Sarajevo – Due to the absence of RS ministers, the session of the BiH CoM was adjourned today. It remained unclear why RS officials failed to arrive at the session. Co-Chair of the CoM Haris Silajdzic refused to comment on the non-attendance of RS officials, adding that the draft on customs policy from the Quick Start package was on the designated agenda. Hasan Muratovic, BiH Minister of Economic Relations and Foreign Commerce stated that the situation was serious, particularly in the light of the upcoming conference in Portugal. HR Principle Deputy Michael Steiner was quoted as saying that it is common experience that sessions are not always held as scheduled. However, he expressed hope that political agreement on the Quick Start package would soon be reached.
The scheduled meeting Bicakcic- Klickovic was also canceled due to the same reason. The next session of the CoM is to be held on Thursday.
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Sarajevo – The US will exercise its influence to the full and exert pressure on the sides in BiH to accelerate implementation of the DPA, stated Robert Gelbard, Special US Envoy for implementation of the DPA, upon his arrival at Sarajevo airport. He stressed that the US Government was deeply concerned that the sides in BiH had failed to take appropriate actions in order to secure a better life for BiH citizens and announced that the US would take resolute measures in that respect. Gelbard reiterated that the adoption of the Quick Start package and an agreement with the IMF had to be reached this week, if the Donors Conference were to be held.
Summarizing his meeting with Serbian President Milosevic, Ambassador Gelbard said that he pressed Milosevic to extradite 4 Serbs indicted by the ICTY who were currently in Serbia and urged him to use his influence with the RS authorities to extradite persons indicted by the ICTY.
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Izetbegovic’s interview to Dnevni Avaz – The media quoted highlights of an interview by Co-chair of the BiH Presidency Alija Izetbegovic given to Sarajevo’s daily Dnevni Avaz. Izetbegovic commented on a large number of issues, amongst which were: the recently announced American initiative on BiH, the Croatian community of Herzeg-Bosnia and Croatian President Tudjman’s recent interview in which he disclosed his views on BiH. Izetbegovic expressed doubts whether the measures announced by US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright would be sufficient to convince the Serb and Croatian side to give up on their positions. As for the HR-HB, he declared that it would soon be clear what intentions were behind it. Formation of joint police forces in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and return of refugees would be the best trial for whether the HR-HB was just a cultural community or the continuation of a pseudo-state, he explained. 5’00” Mostar – The recently announced decision of the PEC and Ambassador Frowick on elections in Mostar that deputies from other ethnic groups besides Bosniaks and Croats would be elected, and whereby refugees in Mostar and citizens of central city district would have the right to vote, was welcomed by Sir Garrod, Head of the HR Regional Office.
Mr. Garrod told the press that a meeting of HDZ-SDA city boards in Mostar ended without an agreement on city municipalities because the participants could not agree on division of posts. However, he expressed hope that an agreement might be reached at the next meeting of the two parties.
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Mostar – At today’s session, the Club of deputies from the List for Unified Mostar welcomed the PEC decision on local elections in Mostar to retain quotas as per 1991 census and requested from the OSCE and OHR that results of the last elections be implemented, that joint institutions of the town commence work, as well as joint police forces, and that the city administration be moved into the court building as decided at the London conference.
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Summary SRT News
Jahorina – The 8th session of the RS Assembly finished today. MP’s accepted the Report on the Implementation of the Special Parallel Ties Between the RS and FRY (they asked the Government to represent the agreement to the ‘opposite side’ in order for it to be adopted) and adopted the arrangements with regard to reconstruction of the RS in co-operation with various international organisations. People’s Assembly confirmed that it is in favour of full compliance with the DPA and adopted the methods which oblige the RS authorities to implement the DPA in all of its aspects. The Assembly will inform the members of the international community on this issue. MP’s also adopted the Law on Privatisation, the Law on Loan for Reconstruction of the RS, and four Laws on agriculture. The RS Interior Minister, Kijac demanded from IPTF to act in accordance with the DPA and from HR Bildt to recall all IPTF orders which are not in accordance with the DPA. He also said the RS police will keep on doing their duties in accordance with the RS law because ‘nobody has right to violate the rules and regulations of the RS law in force.’4:00
The CoM of the RS and Croat-Muslim Entity failed to hold its session scheduled for today, because the Muslim side, that is, the second Co-chair Silajdzic, didn’t send the Agenda of the session to the Serb members. Besides, Silajdzic didn’t sign the Law on the Customs Policy which was agreed at one of the previous sessions. Co-chair Bosic said that there is no sense in insisting on further CoM sessions and meetings until Silajdzic signs the Law.
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It has been five years since the first RS plane took off in order to defend the RS territory. The RS Air force was not stopped in doing its patriotic duty even during the NATO bombing. The RS Air force celebrated its fifth birthday in Zaluzani near Banja Luka, but without a parade. The HQ Commander Colic said that the RS was forbidden to use planes since October 10, 1992, which was the first such incident that happened in the long history of the Serb army. The Air Forces Commander, General Torbica said that the time will come when the truth about the bravery of the RS pilots will be revealed to the public. ‘Remember the contribution of our pilots – NATO planes did not fall into the sea just like that,’ General Torbica said.
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Commentary:
These days, one of the ‘tailors’ of the DPA, HR Bildt will finish his mandate in BiH. According to the well-informed sources in Geneva, the former Spanish Foreign Minister and current Spanish Ambassador to UN, Carlos Westendorp, will be Carl Bildt’s successor. The same sources, which based their information on the recently held meeting between Albright and De Charette in Paris, say that Westendorp will be appointed High Rep by this Friday. The Spanish diplomat will have two deputies. Allegedly, the US and French foreign ministers already agreed that one of deputies will be the current UN Administrator for Eastern Slavonia, Jacques Klein, and the other one will be appointed by the EU.
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Banja Luka – The RS Vice-president Mirjanic [who is also the main sponsor of the fair] opened ‘INOST ’97’, inventors’ fair which will exhibit the latest technical and technological achievements. The fair will last until May 30, and it will give the opportunity to more than 100 various companies from the RS, FRY and abroad to represent their products. The ‘INOST’ had also been organised during the war, which proves that Serbs have an affinity for science and technology.
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