Headlines
- The Stability Pact Summit commenced in Sarajevo today; 40 world leaders will participate in the Summit;
- UN approved $200 million for mission in Kosovo;
- C. Westendorp said that BiH is very close to national reconciliation;
Marti Ahtisaari opened the Summit and emphasised the importance of the Summit for economic and democratic reconstruction of BiH and the entire region. All participants are expected to adopt the declaration under the title of “Joint statement of the Stability Pact”. Ahtisaari said that the Summit should be the turning point for BiH as well as for the entire region, because it is not enough to solve the each crisis on ad hoc basis. The purpose of the Summit will be to provide permanent peace and security in the region, stressed Ahtisaari. Izetbegovic stressed the importance of the Summit saying that this is the beginning of the big dream about peace. SRT correspondent announced the delegations which would arrive tomorrow.
SRT also carried the statement of Dragan Bozic BiH Dep. Minister of Foreign Affairs and SNSD (led by Dodik) on great importance of the Summit for the entire region;
The European Commission held a session today. The main topic was economic reconstruction of the BiH. The EC approved 14.6 million EUROs for the financing of several projects in the country. 5 million EUROs (out of 14.6) will be allocated to the financing of small and medium-size companies. The 69 million EURO programme for return of refugees will be also financed by the EC.
Kosovo and FRY related news
SRT carried the news on new incidents, arson attacks on Serb houses, torture and murder of Serbs in Vucitrn, Klina and Gnjilane, inhabitants of Staro Gracko seeking protection from Russian KFOR, British KFOR investigates the massacre of 14 Serbs;
$200 million approved for the budget of Kosovo mission;
SRT carried the statements of foreign politicians on Kosovo situation: Albright calls on Serbs not to leave Kosovo, also the statement of Ivanov who said in an interview for German magazine “Stern” that NATO did not have any good reason for starting the air-campaign against FRY;
SRT carried the news on meeting between Milosevic and delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of Russia and Belorussia (SRT quoted the statement carried by Belgrade media), 2,000 pensioners protested in the centre of Belgrade demanding the resignation of the Serbian leadership, 3 reservists from Nis stopped their hunger strike, reservists from Cacak unblocked the roads, more than 2,400 people from Lebane and Vlasotince signed the petition for Milosevic’s resignation, Filip Vujanovic who said that there was no risk of a coup in Montenegro, Seselj and Branislav Blazic (FRY Minister of Environment) who said that he was going to press charges against NATO for causing the ecological and weather disaster.
“BiH is very close to national reconciliation”, said Carlos Westendorp at a farewell party in Sarajevo.
Alexandra Stiglmayer denied the statement of Rajko Vasic (The RS Minister for Information) who said that OHR had never requested the adoption of the law on SRT. “When the contract on reconstruction of SRT was discussed in February last year, we said that the RS NA should discuss this, but the RS NA was only dealing with the Steering Board. Ever since February last year the HR was regularly writing letters asking for the new law on SRT to be adopted. He even set a deadline for December but the RS NA did not comply with it”, said Stiglmayer. On the other hand Vasic said to SRNA that OHR had never requested the law on SRT to be adopted, except once when it was requested by SRT Administrator.
Cro-BiH border dispute. Kostajnica and Novi Grad municipal deputies discussed issues pertaining to the disputed border between Croatia and BiH. The Border Commission members, I.Lukic and V.Lukic also attended the meeting. They reiterated that the border must remain on the river Una and rejected the notion that an agreement on the border dispute might be signed at the Stability Pact Summit.
SDS on the election of the new RS Government. SDS stated that all constructive attempts made by them were rejected by “Sloga” Coalition, but regardless of the situation they will continue contributing to resolve the issue.