Everything the Pope John II was saying and proclaiming during all those difficult days of raging war in BiH, he confirmed by his attendance in Sarajevo, Cardinal Vinko Puljic told a Press Conference in the International Press Center in Sarajevo. The Pope’s main message was PEACE and this was confirmed by the pilgrims and citizens of Sarajevo and all those who took part in the organization of his visit. We thank them and those who registered it all and transferred to the world. Cardinal Puljic confirmed that Alija Izetbegovic, after the mines were found in Sarajevo on the road the Pope should have passed, sent a hand written letter offering the Holy Father to accompany him everywhere and expose his own life to the same danger as could have happen to our guest.
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Around 150 kilogram of explosives connected with a radio remote control device were found under the bridge which the Pope should have crossed, Alex Ivanko told Press Conference. It is worrying that it was discovered accidentally by a local worker and not during the previous control by the local police. IPTF does not have a suspect nor has anyone been accused of doing it.
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A celebration was held in the Army’s Hall to celebrate BiH Army’s Day. We wish to remind everyone that we have an obligation toward those who gave their life defending our country, said General Rasim Delic. A Bosnian Army day will be marked by a parade and march past of the representative echelons and units of the BiH Army tomorrow at the Kosevo stadium.
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Managing Board of the Organization of BiH killed soldiers pointed out at its meeting today that the BiH Army provides invaluable moral support to their members. The Board demands that the employers, besides professional skills, give more chances to get job to the persons who defended our country.
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The BiH Federation Forum headed by John Kornblum and Michael Steiner convened today in Sarajevo. The organization of Sarajevo and Mostar will be solved parallel and the Constitutional Ammendments will be accepted by 22 April. Asked to comment at the meeting’s conclusion, Vladimir Soljic, Federation President, explained that he cannot talk for the BiH TV before it has been agreed that it is BiH TV. A detailed information of the meeting will be shown in the next news.
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Alija Izetbegovic received a high level American delegation headed by John Kornblum, the Assistant Secretary of State. Robert Gelbard who is replacing Kornblum in the BiH matter, was also in delegation, as well as James Pardew. Their talks focused on the implementation of the Dayton Accord, specifically implementation of the BiH central institutions as Central Bank and common system of customs and taxes – as the pre-condition for starting the IMF programs in BiH, more active economic reconstruction of the country and holding of the Donor Conference.
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Kresimir Zubak, Presidency member thanked John Kornblum, during his separate visit, for support in setting up of Federation and stabilizing a peace in our country. Dragan Kalinic, RS National Assembly President also talked with John Kornblum.
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Alija Izetbegovic met with Tadeus Mazovjetsky, former UN Raporteur for the Human Rights and proven friend of BiH. The main topic of their talks was the situation on human rights in BiH and seeking the ways of improving them.
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BiH Expert teams have started exhumations of individual and mass graves in Didovici and Kavazi in court yards and gardens of the family houses, in which are presumably buried 35 bodies of killed Bosniaks. A mother of two killed boys was shown by recognizing the rests of their bodies.
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John Kornblum was awarded a title of an honorary citizen of Sarajevo.
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Summary SRT News
Trebinje – RS President Plavsic talked with military commanders of the 7th Corps about the daily life and work of soldiers and their officers. Plavsic congratulated the Corps for doing an excellent job in defending this part of RS. Later on she also met the civil authorities of this region and visited the local power plant.3:00
Pale – RS Parliament Speaker Kalinic met the Head of the Political Department of OSCE, Kuznetzov, in presence of the RS Foreign Minister Buha and the PEC member from the RS Kovac. Kalinic said that the RS position is that the local elections should be held in all municipalities, including Brcko, simultaneously and under equal conditions. Brcko’s exclusion from the local elections in September this year would make the situation much more difficult for carrying out the full implementation of the DPA in political and general terms.
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Pale – RS Prime minister Klickovic met WB President Rory O’Sallivan. The meeting was a continuation of the talks on providing financial resources for projects of social improvement and WB’s assistance in the process of reconstruction in the RS. RS will prepare a project for financial support in urgent reconstruction which will be sent to the WB for approval.
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Governing Board of the RS Chamber of Commerce meeting – the members of the Board discussed the relations between RS and FRY within the Special Parallel Agreement and problems with regard to economic relations between the RS and BH Federation in accordance with the DPA. RS Trade minister Cicovic said that the two parties [RS and FRY] are now discussing transport of goods without paying any customs. As for the economic relations with the BH Federation, the Board emphasised that there is trading going on between the two Entities in every way possible and with no control from the state. That should be stopped in order to provide normal and legal trade in accordance with the DPA. The DPA foresees separate customs administrations of the Entities, that is, the customs revenues go to the entities separately, which is another proof of RS independence.
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World News:
Junge Welt reported that the Croats regard the Pope’s visit as a visit to them only because they do not want to live in the Federation and are still fighting the crusade under two banners, of Croatia and Vatican. Vatican was the first to recognise Croatian independence and thus caused the war, but now the Pope is praying in Sarajevo that war never happens again. ‘Semi-official’ Turkish press agency Anadolia, quoting from the Italian press agency Ansa which apparently received the information from NATO, reported that the persons whose attempt to assassinate the Pope failed two days ago were Turks, members of a not-so-known Islamic extremist group ‘Return of the Prophet Muhammad’.