Sarajevo – Saudi Arabian Prince Selman Bin Abdul Aziz, President of the High Saudi Committee, paid a short visit to Sarajevo and held separate meetings with President of the BiH Presidency Alija Izetbegovic and Co-Chair in the CoM Haris Silajdzic. Prince Selman once again reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s readiness to continue with providing financial aid for the reconstruction of BiH. Thus far, this reach kingdom allotted funds worth US$ 50 million to Bosnia, out of which US$ 20 million as irretrievable aid, and US$ 30 million as a loan under favorable conditions. After the meetings, Prince Selman joined in prayer at the Bay’s’ Mosque and together with Co-Chair Silajdzic laid a foundation stone for an Islamic centre at Mojmilo [suburb of Sarajevo].
2’50”
Izetbegovic-Tudjman – President of the BiH Presidency Alija Izetbegovic talked over the phone with Croatian President Tudjman about their forthcoming meeting. It was jointly agreed that the meeting should be postponed in order to complete preparations, informed the Office of the President.
1’00”
Brcko incident – International officials in BiH have strongly condemned the attack on Bosniaks in Brcko, reported the media. In a joint statement, the OHR, the OSCE, the IPTF and UNHCR, criticised the local police in Brcko which did not perform their duty. A detailed investigation on the incident and punishment of the responsible policemen was requested.
Supervisor for Brcko Robert Farrand and Deputy HR Michael Steiner also spoke about the incident in strong words, requesting that all those responsible for the attack be punished.
Due to a deteriorating situation in Brcko, FBiH Vice President Ejup Ganic held a meeting with official from the Brcko municipalities and the Tuzla-Podrinje Canton. Deputy HR Michael Steiner and FBiH Minister Ibrahim Orankic and FBiH Arbitrator for Brcko Cazim Sadikovic also attended the meeting. The talks focused on new developments which have arisen from Supervisor Farrand’s announcement on the electoral procedure for Brcko and to this related resignation of Munib Jusufovic, President of the Brcko municipality.
At a press conference of the SDP, the central topic was the recent incident in Brcko. Zlatko Lagumdzija, the SDP President, stated that “everything points out that the whole incident was orchestrated from Pale” and that “the same political criminals are staging incidents in all parts of the country”. In addition, he said that the SDP intended to fail a suit against the RS before the Court for Human Rights..
Speaking about an earlier meeting with the Brcko Supervisor, Lagumdzija said that the SDP insisted with Mr.Farrand to designate Brcko as a single electoral unit, because “any other solution would prejudge an arbitral decision”.
9’00”
Dugi Dio – The FBiH Minister of Interior issued a statement to the effect that the situation in the village Dugi Dio had deteriorated because the local Serb police announced that they would summon Bosniak civilians of the military age for questioning on the grounds of suspicion for war crimes.
1’50”
Summary SRT News
Pale – RS President of BiH Presidency, Krajisnik met US Embassy Chief Administrator Parmley this evening, and discussed the DPA Annex related to subregional arms control. The talks, which are still ongoing, are held behind closed doors. RS Prime Minister Klickovic, RS deputy Foreign Minister Lukic, military liaison officer Indzic, and BiH CoM Deputy Foreign Minister Bozanic are also attending the meeting. BiH CoM Co-chair Bosic also talked with Mr. Parmley today.2:00
Pale – RS Minister of Interior Kijac met IPTF and OHR representatives and discussed the incidents which recently occured in the ZOS. They also discussed yesterday’s incident in Brcko caused by a sudden and unnanounced arrival of Muslims into town. Kijac expressed his regret and condemned unforunate event, promising that a full investigation shall be carried out and the guilty ones shall be held responsible. He asked the representatives of the international community to give their best within their mandate in order to prevent such incidents. The discussion was also about the Arbitration Decision in the light of the RS police tasks in town. Kijac also talked with the First Secretary of the US Embassy, Alfred Monten, about the trial of seven Muslims in Zvornik. Kijac introduced Monten to the RS law and said that the trial was based on democratic principles.
3:00
The OSCE did not set up a date for the elections in Brcko, postponing this decision for next Tuesday. Commenting on this new postponement, RS PEC representative, Kovac, said that Frowick was asked by the Federal partners find out from Arbiter Owen which is the territory of Brcko subject to the arbitration, although HR Bildt had given a clear answer to that question. However, it seems that this important question split the members of the PEC. Federal partners put pressure on OSCE to change international documents.
3:00
RS Minister of Information, Svjetlana Siljegovic thinks that local elections scheduled for September 13 and 14 this year shall also be held in Brcko, regardless of the PEC’s postponement of this decision. ‘I think that Mr. Roberts Owen will remind Mr. Frowick that Brcko is under the RS authorities as it is written in the DPA and the Vienna Agreement.’
Talking about implementation of the DPA in the RS and Federation, HR Bildt stressed that US Defence Secretary Cohen is slightly naive with regard to the BiH situation. Bildt reported on the DPA implementation to the UN Council, criticising some of the US standpoints and suggesting to Washington to re-position its troops in Europe. Washington Post reported that the US Administration does not have much interest for the RS and the Federation, which is the reason for non-implementation of the civilian part of the DPA.
President of the Carnegy Fundation for International Peace and former chief of police in the State Department, Morton Abramovitz, said that pessimism with regard to implementation of the DPA is increasing. Die Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that the international community and the IMF will not invest in the RS and Federation because the entities cannot reach an agreement on the QSP laws. According to the papers, HR Bildt sent a letter of protest to Izetbegovic because of the work of the CoM Co-chair Silajdzic. Bildt concluded that Silajdzic is blocking the adoption of the Laws on Foreign Trade and Customs Union by refusing to sign what was already adopted.
5:00
SRT got a new transmitter in Ravno Polje which will enable it to broadcast its programme on two channels.
2:00