External debt – There is no confirmation that the RS has paid its share of the BiH foreign debt. Namely, yesterday’s negotiations resulted in an agreement that the FBiH would pay the due amount of the RS debt. The WB was supposed to be a guarantor that the RS would pay the loan back to the FBiH. Despite the agreement, the RS has made new requests today much to the surprise of both domestic and foreign officials, maintained the report. The media commented on the situation by saying that the entire problem could have been avoided had an agreement on a single BiH budget been reached. Co-chair of the CoM Haris Silajdzic maintained that this is yet another proof that the state must have its revenues. We were right about it and now everybody says so.
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Sarajevo – At a press conference today, leading WB officials presented a new economic memorandum containing evaluation of the economic situation in the country and modalities for its recovery. The agreement between the WB and the FBiH on repayment of external debt was assessed as a positive element in the relations between this financial institution and the FBiH authorities. The WB Director for Europe advocated that the BiH external debt should be reduced as to expedite recovery of the country. In Ms. Wallich’s opinion, 1997 will be more difficult than the previous one.
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Sarajevo – Co-Chair of the CoM Haris Silajdzic received the British Under-Secretary for International Development and the British Ambassador to BiH. The talks dwelt on a number of subjects, mainly related to the BiH external debt and modalities for its repayment. Refusal of the Serb side to fulfill preconditions for a Donors Conference and participate in repayment of the debt, was qualified by Dr. Silajdzic as an open provocation of the Pale leadership and he warned that another postponement of the conference would further encourage the Serb leadership to undermine the DPA.
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Sarajevo -The fourth session of the FBiH House of Representatives adjourned today without an agreement on a draft on the constitution of new municipalities. A two-month debate between Croat and Bosniak deputies over the Usora municipality continued. As a result of today’s debate, it was agreed to form a working group composed of four representatives of both sides to seek a solution with critical overtones, the report maintained that the House of Representatives once again has demonstrated its impotence and has proved to be just a democratic front. 2’50”
Sarajevo – An annual assembly of the USAID was held today. The report underlined good cooperation between the USAID and the FBiH and spoke extensively about USAID activities and credit lines aimed at economic recovery.
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Mostar – Head of the OHR Regional Office, Sir Martin Garrod told the press that amendments to the Herzegovina-Neretva Cantonal Constitution had not been endorsed despite an earlier agreement in Sarajevo. 1’00”
Brcko – The Front for Return to Brcko issued a statement appealing to all local political parties in Brcko and pro-Bosnian parties to exert pressure on Supervisor Farrand to harmonize registration rules in both entities and to threaten to boycott the elections, otherwise the Serb authority would be legalized in that town.
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Summary SRT News
Banja Luka – RS President Plavsic met Doris Pack, member of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee. In their discussion, they focused on the implementation of the DPA, return of refugees, post-war development, and economic recovery of the RS. They also discussed the opening of the RS borders towards Croatia. Conveying the RS position with regard to the refugee return, Plavsic said that it is an individual choice where one wants to settle down and live in the future.3:00
The 9th RS Assembly session will be held on June 26, Assembly Speaker Kalinic said. He underlined that the First Draft of the Internal Affairs Law will be the main subject of the discussion, apart from other 26 items on the Agenda. The Assembly members will also discuss the laws on the PTT, civil defence, striking, refugees and displaced persons, etc.
2:00
Zvornik – The Municipal Court in Zvornik decided that Mumin Islamovic, who was recently arrested because of violation of public peace and order, will stay in prison for the next 15 day.
Sarajevo – WB press conference – The WB representatives announced that they held successful talks with representatives of the leaderships, which resulted in an agreement on BiH carrying out the servicing of $ 8 million debt that was inherited from former Yugoslavia. This agreement will positively reflect the future co-operation between the RS and Federation and the WB. WB representatives also said that the RS leadership showed a good will for future work.
2:00
Flash News:
German papers Der Spiegel quoted on the Russian SFOR commander who said that the West accuses Serbs for everything without having second thoughts about it. The world and the US in particular have been secretly supporting the Muslim side.
The voters’ registration centres are closed down after 34 days of work in FRY. The figures say that about 76,000 people registered for the local elections in BiH.
3:00
Brcko – Today is a day of preparations for the new and hopefully the last round of voters’ registration in Brcko that will start tomorrow. The OSCE decided to open ten instead of four registration centres. As of tomorrow all the people, staff who work at the centres and the local leadership, will be ‘mobilised’ for the aim of having as much voters registered as possible. The RS cannot allow the luxury of having even one voter not being registered, and from tomorrow until the OSCE closes down the centres, this will be the most important task of all Brcko citizens. ‘If God could create the world in seven days, why wouldn’t we fulfil our obligation within 22 days,’ SRT journalists wonders.
4:00
Banja Luka – IPTF press conference – IPTF Spokesman, Robertson said that 27% of BiH Croats voted on the Croatian national elections held on last Sunday.
2:00
Prijedor – The Federation and RS military delegations headed by the OSCE team for military security visited this town and talked with the local leadership about the security in the region. 2:00