15.11.1999

OHR RTRS News Summary, 15 November 1999

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News Headlines

  • BiH Presidency takes part in UN Security Council session
  • Dayton Agreement principles remain basis of life in BiH – Dodik
  • Between April 1992 and April 1995, 266 foreign citizens receive BiH citizenship – BiH House of Representatives member Nikola Spiric
  • RS Government, Economic Chamber and Syndicate Union agree to increase minimum wage
  • Banja Luka Incel and Prijedor Celpak workers go on strike due to unpaid salaries
  • Banja Luka Public Security Center expects results of examination of Kopanja’s car soon
  • RS Team for Searching for Missing Persons concludes identification process of remains of Serbs exhumed in Sarajevo and Visoko
  • Serb Gorazde authorities, OHR and UNHCR discuss ways of implementing Annex 7
  • Srebrenica refugees block Zavidovici-Tuzla road to protest having to pay electricity bills – Radio Sarajevo
  • 45,000 persons returned to BiH Federation this year
  • CESVI announces project for financing reconstruction of Drvar infrastructure
  • BiH Federation Property Issues Office issues 16 certificates to pre-war flat owners in Livno
  • BiH Federation Justice Ministry rejects defense request to remove judges and prosecutors from Vikalo case – Tuzla Court
  • Plane carrying remains of victims of plane crash in Kosovo lands in Rome
  • Reinhardt and Kosovska Mitrovica delegation discuss how to improve situation in northern Kosovo
  • KFOR prevents 200 Serbs from going to work in Trepca mines – BETA
  • Serb returnees denied return to Gnjilane due to illegal occupation of their houses by Albanians – Gnjilane Church Board
  • 47 Kosovo Albanians released from Serbian prisons – BETA
  • World news
  • Goods valued at 2.8 million KM confiscated in ‘Stop Smuggling’ action
  • RT RS General Director and Bobar Company sign agreement on sponsoring Music Festival Banja Luka ’99
  • Weather
  • Petritsch welcomes New York Declaration
  • Pozarevac Court charges Jovan Petkovic with murder of three Kosovo Albanians
  • South Kosovska Mitrovica leader Redzepi requests de-blocking of north Kosovska Mitrovica

News Summary

BiH Presidency takes part in UN Security Council session

The BiH Presidency took part in the UN Security Council session in New York, which was devoted solely to the situation in BiH. The Presidency supported implementation of the Dayton Agreement and pointed to the immense progress achieved. The BiH Presidency confirmed that it wants to create BiH as a sovereign and multiethnic state. The members condemned anti-Dayton forces that support ethnic hatred and division. They opposed threats to democratic processes and believe that the future of BiH lies in Europe. They also agreed to establish a joint border service. They announced the establishment of a permanent secretariat to work under the Presidency. The secretariat would include five persons from all three nationalities. The Presidency agreed to finance state ministries, which is a very important prerequisite for the functioning of the state government. They believe that the Council of Ministers should change quickly in accordance with the BiH Constitutional Court and Madrid Declaration. They agreed to provide the resources for financing the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Economic Relations and Civil Issues and Communications. They also supported the Permanent Election Law and approved inter-entity military cooperation through the establishment of joint army units that would take part in UN peacekeeping forces. They agreed that the process of return is unsatisfactory, especially in urban areas such as Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Mostar. They approved the harmonized property laws published by the High Representative in October 1999. They also agreed to form a joint commission between the entities, which would establish the priorities of return. This commission would also submit reports to the UN Security Council until 1 March 2000. The state government would be the central base for BiH passports. They pointed out that corruption is a serious problem that blocks the development of BiH on all levels.

04:00

Dayton Agreement principles remain basis of life in BiH – Dodik

The RS delegation returned to Banja Luka from Dayton, where it participated in the conference devoted to implementation of the Dayton Agreement. RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik stated that the Dayton principles are the basis of life in BiH. He added that the two main points of discussion were preservation of Dayton principles and redefinition of the Dayton Agreement. When asked who wanted the redefinition of Dayton principles, Dodik said that it was requested by representatives of the International Crisis Group, Stjepan Kljuic and NHI President Kresimir Zubak. Co-chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Svetozar Mihajlovic stated that four concepts were discussed at the conference: property, democracy and ethnicity, a trade economy and national and regional security. He added that certain positions were taken on all points. Entity governments and the Council of Ministers were given certain suggestions on these topics. Advisor to the Serb BiH Presidency Member Zeljko Mirjanic stated that the conclusion was that implementation of the Dayton Agreement is satisfactory and that it is the basis for peace in the region.

02:15