30.06.1999

OHR SRT News Summary, 30 June 1999

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Headlines

  • Talks between Principal Deputy HR Klein and RS PM Dodik: IC will provide more than 100 million $ for support of the RS economy;
  • 4 Serbs killed and 19 missing in Orahovac (Kosovo);
  • HR Westendorp passed the law on BiH anthem;
  • Finland will take over the EU presidency tomorrow;

Deputy HR Klein said in Banja Luka today that EU and US would invest 112 million $ in the RS because it is an open society. Klein also officially introduced the green card system (car insurance) for drivers from the RS which will enable them to travel throughout Western Europe.

Talks between Klein and Dodik on the financial future of the RS and economic support to the RS. Deputy HR Klein said that the US State Department would provide 12 million $ to the RS budget, World Bank would provide 50 million $ for the process of privatisation and public financing, EU 30 million $ for grants and credits, and International Monetary Fund 20 million $ as assistance to the RS. “This shows that Europe and the US want and intend to invest in an open society, with political leadership that sees the RS as a part of Europe”. Klein also thanked the people of the RS for their constructive help during the FRY crisis and stressed that “it is clear now that Slobodan Milosevic is the problem, not the solution”. Klein underlined the importance of the forthcoming Summit of the Stability Pact for the future of BiH.

KOSOVO NEWS

SRT correspondent from Belgrade (Draga Grubic) reports on: 4 Serbs killed and 19 missing in Orahovac, 4,000 Serbs gathered in the Pec Patriarchy are starving, all Serb villages burnt in the area of Urosevac, murders, abductions of Kosovo Serbs, British KFOR killed 1 person, a mine incident near Urosevac, tensions decrease in Kosovska Mitrovica, UN spokesman calls on Albanians not to attack the Serbs. The sources used in this report are BETA, Tanjug and Belgrade media. RTS footage of an Orthodox church in Pec and APTN footage of various scenes from Kosovo.

US Defense Secretary William Cohen said that the opposition rally in Cacak could be the beginning of changes in the Serbian leadership.

3rd FRY Army Commander Nebojsa Pavkovic denies allegations of war crimes committed by the FRY army and police force.

MONTENEGRO NEWS

FRY Army still controls traffic on a checkpoint in Kumbor (TV Montenegro).

DPS (party led by Milo Djukanovic) accused FRY PM Momir Bulatovic and Slobodan Milosevic of preparing for another war adventure, this time in Montenegro.

Patriarch Pavle said after his visit to Prizren that Milosevic should resign and that a Government of national salvation should be formed.

FRY REACTIONS:

SRT carried the statements of Vojislav Seselj, Prince Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, Dragoljub Micunovic (DC), Vuk Obradovic, Nebojsa Covic, Zoran Djindjic.

Robert Barry says that BiH should meet certain criteria before being admitted to the Council of Europe, especially in the field of human rights and legislation.

HR Carlos Westendorp passed the interim law on the BiH anthem, effective immediately.

Newly elected HR Wolfgang Petritsch says his most important specific task will be the organisation of the local elections in April. Petritsch will take over the HR duties next week.

FBiH Army officers visited an RS air force base in Zaluzani near Banja Luka. The visit took place within regular activities and under the organisation of the OSCE Office of Regional Stabilisation. SRT report included the statements of VRS, FBiH and OSCE officers.

Representatives of the 3 Associations of Judges and Prosecutors from BiH today in Sarajevo signed a joint statement regarding the adoption of the Code of Ethics. The ceremony was attended by PDHR Jacques Klein. OHR welcomed the event, emphasising the independence of judges and prosecutors from political, governmental or any other influence.

HR Westendorp suspended application of Article 5 of the FBiH Law on cessation of application of the Law on abandoned apartments, in the territory of the Drvar municipality-says Miguel Arias, Head of OHR BL.