20 November 97, 19:30
Sarajevo – Before the election silence, BiH President Izetbegovic addressed to the people: “Dear citizens of BiH, the Parliament elections in RS will be held on Saturday and Sunday, November 21 and 22. Hereby, I would like to ask you to vote in these elections, and to give your vote for the parties of Bosnian orientation. Thus, you will help those who stand for an Independent and Unified BiH, and that is the best you can do on that day. – Presidency member Zubak’s cabinet also made a public announcement, appealing to all Croats to vote in the forthcoming elections.
1:00
Sarajevo – NATO Secretary General Solana and NATO Commander for Europe, Clark visited Sarajevo in order to meet with the Highest BiH Officials. Solana and Clark discussed the matters of elections in RS, work of the joint institutions, the transformation of SRT, and the implementation of municipality elections results, as well as the military matters of the DPA implementation. NATO Officials expressed their satisfaction with the work of Permanent Military Committee, and stressed its function in the Peace Process in BiH. Solana and Clark also visited OSCE, and discussed the matters of the RS elections with representatives of the Provisional Election Subcommittee (PES). Solana commented on the visit as very successful, and announced increased efforts of the International Community in the DPA implementation.
2:30
Flash News – PES ordered the removal of all posters of indicted war criminal Karadzic by November 21, 17:00, otherwise, SDS will be sanctioned with removal of their candidates from elections lists.
Lukavica – HR Senior Deputy Schumacher and the newly named Minister for Economy and Foreign Trade Kurtovic attended the CoM session for the first time. The CoM discussed the laws on citizenship, passports and the work of CoM. Informing the press about the meeting in Lukavica, CoM Co-chairman Bosic said that the CoM agreed only about the Draft Law on the CoM. The Serb representatives did not accept Article 7 of the Law on Passports, that regards the front cover of the passport, where is supposed to be written ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina’, and on the first inner page, the name of the entity. The Serb side also did not agree about the Law on Citizenship, what was commented by CoM Co-chairman Silajdzic: “As for the Bosniak and Croat sides are concerned, we agreed about the OHR proposals. They still cannot accept that.” Answering the question what was HR Deputy Schumacher’s opinion, Silajdzic said the OHR proposal is the final, and it should be accepted.
2:30
Sarajevo – The Federation Government discussed the matters of ownership and legal relations, prohibition on tobacco products and usage, as well as the incomes of the Federal Officials. The Federal Government announced that all adopted proposals will be delivered to the Federal parliament for adoption.
1:30
Banja Luka/Sarajevo – UNHCR High Commissioner for Refugees Ogata visited RS President Plavsic yesterday. Ogata said that Plavsic is open to co-operation regarding refugee return, and appealed to all Bosniaks and Croats to return to Banja Luka. However, says Ogata, Plavsic said that the matter of Serb refugees in Banja Luka must be resolved first. Ogata added that the only way for stability in the region and the return of refugees is that the International Troops remain in BiH after June next year. Ogata also met with Izetbegovic today. It was said that it is worrying that the dynamic of return is lower in this year than in the previous year. Ogata also visited the Federation President Soljic and the Association of Refugees.
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Vienna – The matter of weaponry reduction, which was agreed between FRY Croatia and BiH, almost two years ago, was summarised at the meeting of the Sub-regional Consultative Committee, since the period of disarming ended on 31 October this year.
1:30
Middle Bosnian Canton – The matter of the Travnik Constitution was discussed at today’s meeting of the Canton Parliament. It was agreed that the structure of Travnik should be set upon the example of Mostar. The proposal of HDZ representatives to establish three municipalities with Croat population, three with Bosniaks and a Central District Zone was not accepted. Canton Internal Affairs minister referred to the security situation in the Canton, which was found dissatisfactory.
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