follows an explanation of further points from the letter which show that the Federation organs should not be approached for the failures in the BiH Constitution.
2:00
Ambassador Hanns Schumacher sent a letter to the BiH CoM demanding from them to accept amendments on the Joint Venture Law, as soon as possible and pass it to the Parliamentary Assembly for acceptance, Simon Haselock told the press today. If this doesn’t happen, Schumacher said that HR Carlos Westendorp will make use of his authority and ensure that the law is passed.
0:30
The eleventh session of the Federation HoR will take place on 3 March, was decided at the meeting of the BiH Assembly HoR Colleaguia which was held in Livno headed by Enver Kreso. The session will focus on the economic policy measures in the BiH Federation.
1:30
Trade Union of the workers in the metal industry called a Warning strike for tomorrow.
1:30
Zenica-Doboj Canton will be soon put on the List of the Open Cities, reads a decision of the open Cantonal Government session.
1:30
The following are reports from the parties’ press conferences.
2:30
Main points of Klaus Kinkel’s visit to Banja Luka (after a TV crew just arrived in Studio): In his talks with Biljana Plavsic and Milorad Dodik, Klaus Kinkel said that Germany wishes that the Serb people have their place in Europe. He invited Karadzic, among others, to surrender voluntarily to the Hague Tribunal. We are for the DPA implementation in full. Yet, refugee return is for us not a political, but a social and humanitarian question, Biljana Plavsic said to Klaus Kinkel.
2:30