Nigeria – According to the initial reports, at least 420 persons died in an oil pipe line explosion in South East Nigeria yesterday. The cause of this tragedy is still unknown. It is feared that the number of victims is much larger.
1:00
Kosovo – The Serbs are dislocating their powers in Kosovo and adopting the positions they had before withdrawing under NATO threats, Reuters informed. Due to the Serb shelling of the region, UN stopped transportation of humanitarian aid for the refugees in Peters and Donji Preos, BH Press informed quoting Reuters. While the US aircraft continued their investigating flights over Kosovo, NATO is expected to authorise the action plans which will enable the Allies to join the American aircraft on Kosovo, diplomats informed today. The flights are carried out in secret, far from the Serb rockets and air-defence missiles. After the talks held with French Defence Minister Allen Richard in Paris, Javier Solana told the press that NATO will not accept that the violence continues.
3:00
Tuzla – Identification of 274 victims exhumed from Glumina, the largest mass grave in BiH up to now, has started in the Commemorating Centre in Tuzla. The relatives identified the first 45 victims today. (There followed lengthy footage of the crying people recognising their killed family members). The cause of death of these victims is one of the most important evidence in the war crimes prosecutions, Amor Masovic, President of the Commission for Missing Persons told the press.
2:30
Klisa – Ten Klisa residents have started the preparations for the return of 1,100 of their neighbours to RS. Nine Bosniak families returned to the village Zivojevici, sited at the inter entity boarder itself, 10 kilometres from Gorazde. Their homes have been reconstructed in the framework of the large reconstruction project funded by the EU worth 1,5 million DEM. 11 Serb houses have been adapted in Donja Sopotnica. The reconstruction of 300 homes here will start in March next year.
2:30
Mostar – New steps was taken in Mostar to intensify the Croat returns to this town – 15 new apartments have been emptied in the settlement Polje. According to the Return Plan inside the town of Mostar as well as conclusion of the Federation Forum, 26 Bosniak families were removed from the Croat houses in Polje and temporarily moved into the transit settlement Buffo to wait for return to their homes in Stolac and Capljina. Mostar Mayor Safet Orucevic requested his Deputy Ivan Prskalo to undertake all activities for the return of the Croatian citizens to their homes. Orucevic informed also OHR and UNHCR of these activities and announced further departures from the houses in Polje in favour of their owners.
2:00
Sarajevo – Relating to some media speculations that the HR Carlos Westendorp intends to replace Ante Jelavic due to his nationalistic speech in Capljina, BiH TV received a requested comment from the OHR Spokeswoman Alexandra Stiglmayer, in written form. After some very favourable words on compliance of Stiglmayer, the letter was read in full. The HR has already several times said that he was disappointed with Jelavic’s speech in Capljina but in this moment the HR has no intention to undertake any steps against Mr Jelavic, reads the letter among other things.
1:30
Sarajevo – Due to the Working Group Session on the new structure of the BiH CoM, the CoM meeting scheduled for today was postponed at the request of Boro Bosic. There follows a lengthy piece on the work of CoM supported by old footage of the speeches of its members. I would like to point out that we have a Law on the CoM and that all eventual changes are subject to decisions of the Parliamentary Assemblies, Boro Bosic told the news and added that in RS it is still not clear how the Parliamentary majority will be established. The final solution on the CoM structure is expected at the latest on 27 October at which time the Second Session of the BiH Presidency has also been scheduled.
3:00
Sarajevo – Enver Kreso, Federation Assembly HoR Chairman set up a meeting of the respective political parties for tomorrow to discuss the Federation Assembly HoR constituting meeting.
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