The negotiating police teams of the two Mostar sides, accompanied by Sir Martin Garrod, the HR’s Envoy, achieved an Agreement on the establishment of the joint police powers in the Central City Zone. According to this agreement, a hundred policemen should be lined up on Friday, 4 April by 1200 hrs. Local and international Agreement participants as well as viewers received the news with satisfaction, along with a significant dose of caution.
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This is good news, Alex Ivanko said expressing his satisfaction regarding the Mostar police agreement, but the question remains unanswered of whether a good will for its implementation, really exists or is it only time buying. We shall see on Friday.
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Minister Zilic, Federal Minister for Internal Affairs, also informed Press Conference of the achieved agreement for the joint police for Mostar. He said also that a complete structure of the Ministry, as well as the lower police structures were agreed. Zilic announced that, after a strong reaction from his Deputy, Jozo Leutar, a Croatian flag was taken off the mosque in Ahmici in which most Bosniaks were killed during the Croat-Bosniak war. On the preparations for the Pope’s visit, Zilic pointed out that the Serb side insists on pilgrims paying for their crossing over RS territory.
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Rasim Gacanovic, Minister for Transport and Communications, and Mirza Hajric, President Media Sub-Committee for the Pope’s arrival, informed a Press Conference of the activities concerning the transport of pilgrims, parking and traffic facilities, creating the atmosphere for this most important visit, and co-ordinating the media for coverage of Pope’s stay in Sarajevo. Hajric said that 350 accreditation demands for journalist have been received. No requests from RS.
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UN Security Council has decided without a lengthy discussion, to send 180 extra policemen and 11 civilian officers to Brcko. Their task will be to reconstruct and additionally train the Serb police in Brcko, as well as to deploy one monitor in each police patrol. The Council did not discuss, but promised to study shortly, Kofi Annan’s demand for 120 policemen who would follow up on the human rights situation in BiH. (Follows a lengthy report by a NY correspondent).
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The Arbitrage Commission for Brcko, chaired by its head, Ejup Ganic, convened today. This Commission will represent the BiH Fed. in contacts with the Tribunal and the Supervisor for Brcko, suggest measures and activities, and co-ordinate the implementation of Federation obligations deriving from these decisions.
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UNHCR expressed its strong concern with the attitude of the Sarajevo Cantonal authorities concerning a project of private apartment reconstruction, Kris Janowski told Press Conference. After the project, worth 6.8 million DM, was finished, 29 families who had correct proof of dwelling rights for their flats, were not given the chance to settle in. All of them are Serbs and Croats! Janowski also said that the harassment of Serbs has decreased and this was confirmed by important members of the Sarajevo Serb Democratic Initiative.
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For 1 April, the HR Spokesman, Colum Murphy, focused his statement at the Presser once more on the gas issue by reading a humorous, ironic fax to Gas Export Moscow.
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Summary SRT News
Pale – RS Peoples Assembly Speaker Kalinic met the Representative of Italian humanitarian organisation ‘Intersos’, which donated medications for 40 extremely ill persons suffering from the same kidney disease. Kalinic used this opportunity to thank Intersos for the help they have provided so far for the RS. Intersos representative announced organisation’s future activities in the RS, which will include 2 million DM worth of rebuilding of the residential area in Serb Dobrinja. 3:00 UN Security Council allowed deployment of additional 197 foreign policemen to Brcko as requested by HR Bildt.Brcko – Brcko Mayor Miodrag Pajic met the OHR representative Matthew Reece, who informed Pajic on further steps of the Supervisor mission in Brcko, planned to begin in the next few days.
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Istanbul – representatives of a number of European countries, US, and international community shall hold a meeting on further implementation of the DPA.
Via Internet, Several Dutch humanitarian organisations wrote about the media war that was waged against the Serbs. Among many tricks of the international media, they mentioned the one where Vukovar was portrayed as Dubrovnik, allegedly shelled by the Serbs, as well as torturing and killing of Muslim POWs, funerals of killed Serb soldiers reported to be funerals of Muslim civilians, etc. [Pale TV showed CNN in particular and SKY News logos as the ‘spearhead liars and haters of Serbs’].
Banja Luka – Spokesman of the Commission for Refugee Return expressed his concern on the decision of Sarajevo authorities to ban the ethnic minorities [Serbs and Croats] from returning to their apartments. He said this act is disastrous for the image of multi-ethnicity of Sarajevo.
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Sarajevo – The world is finally realising what life looks like for ethnic minorities in Sarajevo, and the situation would be much clearer if international representatives would talk to these people. Serbs who stayed in Sarajevo municipalities after transition of authority in spring of ’96, often complain to the Federation police and IPTF about harassment, threats, stoning of their houses, hand grenades placed under cars, attempts of Muslims to move into Serb houses or take away the Serb land, etc.
3:00
Vila and Stanica Rijeka villages near Doboj – SFOR and IPTF banned the presence of RS police in these villages, Doboj Minister of Interior Djekic said. He also suggested to the Serbs from RS not to go to the Muslim-Croat Federation for their own safety.
World News: Sarajevo – Hatred between Muslims and Croats is coming to a climax with Pope’s visit to the city. Muslims and Croats destroy each other’s churches and mosques, and posting of a Croat flag on the destroyed mosque in Ahmici village was the most serious recent incident. Mostar – The Croat authorities rejected in full the agreement on establishment of Mostar joint police because of insignia on the uniforms.
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