The IPTF investigation report on the 10 February incident in Mostar is ready and should have been presented to the Principles by now. It depends on them when they will make it public, Alex Ivanko, UN Spokesman told the regular news conference today. Talking with Ambassador Michael Steiner and Robert Beecroft, Kresimir Zubak, Federation President expressed his hope that the Report will show the real situation in the Mostar region.
Colum Murphy, the HR Spokesman did not wish to comment on the Mostar investigation results until they become public, but he stated that ”we have never hesitated to call on all leaders of influence, including those in Zagreb, to bring a halt to Mafia chauvinism in Mostar and never stopped pointing out the need of arresting the war crime indicted”. (Follows a lengthy CM report)
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The prosecution against 2 Bosnian Serbs accused of war crimes, will start in Germany next week. The trial is treated as a real challenge for the judiciary of the country since the crime was not committed in the country. Novislav Djajic is accused of having leveled a village Djedjevo along with his accomplices and of torturing and killing 13 Bosniaks. Two months later, the same unit killed 14 residents of a village Trnovace. Nikola Jorgic is accused of killing 22 Bosniaks in a cafe in Gradska in 1992 and of committing another 14 criminal acts. Germany is examining another 47 accusations against people who came from ex YU to live in Germany.
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In a lengthy interview broadcast in connection with the postponement of the Donors Conference for BiH, Haris Silajdzic, Co-Chair of CoM tried to explain that the CoM is at least to blame for not passing the Quick Start Package of Laws what is said to be a reason for the Conference postponement. The Conference is apparently being postponed for some other reasons, Silajdzic stated, adding that the OHR should have given the answers on the law drafts on privatization, restitution, etc. earlier. They should not impose on us some priorities and forget the others, he said relating to different laws of entities on the same subject.
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The BiH delegation which attended the World Bank and IMF Meeting of Continuance to discuss current banking policies, arrived back in Sarajevo. Hasan Muratovic told journalists that BiH pledged donations to the amount of DM 6,0 million for paying off the World Bank debt of 9,0 million.
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Jadranko Prlic received Claude Ganz, American Special Envoy for the civil implementation of the Dayton Accord in BiH. They exchanged thoughts on the situation in BiH, the reconstruction process and period of transition to the market economic. Ganz announced that the priorities in his work will be to find a way to employ hundreds of thousands of people.
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In talks held with Izudin Kapetanovic, BiH Minister for Energy, Mines and Industry, Claude Ganz said that he will direct his activities to strengthen the economy and economic development of BiH instead of the recent preoccupation on quick repairs and reconstruction. He aims also for continuity of works which have already been started.
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With regard to the Hague Tribunal Statement issued on the nonappearance at the Tribunal of BiH Federation Defense Minister, Anto Jelavic, the BiH Foreign Ministry announced in a statement issued today that BiH Foreign Ministry demanded from Jelavic to fulfill the Tribunal demands in full and without delay. It is now up to him to appear in Court and submit the necessary documents, reads the Statement.
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The next BiH Presidency meeting will take place at the National Museum, tomorrow, Colum Murphy, the HR Carl Bildt’s Spokesman told a news conference. The three Presidency members are expected to discuss mainly protocol matters.
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Summary SRT News
Bijeljina – Supreme Defence Council session – the session was chaired by RS President and Supreme Commander of RS army Biljana Plavsic. General Colic and his deputies, and other high ranking RS army officers also attended the session. They discussed among other things, combat readiness, army infrastructure, and the financial situation for ’97 with regard to ’96. They concluded that combat readiness is at a high level. The RS army will respect and implement the DPA, as it has been doing for the last year and a half.2:00
Belgrade – President of Serbia, Milosevic, received President in the BiH Union Presidency Krajisnik to discussed issues of strengthening joint interests, friendship, and co-operation of one nation.
Banja Luka – RS Vice-president Mirjanic met head of EU Monitors, Dan Evers, and talked about linking RS to rest of the world. According to Mirjanic, they also talked about implementation of the Peace Agreement and the Brcko arbitration decision. Mr. Evers emphasised the importance of the RS opening itself towards its close and distant neighbours.
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Inhabitants of Svjetlinci and Stanica Rijeka villages near Doboj, expressed their dissatisfaction with SFOR troops patrolling and flying over the region, and disturbing them, saying that they had had enough of SFOR occupation. On the other hand, they do not agree with the Federation programme of establishing new municipalities because it also includes these villages.
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Banja Luka – President of the RS Chamber of Commerce, Antic, said that international experts need to design new certificates of origin and other certificates and documents necessary for export of goods in order to equalise the RS with the Federation at this level too.
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World News: Travnik – Mostar syndrome spread to the Lasva valley, Muslim media reported. The Croat leadership assigned one special HVO unit to create chaos in the region. At the same time, Vice-president of SDP in BiH said in Rome, that the crisis in the Federation is a consequence caused by Muslims fear of Croat separatism, and Croats of a Muslim majority. International Co-ordinator for civilian implementation of the Muslim-Croat Federation and the RS, Bildt, will resign in April and return to Sweden, Vienna papers reported. The international community hasn’t decided who will replace him. However, some names are noted: Special Envoy for Human Rights Elizabeth Rehn, former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, former Spanish Prime Minister, Felipe Gonzalez, and former Danish Foreign Minister, Uhe Elemann Jansen.
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