Headlines
- NATO Postponed Order on Military Intervention Against FRY For Indefinite Period of Time
- FRY Army in Kosovo Withdrawing to Barracks
- White House Expressed Pleasure About Speed of FRY Military Withdrawal from Kosovo
- BiH Presidency Discussed Forthcoming Ministerial Conference of Peace Implementation Council
- Signing of Agreement With Paris Trustees’ Club Tomorrow – $1 Billion BiH Debt Will be Written Off
Beta was informed by diplomatic sources in Brussels that NATO decided this evening to postpone activating the order on military intervention against targets in Serbia for an indefinite period of time. In the event that the Belgrade authorities do not fulfill their obligation, NATO would have to give a signal to begin the action in an additional decision. NATO Commander, General Wesley Clark, stated today that an agreement was reached with the FRY authorities, that 15,000 soldiers and 10,000 policemen can remain in Kosovo barracks in order to perform their regular duties. According to John Lockart, US President’s Spokesman, the latest information is that the Serb side has so far withdrawn about 90% of military and police forces with regard to the demand made to Slobodan Milosevic by the leading representatives of NATO.
01:05
Head of the US Diplomatic Mission in Kosovo, Shawn Biers, stated that there had been no violations of the cease-fire for the last 24 hours. According to Beta, Biers said that the monitoring missions registered significant movements of army and police to their barracks. NATO Secretary General, Javier Solana, addressed a message last night to President of the FRY, Slobodan Milosevic, underlining that there was not much time left and that it was of essential importance for the FRY to fulfill its obligations for solving the Kosovo crisis immediately, primarily to withdraw the army and police to barracks, in Kosovo and other areas. Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Igor Ivanov stated in Vienna that the NATO decision providing the possibility of military action against Yugoslavia must be cancelled. At the same time he stated that NATO had no right to set an ultimatum on Kosmet, as the OSCE should become the most significant political means of resolving that situation. Beta reports that the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed the press that the reports on withdrawal of army and police in Kosmet are satisfying, but that France still considers that the pressure on Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic, must continue. Political representative of the so-called Kosovo Liberation Army, Adem Demaci, confirmed today in Pristina that the two kidnapped TANJUG journalists are in the hands of this Liberation Army, that they are alive and being treated well. Demaci stated at a press conference that he is trying to have them released as soon as possible as he knows that the whole world opposes this kidnapping, but that they are not released yet because the investigation needs to be completed.
06:15
Today’s session of the BiH Presidency in Sarajevo, centered on finding a common platform for the PIC Ministerial Conference which will be held in mid December of this year in Madrid. According to Stjepan Mikic, Head of Cabinet of Croat Member of the Presidency, Ante Jelavic, special emphasis in the platform will be placed on the resolution of economic and social issues and implementation of Annex 7 of the Peace Agreement. The Members of the Presidency agreed today to intensify activities on acceptance of the BiH into the Council of Europe. The Members ordered the solution of technical issues concerning the main offices of joint institutions to be speeded up, while the activities on restructuring the CoM with newly elected Ministers will be completed within 10-15 days.
01:30
A meeting of the Standing Military Commission was held in Sarajevo today. A protocol on flights of entities’ military aircraft over the IEBL’s was signed and the protocol established corridors Mostar-Sarajevo and Sarajevo-Banja Luka. The agenda of the meeting later included a letter from the HR and the SFOR Commander, stating that written approval must be obtained from SFOR Command for appointments and replacements of officers with the rank of general. It was agreed that the HR and the SFOR Command will be warned in a letter that this request encroaches the legal and constitutional system of the BiH and the entities.
00:53
In a two-day visit to Srpsko Sarajevo, RS PM, Milorad Dodik, met today with representatives of the Veterans’ Organisation and Association of Refugees and DPs, Association of the Blind and a group of citizens from Srpsko Sarajevo. One of the priority issues discussed at the meeting was the issue of the treatment of Serbs imprisoned in BiH Federation prisons. Dodik said that there will be action on re-examining their cases and contact with the Federal authorities in order to provide better treatment for these prisoners. The PM met with economists from Srpsko Sarajevo. During his visit he also stated that the IC had a strong attitude that it would not support a Government which consisted of ministers from the SRS and the SDS.
00:45
Representatives of international agencies responsible for implementation of the Dayton Agreement informed the press at today’s press conferences in Banja Luka and Sarajevo that they expect the agreement to be signed tomorrow between BiH representatives and the Paris Trustees’ Club on writing off a $1 billion debt.
00:32
Vice President of the SDS, Dragan Cavic, stated at the joint press conference of the SDS, SRS and Coalition for the RS, that the Coalition “Sloga”, at yesterday’s meeting rejected the proposal that the two Serb Coalitions share the legislative and executive authority equally.
00:45
Vice President of the SNS, Svetozar Mihajlovic, said at a press conference that the IC does not allow the SDS and the SRS to participate in the RS Government because they do not support implementation of the Dayton Agreement. According to TANJUG, Mihajlovic expressed the hope that there will be no obstructions in the work of the RS NA.
00:32
The Coalition “Sloga” will propose that the RS PM, Milorad Dodik, once more gets a mandate to establish a new Government, said SPRS Spokesman, Igor Radojicic, reminding that it depends a lot on the RS President. Radojicic said that the wish of the SPRS is to continue open cooperation with the IC and economic recovery.
00:38