UK FA Minister, Cook visited BiH today. During his meeting with Krajisnik the main subjects of the discussion were extradition of indicted war criminals to the ICTY, the matter of return of refugees and functioning of local authorities. Cook asked Krajisnik to deliver a message to Karadzic to surrender to the ICTY voluntarily, while Krajisnik said that public opinion in the RS is that Karadzic is considered to be a national hero. Krajisnik also said that the new RS Government is making lot of mistakes in internal RS policy. Cook also met with BiH Presidency member Zubak, discussing the matters of the joint institution functioning, and BiH debts towards other countries, as well as the return of refugees. Answering Cook’s question about Tudjman’s recent speech in Zagreb, Zubak said that this speech was misunderstood and that it actually supports interests of Croats in BiH. Cook also met with Izetbegovic and congratulated him for progress achieved in BiH since Cook’s last visit. In his visit to Banja Luka, Cook praised Dodik’s readiness for cooperation with the Federation. Cook also gave the statement for the press, saying that there is no room in an open society for secret police and secret funds and corrupt officials must not only be removed, they must also be brought to justice. Cook also said that the Croatian Government is now the single greatest obstacle to resolving the refugee crisis. The ethnic intolerance of the President Tudjman’s recent speech has no place in a country that wants a closer relationship with the European Union.
10:00
BiH Parliament House of Representatives named two new ministers at their posts. The new Minster of Energetic is Mirsad Salkic, and Minister of Traffic and Communications is Kemal Bubalo. The new Minister of Justice should also have been named but the proposed candidate Vildana Helic did not have enough votes. The representatives also dismissed from duty the President of the Commission for Defense, Bakir Alispahic and voted Muhamed Begagic instead. BiH President Izetbegovic demanded from the HoR Constitution Commission to reconsider the legality of the first articles in the BiH and RS Constitutions regarding the three constitutive nations in BiH, but this demand was not adopted. Regarding the Brcko decision, representative Djapo said this is a test for the IC to fight for consistency of BiH by giving Brcko to the Federation. All discussants of the matter of Brcko agreed that Brcko must not go to the RS, because it would cause a crisis in the DPA implementation. HoR also discussed the Law on Abolishing the Law on Abandoned Apartments, but the decision was not made because of the lack of quorum.
5:00
NATO HQ in Brussels confirmed the fourth voluntarily surrender of a war crimes indictee Dragoljub Kunarac. Kunarac surrendered to SFOR troops near Foca.
0:30
US President Clinton asked the US Congress for $2.35 billion for US troops in BiH. US and NATO alliance decided to ask the IC that the present number of 31.000 international soldiers in BiH should remain until the end of the year and agreed on reduction of US troops.
1:00
BiH Federation President Ganic is in visit to Washington. In his meetings with US officials, the great attention was paid to the matter of Brcko. Ganic also reminded on importance of the refugee return and Brcko port. Ganic also said that Dodik was elected because we also wanted so, we support him and we observe his work.
2:00
US Ambassador Kauzlarich visited Travnik and Bugojno in order to review the implementation of the election results, refugee return, and to determine the possibilities for economic recovery. Kauzlarich expressed his satisfaction with the return so far and praised the work of the joint police forces. Kauzlarich also expressed his hope that the process of election results implementation in Bugojno will be completed on Friday.
2:00