Sarajevo – Session of the Central European Initiative – During the two-day session, the ministers will discuss the proposal for nomination of BiH as the host to the reconstruction and development programme for BiH and Croatia, reconstruction of BiH, implementation of the DPA and the Washington Agreement. The conference began today with bilateral meetings between BiH, Belorussia, Ukraina, Croatia and Macedonia. Foreign Minister Prlic delivered a speech introducing the ministers to the general situation in BiH. After the session, Prlic held separate meetings with the ministers of Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Rumania. The plenary session is scheduled for tomorrow.
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Sarajevo – Izetbegovic met the Croatian delegation headed by the Foreign Minister Granic and discussed the relations between the two countries, especially the economic co-operation which can be improved by establishment of two electric companies and reconstruction of the bridge over the Sava river between Orasje and Zupanja. Granic also met Zubak and discussed the same issues, as well as establishment of the Federation police. Croatian and BiH delegations, headed by Granic and Izetbegovic, also talked with the Hercegovina-Neretva Cantonal Government about the establishment of the joint police and the general situation in Mostar. They set a deadline for establishment of the joint police, between June 16 and July 5.
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Sanski Most – The BiH team of experts continued exhumations of the mass graves located in villages around Sanski Most. According to their estimates, another 150 Bosniak and Croat bodies should be found in the area of Sanska Dolina. The team has exhumed 92 bodies in this region so far.
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Brcko – Press conference of Supervisor Farrand – Farrand said that WB approved $ 4 million for the Brcko area and there is a great possibility of approving additional $ 15 million, to be used for reconstruction of houses of the returnees and of the shoe plant ‘Izbor’. Commenting on the return of refugees, Farrand said that he hopes to have ‘a first formal meeting of the return commission, which means that the three mayors will form the commission. And the purpose of that will be to decide upon the formal opening of the second, more active phase of return.’ BiH TV concluded that this answer was the only reaction on the real issue of return, but he said that those who are waiting for them to get tired and leave are waiting in vain because they are staying in Brcko until the completion of their task. The High Saudi Arab Committee will invest DM 2 million for reconstruction of 200 houses in the Brcko area for Bosniak returnees. The Committee will open its office in the Brcko area on Sunday, for the purpose of supervising the project.
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Berlin – The 16 regional German Ministries of Interior decided to take into consideration the living conditions in which the BiH refugees would live if they are sent back home. Those who used to live in BiH in the territory which is now under RS control will not be returned.
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Sarajevo – The Federation and the RS political parties which have representatives in the BiH HoR and HoP held a meeting at the OHR. The parties should have agreed on the Agenda prepared for the next Parliamentary session, which should be held on Monday. However, the RS failed to agree on the Agenda, and according to the Deputy Speaker of the HoP, Campara, the SDS didn’t agree on the discussion on the Law on Tariffs and the treaty with the European Bank which was agreed by Zubak six months ago. SDA, HDZ and Party for BiH unanimously supported the QSP Laws. Therefore, the Parliament session will probably not be held on Monday, Campara thinks, unless the international community imposes additional pressure on SDS.
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Summary SRT News
Banja Luka – RS President Biljana Plavsic held talks with HR Carl Bildt on conclusions of the Sintra meeting and steps to be taken in that respect. After the meeting held behind closed doors, President Plavsic told the press that the reconstruction and economic development were the main preconditions for further implementation of the DPA in the RS. In reply to journalists’ questions, the High Representative once again accused Serbs of allegedly failing to be cooperative and repeated his earlier presumption that lack of cooperation was the cause of insignificant financial aid received by the RS. Ms. Plavsic reacted to this remark by saying that if there was more economic support, the provisions of the DPA would be implemented at a faster pace.Mr. Bildt was unable to answer what would be a mode for faster implementation of the peace agreement in the FBiH, commented the media.
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The RS President had also met with the German Ambassador to BiH Hennecker Graf von Bassewitz. During the course of discussion, Ms. Plavsic explained that the RS did not want to block the process of return of refugees but that this process was conditioned with the economic situation. The RS needed financial aid in order to create conditions for return of refugees, their accommodations and employment.
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Brcko – At a press conference today, the Brcko Supervisor Robert Farrand declared that the international community was not tired by the DPA and that activities on the implementation of the peace agreement would be intensified. He underlined that a loan worth US $ 4 million aimed for reconstruction of housing units had been approved by the WB, adding that another US $ 15 million was to be invested in Brcko as well.
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Brcko seems to be in the focus of attention of political parties in the RS and FBiH. 40 parties from the two entities have registered for elections in this town.
Banja Luka – RS Deputy PM Ostoja Kremenovic held consultations with commissioners for refugees and DPs from western part of the RS. The talks focused on current problems related to accommodation and employment of refugees and DPs. The participants ascertained that the registration of voters had been progressing well.
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Ilidza – A meeting of the joint military commission composed of representatives of the VRS, BiH and HVO armies was held at SFOR’s base. Under auspices of SFOR Deputy Commander Gen. Cordy Simpson, Generals Pero Colic, Zivko Budimir and Rasim Delic talked about activities related to arms control and demining operations.
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International news – German magazine Spiegel claims that western diplomats and military strategists together with NATO Southern Europe Commander Gen. Joulwan have been elaborating scenarios for a long time military presence of the Alliance in BH. Namely, there are no signs of reconciliation amongst Serbs, Mulims and Croats, assesses the paper, hence the international community threatened to withdraw financial support for reconstruction.
The efforts of western countries are in contradiction to intelligence data gathered by NATO troops that the warring sides in BiH, particularly the Muslim side, are preparing for another war, concludes Spiegel.
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