One of items on agenda of today’s European Council Parliament session in Strasbourg was BiH entry to the Council. As assessed by the Federation Prime Minister Bicakcic, BiH might become a permanent member of the Council in September. Commission of legal experts will be established tomorrow with a task to determine accordance of the BiH legal regulative and both of its entities with European Council standards.
2:30
BiH Ambassador to the UN and the main BiH representative in the process against FRY before ICTY, Sacirbegovic presented 125 copies of answers to the FRY contra-sue. BiH sued FRY back in 1993, for genocide over non-Serb population in BiH. Sacirbegovic delivered new dossier against FRY written in 973 pages. FRY now has nine months to deliver its answer.
1:30
HR deputy for the matters of return, Bearpark held a press conference at the Multinational HQ, discussing the matters of refugee return, implementation of the Sarajevo declaration, forthcoming Banja Luka conference and recent incidents occurred during refugee return in the last weeks. Bearpark said that the progress exist, but also expressed his disappointment with progress in some cases. Bearpark also stressed importance of the implementation of agreement reached at the last Federation Forum session in Mostar, and of the forthcoming Banja Luka conference. Bearpark also said that one of the main objectives of the conference is to establish unlimited rights to return within BiH and Croatia and to remove all obstacles to this process. Bearpark added that the HR would not hesitate to use his authorities against those who obstruct the return, and said that recent events in Drvar were understood just as obstruction.
2:30
Herzegovina/Neretva Canton Government adopted the Plan for Return, signed by Mayor and Vice Mayor of Mostar. According to the Canton Prime Minister, the plan is now accorded for the whole canton, and will also be presented at the Donors’ Conference in Brussels.
1:30
An incident occurred in the village of Velika Bukovica near Travnik, in which two Croats were wounded while visiting an abandoned house. The wounded Croats were from the group of about 30 refugees who came to visit their pre-war house. UN condemned this incident. Another incident occurred in Derventa where about 1000 Serbs attempted to burn a Catholic church. Serbs blocked the church while some of them tried to burn it, at the time when Croats were preparing for a mass. UN spokesman Lendel said that Cardinal Vinko Puljic planned to hold a mass for Croat refugees who lived in Derventa before the aggression.
2:00
Qatar delegation arrived to official visit to BiH. BiH FA Minister, Prlic and His deputy Zivalj met the delegation as well as the Sarajevo mayor, Gacanovic. The delegation also met with BiH President Izetbegovic and CoM Co-chairman Silajdzic.
2:00
Heavy movements of military and police forces, shelling and sporadic fire as well as the war operations and mobilisation of Serb civilians could be noticed in Kosovo today. A heavy clash between Yugoslav Army and 200 armed Albanians occurred last night in Djakovica region. According to the Serb sources, the Albanians came from Albania, but there is no data on human casualties.
2:00
The Washington Post published that French military officers met with Karadic last summer, and thus disturbed the plan on his arrest. WP publishes that French Liaisons Mayor, Gourmelon was transferring information on actions against Karadzic to Karadzic himself. After Washington found out for meetings with Karadzic, the French Government refuted it, saying that Mayor was doing on his own and will be punished. US officials also refuted the possibility that Karadzic might have left the RS and said that he is hiding in several places in Pale.
1:30
Federal Ministry of Defence held a press conference, discussing the matters of sub-regional arming control, measures for building security and trust within BiH and future entry of BiH to the regional arming control. OSCE representative for DPA military aspects implementation, Jeanne was discussing objectives and fulfilled parts of DPA military aspects.
1:30
Federation Co-president Soljic held a public platform in Sarajevo residential unit Stup, with subject of Croat returns to Sarajevo. Soljic also said that return and coexistence with other nations is a strategic interest for Croats in BiH, adding that one of the most groundless accusations is that Croats will not, do not want, and cannot live with other nations. Except for Jews, Croats are a nation that live together with the most nations in the world, said Soljic and added that things seem to be turned upside-down. Those who were expelled first are the lasts to return. I think this is not right.
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