The Belgrade Agreement between Plavsic, Krajisnik and Milosevic on overcoming the crisis in the RS through the elections and media, and implementing the DPA, was welcomed throughout the RS. This Agreement should stabilise the region and reunite the RS institutions.
Commenting on it, Krajisnik said that they reached an agreement for all three elections. The person who would change her/his mind and would not accept to hold elections would completely lose the credibility among the people. I don’t believe that such a person would get the people’s support. I clearly said that the Parliament and the Constitutional Court decisions are valid for me. We only have to decide on self-dissolution of the Parliament. It depends on Ms. Plavsic whether the presidential elections for the RS presidential post will be held on one hand, or on the other, on myself whether the elections for the member of the BiH Presidency will be held. If the two of us really want to hold the election, we will resign. I will not violate the Agreement for sure. It would be dishonourable if Ms. Plavsic violates the Agreement. But we are serious persons, we represent the people. To look in the people’s eye and say I am sorry but I don’t want to accept the agreement, because I prefer the power… Our religious and honourable people would not be able to forgive that.
Commenting on the Agreement, Plavsic said that she had long talks with Mr. Milosevic about the RS future and the RS people in general. I think that we agreed to find the best solution for the people within the framework of the DPA. His attempts to reach some sort of a cease-fire were very constructive, and he fully agreed that the crisis should be solved through democratic means, that is, through the forthcoming elections. We shall first elect the Parliament, as the most powerful institution which should carry out presidential elections. Last time in Banja Luka (referring to the SDS rally in Banja Luka) I told Mr. Krajisnik that the best way to treat problems with the media is to broadcast programme from both Pale and Banja Luka studios alternately, every second day each. He had not accepted it last time, but he had to this time (laughing). So, we’ll see – the Banja Luka studio should broadcast it’s programme as of Saturday.
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Pale – Representatives of the RS Government met WB representatives and talked about servicing the BiH debt towards the ‘Gas Export’ Company from Moscow. The RS Government has offered a compromise to WB which should also be accepted by the Federation. If the Federation agrees, the WB will continue negotiations with the ‘Gas Export’ representatives in Moscow next week, and citizens of the RS and Federation will have a warm winter. WB thanked the RS Government on their co-operation.
2:00
Serb Sarajevo (Lukavica) – The CoM session – Ministers discussed the opening of four border passes with Croatia. They will sign an the International Memorandum on that tomorrow, after the responsible Ministry and OHR have prepared a document. They also discussed the Law on the CoM which was not adopted because not all CoM members attended this session. The next session will be held on Tuesday, when the final agreement on the CoM Law will be reached. The CoM also established a Commission for Civil Aviation and signed a Memorandum between the CoM and UN on mine clearance. They sent their condolences to OHR with regard to the tragic death of OHR staff in the helicopter crash.
3:00
Brcko – Stari Rasadnik village – residents complained that they have problems with Muslims who illegally inhabit the village. The world should realise that they cannot mix eating oil and water, an SRT journalist said referring to Muslims and Serbs living together. He added that Muslims’ final aim is to push Serbs further and commit the ethnic cleansing of the area. Due to this and other similar problems in this region, RS Minister of Refugees, Misanovic met Supervisor Farrand and the Serbs from this region. Misanovic said that this was a constructive and successful meeting. Farrand showed understanding for the situation, and thanked the local leadership on their co-operation. The RS side stressed the importance of respecting the RS law and security of Serbs. The RS police will, therefore, set up check point/offices where the Muslim returnees will be able to apply for the RS ID’s, and where they will also control passengers who enter the village to rebuild their previous houses or to inhabit houses of their neighbours. Besides, the RS police and local leadership will start with a process of issuing the RS ID’s in the whole region of Brcko.
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Flash news:
The RS leadership, political parties, as well as VIP’s from FRY, such as FRY Minister of Economic Relations, Stevic, the President of Serb Radical Party, Radisic, President of FRY Democratic Party, Kostunica, etc., expressed their satisfaction and warmly welcomed the Belgrade Agreement, as the only way to save the RS.
The IC also welcomed the Belgrade Agreement, concluding that this was a serious attempt to keep the RS unity, but the question is whether it will bear fruits, said OHR Spokesman, Bullivant.
Leading world media agree that the RS would have been divided if Krajisnik and Plavsic did not sign the Agreement.
This evening the OSCE HQ in Vienna will discuss they role regarding the RS parliamentary and presidential elections.
OSCE announced that the local election results will be released next week. The FRY parliamentary election results were announced today. In 29 municipalities, Milosevic’s party and the Left wing Coalition won 110 seats out of 250, Radical party won 82, and Draskovic’s party, SPO won 45 seats.
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Summary SRT TV News Banja Luka
Headlines
- RS President Biljana Plavsic said that they would look for the best solution for the Serb people within the bounds of the Dayton Agreement
- Jovica Stanisic, Serbia’s State Security Chief said he firmly believed in what they had accomplished in Banja Luka and Belgrade
- The first international symposium of industrial electronics opened in Banja Luka
Top Stories
RS President Biljana Plavsic returned from BelgradeThe agreement that was reached yesterday between RS President Biljana Plavsic, the member of the BiH Presidency from RS, Momcilo Krajisnik, with the FRY President Slobodan Milosevic as the mediator has received much attention. President Plavsic returned this morning from Belgrade to the Mahovljani airport escorted by Jovica Stanisic, the Chief of Serbian state security. Plavsic said at the airport that the meeting with Milosevic had been good and that she did not give in by accepting the presidential elections. “Elections are always welcome,” said Plavsic. Stanisic said that he deeply believed in what they had achieved but added that the conflict among the police was more serious and dangerous and denied that the Serbian police had not been involved in it in any way.
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Momcilo Krajisnik pleased with the agreement
The member of the BiH Presidency from RS, Momcilo Krajisnik, stated this evening in Belgrade that RS had won and that it would remain unified. The agreement was the result of a compromise. After the elections are carried out it will be much better for RS and its people. The agreement was reached thanks to FRY President Milosevic.
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President Plavsic met Finnish Diplomat
RS President Biljana Plavsic talked today in Banja Luka with Timo Koponen, the Finnish Ambassador to BiH. Plavsic informed the Finnish diplomat of the details and conclusions of yesterday’s meeting in Belgrade. The Finnish Ambassador emphasized the importance of the parliamentary and presidential elections.
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Reactions to the Belgrade Agreement
The Office of the High Representative reacted reservedly to the agreement by welcoming it if it proved to be a serious attempt in overcoming the political conflict in RS and hoped the agreement would yield results in the future. Aleksa Buha, RS Foreign Minster, said that the agreement would depend on the position of the Contact group, while Zivko Radisic, President of RS Socialist party said that only the consistent implementation of the Dayton agreement could secure the interests of the Serb people in RS.
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