For the first time since the 10 February incident, Mayor of Mostar, Ivan Prskalo and his Deputy, Safet Orucevic, held meeting on the situation in Mostar. Sir Martin Garrod, Chief of the Regional OHR also attended. Following the meeting, which was held beside closed doors, Sir Martin Garrod told journalists that they were identifying problems which are due to be resolved. Asked if he feels he should seek excuses for the whole series of untruths relating to the 10 February incident in Mostar, Ivan Prskalo answered no, not at all. I am ready to take responsibility for everything I said wrongly which caused damage either to the Croats or to the Bosniaks. Safet Orucevic said, The only way to overcome our problems, which in fact represent the problems of the Federation, is to establish the joint police in Mostar and enable refugees to return to their homes,. He also invited all Croats who lived in the eastern part of Mostar to come back to their homes, pointing out that he is ready to secure attendance of the joint police in this part of the town.
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Representatives of the leading media world agencies condemned a raid of 150 armed Serbs in Gajevi in which they burned houses meant for Bosniaks return, causing damage worth a million dollars. Yet, besides strong condemnation, nobody could answer why SFOR powers did not halt the armed Serbs in carrying out this terrorist act. The Serbs burned the whole village, not only the prefabricated Bosniak houses, by pouring on gasoline which they easily brought in passing three SFOR check points, Sead Jamakosmanovic, Cantonal President told journalists. What a cynicism to say that the return to Gajevi will be postponed for seven days, when everybody can see that much longer will be needed for that.
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The incident in Gajevi shows the failure of the Serb police to strengthen and uphold the law as it is foreseen between the sides, Colum Murphy told a press conference. He also informed that the Contact Group members would discuss the incident. SFOR Spokesman, Major Saddleton, confirmed that the Russian soldiers had seen a group of people coming to Gajevi, but due to a rapid development of the incident, they could not undertake proper steps.
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The reactions on the co-operation pact signed between RS entity and FRY followed last nights meeting of Alija Izetbegovic and Haris Silajdzic. According to local and international officials estimations, the Agreement is contrary to the BiH Constitution and the Dayton Accord. Follows Ambassador Steiner’s comment saying that some parts of the pact are dubious since they are dealing with foreign politics and questions which affect the competence of the joint institutions. The most important point is the fact that such documents don’t represent valuable agreements unless they are adopted by the BiH Parliament.
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Haris Silajdzic commenting on the same document, repeated the point of view expressed in the BiH Statement: The agreement doesn’t correspond with the BiH Constitution. BiH and FRY haven’t established diplomatic relations so the “special relations” can also not be established.
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Report on BiH parties reactions to the pact signed in Belgrade. MBO, LB, SDA, Party for Economic Prosperity and UBSD, judge this document as another Serb attempt to divide BiH.
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BiH Federation Defense Minister, Ante Jelavic, will face the accusation of not respecting ICTY if by 6 March he does not submit or enable access to documentary evidence in the case of General Blaskic.
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Richard Goldstone, the main ICTY Prosecutor, is quoted in the New York Times as pointing out the absurdity of the Court existence if justice is not being realised and criminals are not brought before the Court. Follows a lengthy piece by a correspondent from New York on the idea of establishing a permanent Court for war crimes.
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Summary SRT News
Pale – RS Member of the BiH Presidency, Krajisnik, met Vatican Ambassador, Msgr. Monterisi, and talked about the Agreement on Special Mutual Relations between the RS and FRY. Krajisnik expressed his surprise with regard to the Muslim-Croat Federation claim that the Agreement is not in accordance with the DPA. Denying that, Krajisnik said that the same agreement was signed between the Federation and Croatia a long time ago. Msgr. Monterisi presented a schedule of the pope’s visit to Sarajevo, and invited the RS leadership to take part in the reception ceremony. Krajisnik expressed his concerns regarding the Slavonia Serbs, and asked for Msgr. Monterisi’s help with that issue.3:00
HR Bildt gave a negative comment amidst many positive reactions on the Agreement recently signed between the RS and FRY. He said that the DPA is in its critical stage after a chain of incidents which recently occurred in BiH. Among those incidents Bildt noted the recently signed Agreement. The HR Bildt’s office, without giving any explanation, reported that the Agreement does not recognise the Croat-Muslim Entity.
Different media opinion:
Flemish radio reported that the RS media has changed its way of reporting from a war to a post-war one with most success. The Flemish report came out as a result of a survey carried out in countries of the former Yugoslavia. Muslim authorities in Sarajevo have been using different means, false trials in particular, in order to demonise Serbs. Damjanovic and Herak, who were sentenced to death because of murdering Kasim and Asim Blekic, is just one example. These two ‘victims of murder’ were found in Vogosca, which terrified the Muslim authorities. Proceedings against Damjanovic and Herak should have proven that Serbs were guilty of genocide, ethnic cleansing and other war crimes.
New York Times reported that Kasim Blekic, who now lives in Vogosca, said that he was not aware that he was used for the charges against Damjanovic and Herak until a year ago.
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Pale – the Government will hold a session which begins at 21:00 this evening. A draft Budget Law for ’97 will be the main item of discussion.
Banja Luka – RS Government Economic bodies and members of the RS Chamber of Commerce discussed the current economic situation and future revival of the economy. Vice-president of Economic Issues to the RS Government, Djuraj Banjac, said that the Government should start with their projects of financial aid and investment in the RS economy instead of waiting for international economic donations. The RS has already established its Central Bank, Customs Law, and has contacts with France and Germany and, the UK who also promised their financial help.
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Pale – Vice-president of the RS Government, Ostojic, talked with the Serb Sarajevo Mayor about the establishment of a joint RS radio which will be a part of the SRT system. It will consist of radio Ilidza, Sarajevo and Novo Sarajevo. Minister of Information to the RS Government, Svjetlana Siljegovic, said that this is a step towards having a single and joint RTV system in the whole RS state.
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World News:
Mostar – Mayor Prskalo, and his deputy Orucevic met each other at the OHR Mostar for the first time since the Mostar incident. None of them were satisfied with the meeting. Prskalo still wouldn’t accept the IPTF report on the incident because, he said, only the Croats were blamed for it, Croat radio reported. Muslim media reported that they spent three years in vain putting everything they had into the Federation.
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