Hong Kong – After 150 years under British authority, Hong Kong was transferred back to China exactly at 6 p.m. today. More than 2.500 guests from all over the world attended this event followed by a ceremony in the Hollywood style.
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Mostar – Robert Gelbard, Special American Envoy for Implementation of the Civilian Aspects of the Dayton Accord, met with the leaders of BiH Federal and Neretva-Hercegovina Cantonal Ministry for Interior Affairs to discuss problems related to the establishing of the Cantonal Police Powers. After the meeting, which was held behind closed doors, Gelbard talked with Fatima Leho, Cantonal Governor and the city leadership Ivan Prskalo and Safet Orucevic. Gelbard told us very seriously and in direct way, what the American reactions would be for those who did not co-operate, Ivan Prskalo said after meeting. The politicians who cannot implement what has been agreed, should no longer negotiate. Agreements on the joint police powers and Constitution amendments, must be implemented, starting from today, Orucevic said.
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Sarajevo – Haris Silajdzic, BiH CoM Co-Chair received an SFOR delegation, today headed by General Filipp Mansumi. They discussed the Memorandum on opening of the airports in Banja Luka, Mostar and Tuzla for the civilian transport, which the RS officials refused to sign. We are worried about the fact that a right for veto by the side which obstructs the opening of the airports, is being tolerated, Silajdzic told the news after the meeting.
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Sarajevo – Registration of voters for the BiH local elections has ended in the whole country, except in Brcko, where it has been prolonged until 12 July. According to OSCE information given at the Press Conference today, at least 2,4 million voters have been registered for the election. This is an exceptionally good result, David Foley, OSCE Spokesman told the media. Commenting on the voters registration report from Serb Sarajevo, Foley asserted that from the OSCE point of view there is only one Sarajevo in BiH – a town open for everyone. Only the OHR is competent and authorized to give a legislative stance on this, he added.
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Capljina – Hailing the quick and decisive action following the discovery of manipulations in the electoral process, the SDA Municipal Board in Capljina, sent a letter to Robert Frowick, PEC Chairman, demanding the annulment of the complete voters registration based on the P-2 forms in this town.
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Banja Luka – The Serb police arrested for a short time Biljana Plavsic, RS President, as she arrived back from her trip to London. She had earlier tried to replace Dragan Kijac, Chief of RS Police. All media are reporting on the puzzle of her current whereabouts, since her closest associates do not know where she is. AFP carries a denial by Krajisnik, and even by Plavsic herself, that she had been detained. The local media, which reported on her explanation of Kijac’s replacement, have no electricity. Banja Luka is in a war atmosphere.
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Sarajevo – Ivan Mijacevic, well known commander of Gradacac defense in the last war, who spent two month in the Serb arrest, held Press Conference after being exchanged with seven Serbs. He thanked to Zlatko Lagumdzija, Alija Izetbegovic and Kresimir Zubak for what they have done for him to be released. Ordinary people hailed him on the streets of Gradacac.
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Iranian Ambassador to Croatia was attacked together with his family on the so called Arizona road for robbery reasons, Alex Ivanko, UN Spokesman told journalists yesterday
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Follows a presentation of comments on Izetbegovic-Tudjman failure to meet and Biljana Plavsic’s arrest.
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Summary SRT News
Pale – RS President in the BiH Presidency Krajisnik denied the news that the RS President Plavsic was allegedly detained, underlining that the information is not correct and is either a product of fear or groundless accusations. The relations between Kijac and Plavsic were described by Krajisnik as a conflict resulting from the upset balance of power at the RS level. Expressing his hope that the problem would be solved soon, Krajisnik said: “We are on the way to overcome this situation. We will probably convene the SDS HQ and the National Assembly because this will be the only way to discuss this issue which has already went beyond personal misunderstandings and become the problem of the state”.2:00
Pale – Krajisnik talked with the US Special Envoy Gelbard about the results of DPA implementation. Krajisnik said that they also discussed the Sintra Declaration and clarified a number of issues between the two of them, except for the issue of the RS police. He underlined that the problems between RS police and SFOR are not quite clear to him since Interior Minister Kijac holds a good reputation among the RS people, the Government, and the National Assembly, and is a flexible and professional police officer. Krajisnik thinks that the international community wants to impose solutions that mean interference with the professional work of the RS police. The RS police is in favour of implementation of the DPA and Krajisnik hopes that this problem will be solved without any conflicts. “I am very concerned about the current situation because the intention behind this is to create problems that will be damaging to peace.” The only solution is in discussing these problems.
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Pale – HR Deputy Steiner paid a farewell visit to Krajisnik. After the meeting, Krajisnik said that the German diplomat played a major role in the post-DPA period and gave a “useful contribution” to the development of peace, which will make the work of his successor much easier. He said that the two of them often had differing views, but they had a mutual wish to reach a satisfactory solution as soon as possible. “Mr. Bildt and Mr. Steiner were a good team that made a big contribution, although their judgements were not always fair. A lot of unfinished work remained behind them, but I must admit that their achievements alone established a near-permanent peace. Today we do not have such consequences of the war as we had right after the signing of the DPA.” Steiner said that in his two-year mandate, the most important thing for him was to take part in the establishment of the joint institutions and a long-lasting peace in this region. He said that the relations with Krajisnik were open, professional, and in a working atmosphere. “At the end of my mandate, when I am coming to Pale for the last time, I can say that it is difficult for me to leave this country.”
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Although it is impossible to get any statements from Karadzic, France Press reported that Karadzic had said that he was not in support of Biljana Plavsic and her work for a long time now. Karadzic condemned her separation from the rest of the leadership and not working in co-ordination with them, as well as for making unconstitutional decisions and opening towards the international factors on her own and without consultations with others. In Karadzic’s words, she does not have the support either from the police or political structures and may jeopardise the survival of the country by her actions. He particularly accused her of trading her radical views that helped her in being elected as the president for total submissiveness towards the international community that undermines all negotiating positions of the RS. By this the international community is trying to achieve its goals, as was the case with Rajko Kasagic.
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Banja Luka – Statement from the Cabinet of the RS President – While returning from London, RS President Plavsic, her Chief of Cabinet and head of security were detained without any explanation by the Serbian police at the Belgrade airport on the evening of June 29. The President was held in custody for two and a half hours, after which she was escorted to the border between the RS and FRY. SRT commented that the Cabinet had forgotten to mention the fact that Plavsic was escorted by SFOR from Bijeljina to Banja Luka. That meant, SRT continued, that SFOR had acted outside of its mandate and interfered with internal affairs of the RS. SRT added that it seems that SFOR wants to create a division between Plavsic and all the other RS officials. The statement from the Cabinet also failed to mention that in her interview for B92 Radio, Plavsic said that Radovan Karadzic had carried out a coup, which was quoted by all major international press agencies. The statement with regard to the coup is illogical because Dr. Karadzic had transferred all his presidential powers to Plavsic even before the elections last year. The only logical explanation for all of this is, in SRT’s opinion, Plavsic’s need to make groundless accusations because, as she said, she had been denied access to the state media and couldn’t have addressed the general public through them. SRT was “obliged to say” that Plavsic does not actually want speak through the state media and is deceiving the general public, otherwise she wouldn’t have sent her statement only half an hour before the beginning of tonight’s prime time news programme.
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Statement of the RS Army HQ – SFOR has increased its presence in the RS, particularly in the areas of Brcko, Pale, and Han Pijesak, where they have established a number of checkpoints at which they are displaying their heavy artillery and checking vehicles and passengers, which causes anxiety among the population. They have also harassed the members of the RS Army on a few occasions. There is no reason for such a behaviour of SFOR since the RS Army is fully implementing the DPA. The Army appealed to SFOR to do everything in order to avoid any negative consequences. All the political issues in the RS will be solved only by the respective political bodies of the RS, and the army shall carry out its duties in line with the RS Constitution.
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HR Deputy Steiner has formed the Coalition for Return, which comprises over 70 refugee organisations from the territory of former Yugoslavia and West Europe, and its main aim is to organise a massive return of refugees to their previous homes, particularly in “politically significant” areas such as Brcko, which would create conditions for establishment of a unified state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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