OHR BiH TV News Summary, 30 August 1998

Tuzla – Madeleine Albright, US Secretary of State started her two day visit to BiH in Tuzla. Robert Gelbard, US Special Envoy arrived with Madeleine Albright. Besides BiH authorities from Tuzla and Sarajevo, they were received by the SFOR Commander of the multi-ethnic Division North, American General Robert Ellis, US Ambassador to BiH Richard Kauzlarich and Brcko Supervisor Robert Farrand. Their short talks at Dubrave airport focused on the need for two way returns, as well as for support once the returnees come back home.
2:00

Bijeljina – As announced, the main topics of US State Secretary visit to BiH were refugee returns and the forthcoming elections. During her talks with the RS Officials, Madeleine Albright insisted on hearing the details on the implementation of Annex 7. In the late afternoon Madame Albright flew to Sarajevo.
1:30

Sarajevo – Madeleine Albright held a short speech in Sarajevo Franciscan monastery in the Sarajevo suburb Stupsko Brdo. She was received by Cardinal Vinko Puljic, Fra Petar Andjelovic, some BiH Officials and many Sarajevans from Stup, Nedzarici and Dobrinja, who are returning back to their homes. Speaking in the Bosnian language, Albright said that the US will continue to help those who support the work of the common institutions, support justice and rule of law. She was given a warm greeting accompanied by a long applause.
2:30

Zagreb – At the beginning of her Balkan tour, Madame Albright talked with the Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in Zagreb. According to the international agencies’ reports, BiH and the DPA implementation were as important topics in Albright’s talks with Franjo Tudjman, as the topics related to Croatia itself: the return of Serbs, political reforms and freedom of Media in the country. We judge as very important that the Bosnian Croats are independent and a part of their country, Albright told the news. She added that the US will not accept the protective manner of Croatia towards the Bosnian Croats. Franjo Tudjman disagreed with some of US State Secretary’s standpoints relating to the BiH Croat issue, Croatian Informative Agency informs. Tudjman later told the journalists that BiH represents the largest obstacle in the relations between Croatia and the US. Madeleine Albright is paying a visit to the capital city of Sarajevo tomorrow.
2:00

Zenica – Having paid a visit to Sarajevo yesterday, Bulent Edzevit, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Turkey visited Zenica today. He attended the 76th Victory Day anniversary and the Day of the Turkish Military Powers, organised at the Turkish Brigade serving with SFOR in Zenica. This visit was also a good opportunity to speak about the various economic assistance and co-operation between BiH and Turkey. Representatives of the Karabuk steel plant and Exhim Bank were also present there.
1:30

There follows news from other countries. Sanski Most – The town represents a real building site these days. All works on reconstructing and building of housing shows that this is a municipality which does a lot for speedy and qualitative returns. 1,200 individual houses are being built by the returnees themselves and 340 are being financed by the help of the humanitarian organisations. Some 88 apartments are being built in the town center and three municipalities. There are plans for more houses and apartments to be built and reconstructed in Trnava and Luska Palanka. There follows a detailed report on the preparations for further house building and refugee return in this region.
2:00

Olovo – According to the situation in this municipality, 1998 is not a year of returnees, especially not in the reintegrated regions. After 2.5 years since DPA was signed, almost no plans for refugee returns have yet been realised. Yet, even a failure of the international organisations to give any assistance to this town has not changed the Zenica-Doboj Canton authorities’ attitude towards reconstruction and development.
1:30

Today six years ago an aggressor’s grenade killed 12 and injured 53 Sarajevans at the market in Alipasino Polje. One victim was 18 months old. Sarajevo officials laid flowers on the site.
0:30

On the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the Sarajevo daily Oslobodjenje, Senad Kamenica, BiH TV Editor in Chief of the Informative Political Program, sent congratulations to Oslobodjenje in the name of BiH TV.
0:30

The Fourth Sarajevo Film Festival closes tonight.
0:30