No. 15, issued August 20, 1996
Table of Contents
- Geneva
Agreement on dismantling of Herceg-Bosna - Federation
Additional measures agreed concerning dismantling Herceg-Bosna - Economic Reconstruction
Sarjevo Airport officially opened - Elections
OSCE rules on breaches of election regulations - Joint Bodies
JCC (West) meets - Refugee & Humanitarian Affairs
Working group on Missing Persons meets. Exhumations discussed. - Freedom of Movement
Security measures for elections discussed
Geneva
Final steps to implement the dissolution of governmental institutions in Federation territory under the control of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), known as “Herceg-Bosna”, and merge those functions into the appropriate Federation ministries, were agreed in Geneva on 14 August. At the invitation of the U.S. Secretary of State, Warren Christopher, the signatories of the General Framework Agreement (GFA), Bosnian President, Alija Izetbegovic, Croatian President, Franjo Tudjman, and Serbian President, Slobodan Milosevic, met to continue their joint efforts in support of full implementation of the peace process. Also attending the meeting were the High Representative, Carl Bildt, the Supreme Allied Commander (SACEUR), General George Joulwan, the Chairman-in Office of the OSCE, Federal Counselor Flavio Cotti and Head of the OSCE Mission in BH, Ambassador Robert Frowick.
Concurrent with the dismantling of “Herceg-Bosna”, a transfer of appropriate functions of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH) to Federation institutions, in accordance with the GFA and the Constitutions of BH and the Federation of BH, was also agreed.
In addition to securing an agreement for implementing these fundamental issues for Federation integration, (formally signed in Sarajevo on 15 August) participants reiterated their joint commitment to full implementation of the letter and spirit of the GFA. It was agreed that continued effort would be necessary to achieve the fullest possible implementation of the Peace Agreement and that, increasingly, it would be the responsibility of the parties to build effective common institutions and develop habits of cooperation essential to achieving lasting peace.
Other main points of the Agreed Measures:
- Elections
Participants agreed to:
- abide by the results of the elections and to cooperate fully in the smooth transition to common structures set forth in the Peace Agreement;
- assure conditions for free and fair elections, in particular, guaranteeing free movement of persons throughout the country;
- improve access to media;
- maintain freedom of assembly, unrestricted registration and voting and strict adherence to OSCE regulations;
- implement the July 18 agreement to remove all indicted persons from power;
- fully support the Open Broadcast Network project and other media projects being coordinated through the OHR and OSCE.
- Establishment of Joint Institutions
Participants agreed:
- to cooperate fully, through the Joint Interim Commission and in cooperation with other relevant international institutions, in ensuring a smooth transition to new post-election institutions;
- to rapidly establish the BH institutions, including the Presidency, the Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Ministers, the Central Bank and the Constitutional Court;
- that final interpretation of transitional arrangements will be made in strict accordance with the provisions of the GFA, particularly Article V, Annex 10, which provides the High Representative with final authority in theatre on civilian implementation of the Peace Agreement.
Federation
Pursuant to the Agreed Measures signed in Geneva, Bosnian Prime Minister, Hasan Muratovic, Federation President, Kresimir Zubak and Vice-President, Ejup Ganic signed on 15 August in Sarajevo the document in which they agreed to the following measures:
- Effective 31 August, all those functions of the Government of BH that are not within the authority provided by the Constitution of BH will be transferred to the Federation or dissolved, as appropriate;
- Effective from the same date, the administrative arrangements in Federation territory under Croatian Defence Council (HVO) control (“Herceg-Bosna”) will cease to exist. Dismantling of its specific institutions will proceed in accordance with a detailed implementation schedule; and
- A Special Group will be established by the BH and Federation Govts. which will meet immediately to finalise the implementation schedule. It will be co-chaired by the U.S. and the Office of the High Representative.
Intensive work in this Special Group resulted in agreement on an Annex to the Agreed Measures on the 16 August, outlining in detail an implementation schedule for the Federation until election day. The Special Group will continue its work to solve the problems in those areas where the negotiations have, up to now, only produced procedural solutions. This pertains, in particular, to the future of the Agency for Investigation and Documentation and to customs and media questions.
This breakthrough on Federation issues, which had been deadlocked for the past few weeks, represents major progress. If the implementation plan is executed, the Federation will be able to enter into the creation of joint institutions with a coherent structure and will be in a position to provide a stable partnership for the other Entity.
Economic Reconstruction
Sarajevo airport was officially declared open for civilian flights by the IFOR Deputy Commander General Heinrich on 14 August after 43 months of closure to commercial traffic. Representatives from the European Union, the OHR, the UN, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Commission and other senior officials attended the IFOR ceremony which marked a successful completion to the first phase of the civilian traffic reconstruction and restoration project.
There was subsequently a formal opening ceremony on 15 August attended by President Izetbegovic, U.S. Secretary of State, Warren Christopher, the High Representative, Carl Bildt and U.S. Coordinator, Richard Sklar.
Of the total cost of the project, over $US 26 million, half is funded by a loan from the EBRD, the other half is mainly financed by grants from EU member states (notably Italy, France, Austria and the Netherlands) and the European Commission. Mr. Sklar for the U.S. also contributed a great deal with his personal efforts for the basic rehabilitation required for the opening of the passenger terminal. Full reconstruction of the airport is expected to be completed in 1997.
Elections
The OSCE Election Appeals Sub-Committee (EASC) recently ruled on two breaches of OSCE regulations:
- The Serb Democratic Party (SDS) in Doboj was found guilty of conditioning humanitarian aid to refugees on presentation of proof that they had filled in “form II(2)” i.e. the voter registration form which allows people to vote in a municipality in which they now reside as opposed to voting in the municipality where they resided in 1991. EASC imposed a fine of 37,500 DEM (i.e. 25% of the 150,000 DEM to be received from the OSCE campaign fund) against the SDS and demanded a public apology, ruling that for every day the apology was not received two SDS candidates would be removed from the Doboj list until 30 names had been taken off.
- In Modrica, the EASC ordered the immediate removal from office of the chairman of the local electoral commission, Vidan Hadulovic, after receiving complaints from 59 people who said that they were not given a choice of what forms they could fill in. It was also ruled that these people would be given the option to reregister and vote by absentee ballot.
OSCE announced dates for the period of silence regarding election campaign activities in the media. Until 26 August election campaign related reports and other media activities (including satellite) can be broadcast in BH. From 27 August a period of silence will start on satellite broadcasting until 3 September, although broadcasting election activities in BH can continue throughout that period. From 4 September until 12 September, broadcasting in country as well as abroad is possible. From 13 September, no electoral campaigning can be broadcast.
At a meeting in Zvornik on 17 August the High Representative, Carl Bildt, told the local SDS leader, Stevo Radic that if posters of Radovan Karadzic were not removed in two days time “it would put into question the possibility of the SDS taking part in elections [there]”. Mr. Radic said he would order the removal of the posters in public areas.
Joint Bodies
Ambassador Steiner chaired the fourth Joint Civil Commission (West) on 13 August in Banja Luka. The meeting was the most productive held in the region to date. It was the first time the Mayor of Sanski Most had attended the JCC (W), and his presence added to the constructive atmosphere that marked out the meeting as significant.
High on the agenda was the blacklisting of the Sanski Most and Prijedor municipalities by UNHCR. It was agreed by UNHCR that this restriction would be lifted if the two Mayors agreed to observe basic principles, including a greater respect for Human Rights and general support for UNHCR activities in the region. Also discussed was the undertaking of the OHR to fund the research into a regional economic development plan.
Refugee & Humanitarian Affairs
The ICRC chaired Working Group (WG) on Missing Persons convened on 13 August at the OHR. Representatives of families of missing persons from BH were present. 14,338 cases of missing persons are now registered with the ICRC (including an additional 958 cases since the launch of the ICRC public information campaign). All Parties provided the WG with some answers to tracing requests. A proposal to facilitate the existing WG by setting up regional sub-committees was accepted. It is believed that this move will promote an increase in the awareness of local authorities and allow smaller groups to take advantage of the numerous opportunities that exist at the regional level to deal with specific missing person cases.
A meeting arranged by the OHR between Prime Minister Muratovic, President Zubak and Prime Minister Klickovic to address the continuing impediments to exhumations was cancelled on 15 August when Mr. Klickovic failed to attend. Mr. Klickovic had originally called for the meeting on 30 July in a statement to the press in which he had also announced that the RS would block further exhumations. The OHR issued a statement saying that they were “…appalled by the contempt shown by this behaviour, specifically by Mr. Klickovic, towards the families of the missing. As always it is ordinary families that matter most and they are ill represented by cavalier politics and politicians that place greater value on chauvinism and power seeking than on the rights of ordinary people and, in this case, the anguish of the bereaved”.
Simultaneous to the WG for Missing Persons meeting on 13 August, a meeting of associations of the families of missing persons from all over Bosnia, Croatia and FRY convened at the OHR. The purpose of the meeting was to invite the associations to agree on a common platform and plan of action, as well as to elect a representative who would serve as an advisor to Cyrus Vance’s International Commission on the Missing.
Freedom of Movement
The RS and Federation Ministers of Internal Affairs met in UNMIBH HQ on 15 August with representatives of UNIPTF and the OHR to discuss security arrangements for the elections and campaign. The Ministers agreed to distribute guidelines to their police personnel outlining their responsibilities in establishing conditions for free and fair elections, including to “ensure that all voters can vote without fear and intimidation … ensure freedom of legal association for those legally gathered or gathering at a meeting … (and) ensure that all voters who behave according to the law may move freely”. It was agreed that meetings to further discuss these matters will be held on a weekly basis.
Looking Ahead
- 4 September: JCC/South – Economic Reconstruction Working Group
- 5 September: PIC Steering Board Meeting
- 7- 8 September: Informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Tralee
The OHR Bulletin is produced by the Public Affairs Department of the Office of the High Representative in Sarajevo and aims to give an overview of what is happening on the ground in the civilian implementation of the Dayton Agreement. Suggestions and contributions are welcome and should be addressed to the Public Affairs Department of the Office of the High Representative in Sarajevo (387-71) 447 275 ext. 562, Fax (387-71) 447 420. Callers from outside BH dial via Brussels switchboard: Tel. (32-2) 737 7500 & Fax (32-2) 737 7501