27.07.1999

OHR SRT News Summary, 27 July 1999

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Headlines

  • Both Houses of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly adopted the resolution on European integration and the Stability Pact;
  • BiH Presidency assessed that BiH is ready for the Stability Pact Summit;
  • Serbs in Kosmet – without adequate protection;
  • UN assessed that $300 million is needed for solving the most urgent humanitarian problems in Kosmet;
  • UN Experts Team stated that there was no ecological catastrophe in Yugoslavia;

Deputies of both Houses of BiH PA adopted the resolution on European integration and the Stability Pact. The declaration emphasises the importance of strengthening BiH’s reputation in the IC. The BiH PA pledges to fulfil all conditions for admission to CoE and proposes that the BiH Presidency and CoM recommend to all entity authorities to fulfil all conditions required for admission to CoE. The resolution also emphasises the development of good relations with neighbouring countries, Croatia and FRY. House of Representatives adopted the law on BiH citizenship and accepted the proposed conclusions on negotiations with Croatia and FRY(as soon as BiH establishes diplomatic relations with FRY) on dual citizenship. House of Peoples adopted the proposed law on aviation. Neither of the Houses adopted the law on administration fees.

BiH Presidency held session today. The main topic was the forthcoming Stability Pact Summit. The Presidency members decided that BiH would be represented at the Summit by Mihajlovic, Silajdzic, Prlic, Tomic, Bicakcic and Dodik. Information on the Border Commission was on the agenda. This information, after being adopted by CoM, will be signed during the Summit. Presidency also discussed issues related to the BiH lawsuit against Yugoslavia and concluded that a working group should reconsider the legal validity of documents that the lawsuit is based on.

KOSOVO AND FRY RELATED NEWS

SRT reported on German KFOR discovering KLA weapon storage, repaired monument of Emperor Lazar, US KFOR distributing fuel for the harvest to Serb and Albanian peasants, German medical experts started researching sites of possible mass graves in Orahovac expecting to find 550 bodies (BBC), 2 Serbs killed in Istok, 2 went missing.

SRT also carried a quotation from Ivanov’s interview for tomorrow’s edition of German magazine “Stern” saying that the International Court for War Crimes in the Hague should consider the responsibility of NATO and Javier Solana for the action against FRY. In case the Tribunal intends to accuse those who ordered the action against Yugoslavia then it is under the jurisdiction of this court. Somebody has to take responsibility for the war which destroyed half a sovereign country, said Ivanov.

SRT carried the statements of Zoran Andjelkovic (SPS), Vladislav Jovanovic (criticising the work of IC in Kosovo), SPO (Vuk Draskovic warned on unacceptable behaviour of the UN Civil Mission in Kosovo, saying that the UN Mission avoided calling the crime by its right name – a massacre, alluding to 14 Serbs killed in Stara Grocka. Draskovic added that there was evidence that the perpetrators were giving vent to theirs lowest instincts over the dead bodies.- SRT quoted TANJUG), DSS, FRY Committee of Lawyers for Human Rights. SRT also broadcast the news on Djindjic due to appear before the Military Court, hunger strike of reservists in Nis and citizens’ protest in Vrbas due to the unjust distribution of humanitarian aid.

SRT also carried quotations from the OHR press release on conscientious objection to military service, Matei Hoffmann’s visit to Brcko and meeting with Brcko Mayor Sinisa Kisic and quotations from Djokic’s interview given to TV Bijeljina.

In an interview for Bijeljina Television Petar Djokic said that the parliamentary crisis in the RS was overcome at the last session of the RS NA. There are no conditions for the election of the new RS Government at this moment due to the unsolved problem of functioning of the RS presidential post. It is only possible to talk about the reconstruction of the existing RS government and some political parties have already agreed with it, added Djokic.

SRT carried a statement from OHR regarding the study published by the RTV BiH Board of Governors.

SNS held a press conference in Banja Luka. Commenting on the massacre of 14 Serbs in Kosovo, Biljana Plavsic said that the IC did not perform its duties properly. She also said that regardless of the FRY regime and FRY leadership that are completely unacceptable for the IC, there must be a solution for this situation.