Mostar – According to Federal Ministry of interior, another 6 families were expelled from west Mostar last night. Bosniak and Croat side should have agreed on return of Bosniaks, but failed because the Croat side could not guarantee safety for returnees. Deputy Mostar mayor went to Sarajevo on a meeting about Mostar situation. He said that he will not negotiate about Mostar out of the framework agreed by the Federation Forum and international community. SFOR and IPTF increased their patrols – SFOR removed several check points and searched vehicles to find arms. At the SFOR regular press conference, IPTF said that they would establish a commission for investigation of cases of expulsion. UNHCR said that a large number of people came to the office claiming that the could not return to their homes in west Mostar, after they went to east part of the city for Bairam (Muslim religious holiday) to visit their relatives. Telephone lines between east and west river bank do not work as of 7 o’clock yesterday evening, when the Croat side disconnected west part of the city.
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Sarajevo – a meeting on Mostar situation started at 6 p.m. behind closed doors. BiH president Izetbegovic, Federation president Zubak, Co-chair Silajdzic, Foreign minister Prlic, Mostar mayor Prskalo, and his deputy Orucevic, HR deputy Steiner and others were present.
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Sarajevo – Federation president Zubak, at the press conference held today, said that he does not understand president Izetbegovic claims that Croat side is guilty. Zubak does not have any information on who’s guilty there, and he ironically asks Bosniaks to help him with information they have. He also said that all families which were expelled came back to their homes in west Mostar.
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Sarajevo – BiH TV visited wounded in Mostar clashes happened on Feb. 10, who are situated at the Sarajevo hospital. While talking to people, BiH TV learned that all of them were wounded by Croat police which was armed with pistols and guns and police sticks.
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Elisabeth Renn, Commissar for Human Rights, sent a letter to Zubak condemning the act of violence towards Bosniaks who aimed to visit their graves for their religious holiday. She asked Croat authorities to take a blame for the incident and remove those responsible because this would be the only path towards peace in this region.
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Brcko – SFOR said the some para-military unit of 196 soldiers, coming from a village Bubanj Potok near Belgrade, are moving from ZOS towards Brcko. Brcko citizens said that the situation is extremely tensed, but they expect a fair solution for the town because it would mean an end of fascism and war criminals; on the other hand, fascism will be expelled from Brcko to Europe which will have to cure itself from this decease. Arbiter Owen announced that the final decision for Brcko will be given on Feb. 15 in Rome. Federation and RS Ministers of Interior Zilic and Kijac signed an agreement on increasing and exercising joint measures for protection of Brcko citizens once the decision on Brcko is made.
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Sarajevo – CoM session – the Council finally agreed on the Rules of procedure which will be signed at the next session. HR deputy Steiner attended the session too. Prior to the session, Steiner and co-chairs held a meeting and probably agreed on everything before the session actually started. BiH TV comments that Steiner should hold meetings like these more often i.e. before each session, for this is the only way to achieve any agreement.
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Summary SRT News
President from RS in the BIH presidency Momcilo Krajisnik met today in Pale with the World Bank consultant Haime Haramilio Walecha. They discussed the economic problems in RS. Krajisnik highlighted privatization issues, succession, central bank, taxation policy, budget and customs. Boro Bosic, co-chairman of the Council of Ministers was present as well.2 min
Council of Ministers: Second session of the CoM took place in Sarajevo, with Michael Steiner, HR principal deputy attending the meeting. “We have agreed upon the text of Rules of procedure. Now, this document has to be signed. We hope we will not run into any more problems. We did not discuss draft laws, but reached an agreement that ministers with their deputies prepare all necessary documents by next Thursday, when we will review obstacles and try to solve this part of the problem, adopting essential laws, as quickly as possible,” said Bosic after the meeting. Co-chariman of the CoM Haris Silajdzic stated that today a significant progress was made in the work of CoM.
3 min
American defence ministry disagreed with the article in British Daily Telegraph, saying that the USA, France and UK have considered a plan for kidnapping persons suspected for committing war crimes in former BIH and eventually, their extradition to the Hague Tribunal.
30 sec
Zvornik police entered Dugi Dio today, the third village in Zvornik municipality that have been occupied by Muslims in the last couple of months. Finally, the constitutional and legal system of RS have been established here. In next ten days, census will be carried out. To do it efficiently, visits from the Muslim-Croat entity Dugi Dio, Mahala and Jusici are forbidden. Muslims have also been given three days to give weapons to SFOR.
3 min
The Arbitration commission for the IEBL in Brcko area will announce the decision on Friday, 14 February, in Rome. We learned from the Italian Foreign ministry that the main arbiter Roberts Owen will announce it.
1o sec
In Sarajevo, the representatives of the RS Ministry of Interior talked with the representatives of the Ministry of Interior of the B-H Federation on the security situation and the modalities of work, after the Arbitration Commission over the Inter-entity Boundary Line in the Area of Brcko announces its decision. Police forces, in their respective zones of responsibility should prevent, with the help of IPTF and SFOR, possible movements of major groups of residents across the inter-entity boundary line, provide security for minorities and their property, and draw attention of residents at a danger of mine fields in the area around Brcko, says their communiqué.
5 min
Telecommunications: Minister of traffic and communications Nedeljko Lajic met with chairman of the EC, Donnati Chiarini. The signing of the document on telecommunications is envisaged for next Sunday, starting with an immediate realisation. “EC will donate 4,5million ECU for the transmission system and for the switching boards. We also agreed that another $1 million will be given for radio transmission towers. Also, we were asked to establish international lines, including links with the Federation,” stated Lajic.
5 min