OHR SRT News Summaries, 24 September 1997 - Office of the High Representative

Belgrade – RS President in the BiH Presidency, Krajisnik and RS President Plavsic held separate meetings with FRY President Milosevic, and discussed the current crisis in the RS, and final steps for overcoming of the crisis through implementation of the DPA. They agreed on three points:

both sides will undertake all necessary measures in order to stop all conflicts that lead to division of the RS. The RS unity is in the vital interest of the RS people, and all other interests (partial and party) must be inferior to the defence of the RS unity.
political conflict that caused the crisis in the RS can be solved only by people’s will at the parliamentary and presidential elections. The parliamentary elections will be held on November 15, and presidential (for the RS President and member of BiH presidency) one on December 7. The new parliament will hold a session and establish a commission which will carry out presidential elections.
Plavsic and Krajisnik agree that united media and free access to media of all participants of the elections is a necessary condition for holding a democratic election. They also agreed that the news programmes from the Banja Luka and Pale studio shall be broadcast alternately, every second day each. Krajisnik said for SRT that he is satisfied with the political compromise that was reached in Belgrade. He underlined that he and Plavsic held separate meetings with Milosevic, and then held a joint meeting to sign the agreement. Krajisnik also stressed that this agreement is very important because it will stop conflict and allow the people to choose their leaders. This is the best path towards the RS elections, he said. Plavsic had demanded to hold parliamentary election first so that the new parliament schedules the presidential elections. However, Krajisnik’s position was that both elections must be scheduled immediately, which was finally accepted. Krajisnik also said that the current political situation requires one media that will calm the people. The people are on the verge of desperation because of the politics which meant to divide the RS and cause the catastrophe.

5:00

The VRS HQ are extremely concerned because of the incident in which four Serb policeman were injured. They think that no-one in the RS has the authority to shed Serb blood. Blood was shed among Serb brothers who had fought together against the ancient enemy of the RS. HQ underlined that they will not support any of the two sides in the conflict. They demanded from the sides to keep the RS unity which should be paramount to every other personal interest. They also demanded that problems with the police must be solved as well, and mass media must play their patriotic role.
2:00

Doboj – After negotiations, the RS police, SFOR and IPTF cleared all misunderstandings and re-established good relations. RS citizens will not attack SFOR troops, and SFOR will remove their barricades from the Doboj road in return. The RS police and IPTF will carry out their duties together in order to decrease tension among the population, and implement the DPA.
2:00

Prnjavor – the political situation is getting more complicated after illegal replacement of police officials that occurred several days ago. Last night’s shooting that occurred between Plavsic’s para-police and citizens made the security situation even worse. SRNA learns that the incident occurred at ‘Ribnik’ Motel when a Prnjavor citizen switched off a TV set revolted by Plavsic’s policeman applauding to Plavsic’s speech on. According to Prnjavor Veteran Organisation, the para-police attacked a group of Prnjavor citizens who organised disarmament of Plavsic’s police at a nearby check point. Mayor of Prnjavor, Vasic was forced to intervene. The situation calmed down after the police got their arms back, whereas several citizens were ordered to come to the police station for questioning. Three persons were kept in the prison overnight, but they were released because of citizens’ pressure the next morning.
3:00

Flash news:
The PEC should announce election results for 37 RS and 49 Federation municipalities tomorrow.

Le Monde reported that there are no prospects for Serbs and Muslims living together in Srebrenica, and that it is ridiculous to push the people to live together if they don’t want it. This article surprised SRT, because, as they said, Le Mond was one of the leading papers that took an important part in stigmatisation of Serbs.

German papers reported that Plavsic enjoys strong support from the US. Concluding that she has power in Banja Luka only, the papers concluded that Plavsic cannot survive if the US changes its policy. Plavsic also gets support from her former Muslim colleagues in Sarajevo who find her speeches attractive.

The Contact Group think that the RS parliamentary elections are a chance for overcoming the current crisis in the RS and improving confidence towards the IC.
3:00

Summary SRT TV News Banja Luka

Headlines

The tripartite meeting with Plavsic, Krajisnik and Milosevic fruitful
The Presidential election and the election for the member of the BiH Presidency on December 7, parliamentary elections on November 15
The announcement of the official results of the local elections postponed for the weekend
The Contact Group will decide tomorrow in New York on the parliamentary elections in RS
The teachers of RS call the RS Government to urgent negotiations on ending the strike
Investigation into the explosion in Mostar still going nowhere

Time: 50″

Top Stories

The tripartite meeting with Plavsic, Krajisnik and Milosevic fruitful

The tripartite talks between Plavsic, Krajisnik and Milosevic that were held today in Belgrade were fruitful and created the preconditions for ending the several months long crisis in RS. The parliamentary and presidential elections for both the RS President and the member of the BiH presidency will close the chapter of all past disagreements in the RS leadership. The agreement, which was signed by Krajisnik and Plavsic and Milosevic as a mediator, stipulates that the Parliamentary elections controlled by OSCE will be held on November 15, and the presidential elections for both institutions will be held on December 7. At the first session of the newly elected Parliament a special commission will be formed which will organise the elections for the RS President and the member of the BiH Presidency from RS. Krajisnik and Plavsic also agreed that common media space in RS and equal access to the media for all participants in the elections were the necessary preconditions for democratic and free elections. It was also agreed that the SRT Primetime News would be aired one day from the Banja Luka studio and the other from Pale. The agreement also states that both sides will take all necessary measures to cease all confrontations that lead to the disunity of RS. Biljana Plavsic also met Zoran Djindjic, the Mayor of Belgrade and the leader of the Democratic party of Serbia.
4′ 20″

The announcement of the official results of the local elections postponed for the weekend

The Election Commission of RS reported today in Pale that the Provisional Election Commission would announce the official results of the local elections in RS and the Muslim-Croat Federation tomorrow. However, international sources deny this and say that the results will not be announced before the forthcoming weekend.
1′ 05″

The Contact Group will decide tomorrow in New York on parliamentary elections in RS

At the UN in New York the Contact Group for BiH will hold a meeting today at ministerial level, which will be presided over by Madeleine Albright, US Foreign Secretary. The Contact Group should discuss and make a decision on the holding of parliamentary elections in RS.
3’48”

Exhumations in Mrkonjic Grad

Today, the Serb Orthodox cemetery in Mrkonjic Grad sees the exhumation of 45 bodies of unidentified Serb soldiers and civilians, victims of the Ustasha onslaught of September 1995.
2’12”

The teachers of RS call the RS Government to urgent negotiations on ending the strike

It is still not definite when the teachers’ strike will end, but the meeting between the RS Trade Unions and the Government is scheduled for the day after tomorrow with a view to creating conditions for a prompt ending of the strike.
2’32”