30 January 98, 19:30
The guest of the BiH TV news was Duska Jurisic, The reporter whose materials were seized by the Serbian border police. Jurisic said that the atmosphere in Kosovo is similar to the one in Sarajevo just before the war. The people are talking quietly and are afraid to express their opinion out loud, they have no job, cannot have education in their own language… Jurisic added that she was held for an hour, despite her permission issued by the BiH TV and the Serbian Ministry of Information, and that her material was seized in order to prevent the truth about Kosovo leaving the area.
3:00
NATO Secretary General, Solana visited Sarajevo today. Solana met with the SFOR Commander General Shinseki, HR deputy Schumacher and representatives of the international organisations and agencies in BiH, as well as the BiH Presidency members and leaders of the opposition parties. At the meetings, the main subjects were amnesty for individuals who are still concealing weapons, and the problem of war criminal arrests. Solana said that the year of 1998 will be the year of the democratisation reality, and when refugee return becomes reality. Solana added that before the IC leaves Bosnia, the suspected war criminals should face the Hague Tribunal and have a fair trial.
2:00
At the PIC Steering Board Session, HR Westendorp said that it could happen very soon that the indicted war criminals Karadzic and Mladic will be extradited to the Hague Tribunal. Westendorp also said that this matter will be also resolved with the strengthening role of the new RS Government.
1:30
BiH President Izetbegovic met with the Turkish military delegation. The Turkish Defence Minister said that his country fully supports the DPA implementation. * CoM Co-chairman Silajdzic talked to the HR deputy Schumacher, discussing the matters of the Law on Privatisation and the Law on Foreign Investments. It was concluded that the recent changes in the RS Government give the possibility of the accordance of differences in different interpretations of the DPA. * BiH Federation President Ganic received a visit of the Central Bank Director in Sarajevo O’Sullivan and EU representative in BiH, Renoir. The BiH FA Minister Prlic and the Croatian FA Minister Granic accorded the Agreement on Establishment the Council for Co-operation between the two countries. The continuing of the Ploce/Neum negotiations was also discussed.
2:00
The European Council commenced negotiations for BiH entry into the EC. EC estimated Dodik’s election as one of the positive trends in the recent period, while one of the negative aspects is the slow return of refugees to areas where they represent ethnic minority. The Federation Co-president Soljic visited the UK. Soljic said that the main subjects at his meetings with the UK Parliament members were the further DPA implementation, BiH Federation reconstruction, and the status of the British troops in BiH. Soljic also visited the BiH Embassy in UK in order to inform them about the BiH refugees in UK. He also said that the UK Govt has no specific plan for refugee return, but it is certain that they will not be returned to uncertainty.
2:00
Governments of all BiH Federation Cantons sent 5.200 packages of food to Bosniak families in the RS. UN spokesman Ivanko said that yesterday’s Bosniak Bajram visits to cemeteries went without incidents. Ivanko added that in the village of Kotorsko, North of Doboj, a group of Serbs provoked 37 visitors who arrived by bus. A stone was thrown at the bus breaking a window, but there were no injured.
2:00
The House of Stolac returnee, Ragib Isakovic was bombed yesterday. The CDU condemned the terrorist act.
1:00
UBSD representative, Tokic said that UBSD considers all major obstacles for the Annex 7 implementation to be removed. He also added that the Federal authorities and
1:30
Sarajevo Canton authorities will no longer be able to cling to the alibi that the RS is uncooperative regarding return.
2:00