Transcript of the International Agency’s Joint Press Conference in CPIC

CPIC/Media Conferences

Subject: JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE – 8 October 2002

1.       The following attended the regular Press Conference held at the CPIC at 11:30 hours on Tuesday 8 October 2002:

2.       Twenty-nine members of the media including three television crews attended the conference.

3.       The transcript of the questions and answers is attached.

Julian Braithwaite – OHR

Good morning.  There are three things from the Office of the High Representative this morning.

The first is that the High Representative will be giving a keynote speech tomorrow, at the Common Institutions Building at 11:00.  The audience will comprise of representatives of the regional development agencies of Bosnia and Herzegovina and foreign investors in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  Those invited include some of the worlds most successful companies including, GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever, Proctor and Gamble and Coca-Cola among others.

In this speech, Paddy Ashdown will set out the actions by which, the International Community will judge the new governments.  He will set out 6 tests, for 6 months.  6 tests of seriousness on the reform agenda, which we in the International Community believe any government will need to implement over the next 6 months, if Bosnia and Herzegovina, is to stay on track for delivering the peoples priorities, justice and jobs.

As the High Representative said yesterday, “we will judge the next government, by its actions, not its words.”

The second item is about the meeting on Friday, between officials of Serb Sarajevo Municipality and the Canton Sarajevo Government, which is something that the Office of the High Representative has been encouraging for sometime.  This was part of a series of face-to-face meetings to explore ways of improving services through co-operation and co-ordination, for the benefit of citizens on both sides of the Inter Entity Borderline.

At Fridays, meeting it was noted that, no matter who forms administrations in Serb Sarajevo and Canton Sarajevo, following the elections the practical framework for continued face-to-face co-operation is now firmly in place.  At the meeting there were issues touching on public transport, education, return, social services and so on have all been tackled at that meeting and in previous meetings. The High Representative thinks this is just the sort of practical co-operation, across nationalities and political parties that we believe the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina want from their authorities and the High Representative hopes that this model can be developed elsewhere across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The third concerns a meeting that the Senior Deputy High Representative Ambassador Schroembgens had yesterday, with a delegation from UEFA and the Bosnia and Herzegovina Football Federation.  On Bosnia and Herzegovina’s bid to host the 2008 European Cup, jointly in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ambassador Schroembgens conveyed the Office of the High Representative’s, support for this Bosnia and Herzegovina initiative.  He said, “that hosting this important European tournament would support the development of football and sport in general in Bosnia and Herzegovina and that most of all, this co-operation would bring much needed jobs and investment into Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

Ambassador Schroembgens, informed the UEFA representatives, that Bosnia and Herzegovina, was now at peace and had been for 7 years, and that the elections did not imply a return to violent nationalism.  The fact that 2 of the 3 nationalist parties saw their vote go down at these elections compared to the year 2000.  Shows that there was no surge in support for nationalists, quite the reverse, turnout was the lowest in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s post-war history and he mentioned that this trend in different context has been observed in other transitional countries where reformist governments have not been re-elected after a first term.

Ambassador Schroembgens said that, “the popular mood in Bosnia and Herzegovina was for reform and for more progress not less”.  He said.  “That it was now up to the responsible domestic institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina to show that they are capable of delivering the developments both in infrastructure and organisation and show the ability to work effectively, which would make this Bosnia and Herzegovina UEFA 2008 bid possible.”  He concluded by saying, “he wished them well in this endeavour.”  That is all from me.

Urdur Gunnarsdottir – OSCE

Good morning everyone.  Since I have not surprisingly got very many requests for an official statement from the OSCE Mission about elections, I want to make the following statement for the record.

The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina applauds the Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities for the conduct of, Saturday’s elections.  We commend the Election Commission for its hard work, allowing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first domestically organised elections successful and without incidents.  The OSCE Mission, would like to echo ODHIR, the OSCE Parliamentary Observation Mission, the European Union and Council of Europe Observation Missions who remarked that the election administration was, quote, “impressive” unquote, and called, Saturdays elections, quote again, “historic”.  Such commentary reinforces OSCE’s, satisfaction at the transfer of the responsibility of the election process to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The OSCE Chair-in-Office has urged all those elected to continue and strengthen the reform process.  That process is essential for the consolidation of a multi-ethnic state based on the rule of law, and of utmost importance in bringing Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to the European and Euro Atlantic structures.  The OSCE remains committed to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina and its people in consolidating democracy and stability.

Secondly, I want to make a short statement on education.  The OSCE is pleased to see a positive start made with the beginning of the new school year.  According to our information, an increasing number of returnee children are enrolled and initial efforts are being made to accommodate their needs in schools, in Srebrenica, Bratunac, Zvornik, Tuzla and Zivinice.  This positive trend continues.  However, not enough qualified returnee teachers are applying for positions in these and other municipalities.  The OSCE would like to encourage all teachers who were displaced to apply for work in their municipalities for return.  That is all from me, thank you.

Kirsten Haupt – UNMIBH

I have a very short statement today, reiterating the message that we had given yesterday, in our press release.

Namely, UNMIBH would like to congratulate the citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina on the successful general elections that took place on, 5 October.  The elections passed in a very peaceful atmosphere and no serious incidents were reported.  This is strong proof in our view of the maturity of the electorate when deciding on the political leadership for their country.

The peaceful environment in which, the elections were held also illustrated the excellent security measures taken by local police.  As reported earlier, local police had prepared security plans prior to the elections, which were implemented with great professionalism.  An increased number of IPTF officers, to be precise about, 1,100 of the current 1,400 IPTF officers were deployed on the ground to assist local police in providing security.

UNMIBH would like to commend all Ministries of Interior as well as all police officers, who were working on the, 5 October, on their outstanding performance during the elections, which enabled the citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina, to cast their ballots in a free and secure environment.  That is all I have for you today, thank you.

Bakir Jalovcic – UNHCR

Good morning.  No statement from UNHCR.

Rafik Hodzic – ICTY

Good morning.  I have two items for you today, regarding decisions made by the chambers of the ICTY.

The first one is talking about a Trial Chamber decision in which, Trial Chamber I, partially granted the Defence Motion for the entry of a judgement of acquittal of the Accused, Stanislav Galic, following the close of the Prosecution case on, 2 August.

This motion for a judgement of total acquittal was filed on, 2 September.  By the Defence Counsel for, Stanislav Galic, and the Prosecution responded on, 16 September.

The Chamber rejected the motion with respect to 23 sniping incidents listed in the indictment but, granted it in respect of three others, namely sniping incidents numbered 7, 12 and 19.  The Chamber rejected the motion with respect to the five shelling incidents listed in the indictment.

Finally, with regard to the Defences submission that terror was experienced by the population of Sarajevo.  But, as consequence of urban warfare as opposed to a specific intent from the Accused to inflict terror, the Chamber, rejected the motion.

The second decision is the decision of the Appeals Chamber, which was issued on provisional release of, Vidoje Blagojevic and Dragan Obrenovic.

Both accused had been granted leave to appeal against the decisions of Trial Chamber II on, 22 July, which denied their request for provisional release.  One of the grounds of appeal by both accused was the determination by the Trial Chamber, that guarantees and undertakings by the Republika Srpska were inadmissible.

The Appeals Chamber found that the Trial Chamber was bound to accept and to apply the decision of the appeals chamber, in the Jokic, case that as a matter of law and for the purpose of the International Tribunal, an undertaking by the Republika Srpska qualifies for acceptance.

The Appeals Chamber considered that an, a priori exclusion, of such undertakings amounted to an error of law.  Although mindful that the Trial Chamber, should it have taken these guarantees into consideration, could have come to the same final decision, denying the provisional release.  The Appeals Chamber decided to return the matter to the Trial Chamber, for reconsideration.  A full text of both of these decisions can obtained from the ICTY Outreach Office, if you wish to see them.  Thank you.

Lieutenant Commander Yves Vanier – SFOR

Good morning.  I have one point for you today and it relates to the SFOR Transfer of Authority.

This afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Lieutenant General William E. Ward will become the seventh commander of SFOR in a ceremony at Camp Butmir.  He will take command from Lieutenant General John B. Sylvester, who has been in the position since September 2001.

The Commander in Chief Allied Forces, Southern Europe, Admiral Gregory G. Johnson, United States Navy will preside over the event.

GeneralWard comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina after serving as Vice Director for Operations, The Joint Staff, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC.

General Sylvester, the outgoing commander, will assume the position of Chief of Staff, United States European Command, Germany.

Members of the media interested in attending the Transfer of Authority, who have not completed the registration form sent last Thursday, can see me afterwards.  Bus transportation to Camp Butmir will depart CPIC at 12:30 following a brief security check.  That is all I have.

Julian Braithwaite – OHR

Any questions?

Questions and Answers

Q:        Julie Poucher Harbin – IWPR

This is a question for OSCE mainly, there were reports over the weekend that 25,000 people, were turned away from the polls, claiming they had registered or something, do you know what the outcome of that was?  Why these people were turned away or was it really true?

A:        Urdur Gunnarsdottir – OSCE

I know you hate to hear me say this but…         

Q:        Julie Poucher Harbin – IWPR

Ask the Election Commission…

A:        Urdur Gunnarsdottir – OSCE

You have to ask the Election Commission, because we were not administering or observing them, not this mission.  I do not know, I can only refer to what, Lidija Korac, said over the weekend, that many of the people were not registered to vote and I do not know the outcome of this.  You would have to talk to the Election Commission.

Q:        Viola Gienger – Freelance for Cox Newspapers

Julian, regarding the High Representatives, statement to the UEFA representative.  Do you have any specifics about the trends in transitional countries, related to ousting of reformist governments after there first term?

A:        Julian Braithwaite – OHR

Obviously the situation here is unique.  But, apart from Eastonia, in almost all other cases reformist governments that come to power have been voted out after their first term, because of the difficulties of the reform process and the frustrations that generates.

Julian Braithwaite – OHR

Any more questions?