Headlines
- Two-day Peace Implementation Council conference started in Madrid
- Three-day mourning declared in Pec (Kosovo) after killing of six Serbs
- Indictment raised against Dinko Sakic for crimes against humanity and violation of the war code
- Action Week of warning against mines ended
While greeting guests, the Spanish Prime Minister emphasised that B&H is a single, democratic and multi-ethnic state and that Europe is in the process of integration of such states. Reporting on the annual activities of the implementation of the Dayton Agreement, the High Representative, Carlos Westendorp asked for the help of all participants at the Conference for this, as he said, key two-year period in peace stabilisation in B&H. Priorities are, Westendorp thinks, the return of refugees and DPs, establishment of multi party political environment, strengthening of security and common institutions and renewal of economy. Among other things, he advocated the strengthening of a joint defence system, single border control, and reconstruction of the police forces. The renewal of the banking and fiscal system will precede the faster privatisation process, which is the essence of the economic reforms – the High Representative concluded. The Chair of the B&H Presidency, Zivko Radisic emphasised that progress had been made thanks to the citizens of entities and B&H state, great efforts of the international peace forces, donors and overall involvement of the international community. Radisic emphasised that it is necessary to create efficient government, and that means professional judiciary, police, army, media, strengthening the rule of law, free elections. The world and Europe expect B&H to be a modern state with equal entities and nations – Radisic finsihed his speech. Ante Jelavic advocated faster economic reforms, and Alija Izetbegovic for the strengthening of common institutions and a final decision on Brcko. The RS President, Nikola Poplasen, at the press conference, repeated well known RS standingpoints established at the last RS NA session and emphasised that only the letter of Dayton keeps peace and brings progress to everyone. In the afternoon the Conference was continued behind closed doors for discussion on refugee return and strengthening of the B&H security. Tomorrow economic reforms will be discussed when the RS Prime Minister will speak.
4:03
The SDS Presidency expressed its concerns regarding the centralisation of B&H which was announced at the Madrid Conference. SDS assesses that such action would put back B&H to where it was before the war.
0:17
The draft of the Madrid Conference has its positive and negative sides – SNS Main Board member Stanko Stanic said at the press conference. It is positive that the declaration introduces economic measures in both entities and possibility of using favorable credits. One of the unacceptable elements in the declaration is the manner in which refugees and DPs are treated. The international community gives priority to return, and SNS considers that all three rights from the Peace Agreement have to be equally treated. SNS is not pleased with the current Prime Minister candidate and thinks that the mandate should be given to Milorad Dodik
0:49
For the RS and its citizens it is most important that the implementation of the Dayton Agreement is continued – it was said at the SNSD press conference.
0:15
The RS Ministry of Information decided to erase from the registry news agency Flash according to the request of its founder.
0:10
The international community condemns the verdict of Bijeljina court which sentences 7 people to 10-20 years in prison for the killing of 4 Serbs and 1 Muslim in 1996 – the OSCE Spokesperson said at a press conference in Banja Luka. He said that the Court sentenced them on the basis of their confession and no other evidence. Alun Roberts, IPTF Spokesperson expressed satisfaction with the indictment raised against those responsible in the Srdjan Knezevic killing. He denied the authenticity of a quotation from the Agreement on police reconstruction published in Glas srpski and as evidence he distributed copies of the original agreement.
0:45
Kosovo related issues:
- Meeting Milosevic-Holbrooke in Belgrade
- Six Serbs killed in Pec (Kosovo) coffee shop
- Javier Solana said in Madrid that recent events in Kosovo increase the danger for the OSCE observers
- Political KLA representative, Adem Demaci is not pleased with the work of the American envoys, Holbrooke and Hill since their decision produced no results
- Spokesperson of the NATO South Wing said in Macedonia that NATO forces are not strong enough to save the OSCE observers if the FRY army actively resists.