BOSNEWS digest 469 - 17/11/95

From: Davor <[email protected]>

Bosnia-Herzegovina News Directory

CONTENTS

[01] US Criticize Croatian Government

Nov 16, 1995 ZAGREB, Croatia

The United States has criticized the Croatian Government for appointing an alleged Bosnian Croat war criminal Tihomir Blaskic to a position in the Croatian army.

The American Ambassador in Zagreb, Peter Galbraith, says he is surprised by this appointment and adds that the only appointment General Blaskic can, legally, have is with the International War Crimes Tribunal.

Officials of the Bosnian Government in Sarajevo have also criticized General Blaskic's new assignment with Croatia's army. The US Ambassador to Croatia says Croatia, like other countries, is obligated to hand over to the International Tribunal indicted war criminals who are on their territory. He said that cooperation on the issue of war criminals will affect relations between the US and countries in the Balkans.

[02] Perry: "Russian Force Will Have to Obey the Rules"

Nov 16, 1995 WASHINGTON, United States

US Defense Secretary William Perry says Russian forces would have to leave a NATO-led peacekeeping force in Bosnia -- if they refused to accept orders from the US General who would oversee the Russian contingent. His statement came after Russian Defense Minister Pavel Grachev said Wednesday Moscow would have the right to veto orders.

"If the national command felt that an order was not in their national interest they could pull their troops out. That's true not just of the Russian force, but any force that's there," said Perry.

At least one thousand Russian troops are to participate in the 60-thousand member implementation force, which is to begin deploying in Bosnia immediately after a peace accord.

[03] 2 Billion Dollars for Bosnia?

Nov 16, 1995 WASHINGTON, United States

US President Bill Clinton has told Congress he believes the United States should be prepared to contribute at least two billion dollars in peacekeeping and reconstruction once a peace agreement is reached in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In his letter, the President pledged to submit a request for a congressional expression of support for US participation in a NATO-led Bosnia peacekeeping force once a peace agreement is signed. The President repeated his view that, under the Constitution as Commander-in-Chief, he does not need Congressional approval for a deployment. However, Congress could withhold funds from the operation. Mr. Clinton estimated the cost of 20-thousand US troops in a peacekeeping role for one year at 500 to 600-million dollars. In addition, he says the US should be prepared to contribute one and one-half billion dollars in reconstruction aid over several years.

One of Mr. Clinton strongest critics on Bosnia, Colorado Republican Congressman Joel Hefley, says there is no money:

"We're at a time of trying to get our own financial house in order and tightening up on spending everywhere you look; to have two billion, or one and one-half billion to go over there and pour it into Bosnia, I just don't think it's there."

[04] "WE CAN NOT EXTRADITE KORDIC AND BLASKIC"

Zagreb, November 15,1995 (Press TWRA) - The day after The Hague's Tribunal raised the indictments against seven Croats, Croatian President Tudjman made the decision to appoint Gen. T. Blaskic for the Inspector of Head Inspection of Croatian Army while Gen. Z. Budimir is resolved of his duty as a Commander of South Battlefield and is now on disposal of the Presidency of so called "Herzeg-Bosnia" as the Head of the HVO Headquarters. "It surprises that President Tudjman who knows that America think seriously about this matter and that The Hague Tribunal is not to be underestimated, appoints general Blaskic to such high position as a HV Consultant and all that only a day after the indictments against Croats from Herzegovina were raised", stated prof. Separovic, President of Croatian Victimology Society and former Foreign Minister in Croatian Government.

US Ambassador in Croatia Galbraight also commented the raising of indictments. "First, International Tribunal indicted Mr Blaskic and Mr Kordic for war crimes. That is why all the countries in the region in this case B-H and Croatia have the obligation to arrest them and extradite. The cooperation with the International Tribunal is one of the elements which will influence the relations with the countries in the region", said Galbraight. Commenting the Croatian Constitution's principles which do not allow the extradition of the Croatian citizens to other countries Galbraight said that all UN members are obliged to extradite the suspects.

Mostar - The rising of the indictments against political and military officials of so called "Herzeg-Bosnia" led to the first commentaries. "The task of Gen. T. Blaskic was to defend Croatian territory and he did that successfully. Everything that Gen. Blaskic did, he did according to command and all those who are in charge can see that documents", said the Defence Minister of so called "Herceg-Bosnia" Soljic.

"Mr.Kordic and Mr. Blaskic are moral and honest people who did their job in the frame of their responsibilities, consciously", said for the Croatian television Ivan Bender, President of so called "Herceg-Bosnia" Parliament, adding that every person according to law is innocent until proved guilty.

Gen. Ivo Lozancic, so called "Herceg-Bosnia's" Defence Vice-Minister, who was recently elected to Croatian Parliament, (some circles think that he should also be on The Hague's list) said: "We can not allow that, we can not extradite them, we can not be cooperative in that direction. The President of the leading and legitimate Party of Croats in B-H is involved and the Head of HVO Headquarters which is one of B-H Forces component. In this way someone wanted to equalize Croats with Serbs. We can not allow them to treat our commander like that, in other words to compare him with Mladic. On the other side,in President Kordic case it is attempt to make Croats loose their representatives on the next negotiations on implementation of B-H Federation. In some way they want to break B-H Croats back, to confuse them and make them leave their territory on which they have been living for 13 centuries. We can not allow that". (end) S.K.

[05] SWEDISH SOLDIER KILLED, FRENCH WOUNDED

Sarajevo, Nov 16, 1995 (Press TWRA) - RRF's Commander and the NATO official Gen. Michael Walker talked in Sarajevo with a member of the B-H Presidency Ejup Ganic. Gen. Walker, accompanied by several high ranking NATO officials met with the UN top officials in B-H. They discussed a likely deployment of the NATO forces to B-H if the peace agreement is signed.

As the UNPROFOR spokesman to Sarajevo saidthat the cease- fire in B-H mainly holds but the first major incidents are reported. On the Lukavac area, southern parts of the Mt. Ozren cannon fire was exchanged between B-H army and Serbs. Observers recorded 8 fired shells but they "did not find out the responsible for the incident." UNPROFOR informs that in the NORDBATT base at Srebrenik near Tuzla, a Swedish soldier was killed in a mine launcher fire. A French soldier whose vehicle ran into a mine near the bridge linking Sarajevo with Grbavica a Serb hold part of the town. /end/ S.K.

[06] KARADJIC IN BUNKER, MLADIC IN OBRENOVAC

Zagreb, November 16,1995 (Press TWRA) - Zagreb's "Vecernji list" reported that Bosnian Serbs leader Radovan Karadjic is in the underground "city" near Han-Pijesak, underground base build for Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) in former Yugoslavia. This is where Karadjic isolated himself from everyone and only the most loyal are allowed to come close to him, with the special permeation of Vlastimir Kusmuk, the chief of Karajdic's personal security. Around Han-Pijesak base there are more than 2OOO members of Serbian special forces who made the protection circle around Karadjic's fortress. They are equipped with the modern infantry arms, tanks, armed vehicles and far-range artillery. It seems that Bosnian Serbs paramilitary forces is on gen. Mladic's side while police forces are with Karadjic. Karadjic also recently replaced the Internal Minister of so called "republic srpska" Momcilo Stanisic with the more loyal T. Kovac.

Belgrade - Gen. Ratko Mladic the Bosnian Serbs military commander who has not been seen in public for almost six weeks appeared on Tuesday on the Yugoslav Army's ceremony in Obrenovac, in Serbia, reported Belgrade's "Vecernje novosti".

[07] NO ADVANCEMENT IN DAYTON

Dayton, November 15,1995 (Press TWRA) - After 13 hours long negotiations between US State Secretary Christopher and the Presidents of B-H, Croatia and Serbia the differences of the positions in all important issues are still present, although they got closer on some important issues, said the State Department spokesman Burns. US State Secretary Christopher had three rounds of separate talks with the Presidents on the future of B-H, and specially on territorial division of two entities and solution of Sarajevo problem. Burns excluded the possibility of signing any "additional agreements like last two agreed in the past twelve days, one on B-H Federation, and the other on East Slavonia", and stressed that the present aim is to achieve the overall peace agreement. The negotiations continue and Presidents Izetbegovic and Milosevic will stay until the end, emphasized Burns.

The US State Secretary Assistant for Human Rights John Shuttack also arrived to Wright-Paterson air-base where he talked with the delegations of so called "FRY" and Croatia separately on obligations of these two countries to International Tribunal in The Hague.

[08] KARADJIC AND MLADIC WILL NOT WITHDRAW

Pale, November 15,1995 (Press TWRA) - Political and military leaders of Bosnian Serbs Radovan Karadjic and Gen. Ratko Mladic who were accused for the war crimes will,as Radio Pale reported keep their present posts and they have no intention to resign. In the press release reported on Radio Pale the leadership of so called "republic srpska" completely rejects the speculations on the voluntary resignations of Karadjic and Mladic. As one anonymous source close to Serbian leadership said "Karadjic has obligation to his constituency so he can not withdraw even if he wants to".

[09] GOLDSTONE HAS GUARANTEES - INDICTMENTS WILL NOT BE "SOLD"

The Hague, November 15,1995 (Press TWRA) - The Head Prosecutor of The Hague Tribunal very resolutely warned that he is against any kind of peace agreement which would protect the suspects from the trial. Goldstone said that he heard of the reports from Belgrade which claim that Karadjic and Mladic will get some kind of immunity in exchange for peace agreement, but he stressed that he got the guarantees from US that the indictments which Tribunal raised will not be "sold" in Ohio. He added that the amnesty for the Bosnian Serbs leaders Radovan Karadjic and Ratko Mladic would be "nonsense" which would make him consider resignation. "I hope that the obligations which we received from Croatian Government will be fulfilled. With their help we should get into detention some, if not all seven indicted Croats from B-H, said Goldstone.

Strasbourg - The UN Secretary General B.B. Ghali said on the European Parliament plenary session that the most important task of UN is to "end the conflict in former Yugoslavia", and that the possible court procedure in The Hague against some negotiators is "second faze".

[10] AGREEMENT ON COOPERATION SIGNED

Dayton, Nov 16, 1995 (Press TWRA) - Bosnian and Croatian presidents Izetbegovic and Tudjman, respectively signed an Agreement on cooperation confirming additionally the Washington Agreement. In accord with the Agreement, the Council for cooperation is to be established which includes as primary task, the use of the Ploce port. A part of the Agreement is return of the refugees to Cazin and Velika Kladusa with the responsibility of either side to secure undelayed return.

The spokesman Burns informs the negotiators to Dayton are expected to reach the agreement on the territorial division of the two entities, constitutional solutions, elections and separation of lines in B-H prior to the US Secr. of State Christopher's return to the air base of Wright-Paterson. The delegations do not make any predictions regarding the general agreement but intensive talks continue. /end/ S.K.

[11] THE USA CRITICIZE THE APPOINTMENT OF BLASKIC

Washington, Nov 16, 1995 (Press TWRA) - The US State Dept. spokesman Burns said the "USA severely criticize the appointment of Gen. Tihofil (Tihomir) Blaskic accused of war crimes by the Hague Tribunal." Burns said this case "will be immediately proceeded to Croat delegation" negotiating in Dayton./end/ S.K.

[12] STUCK WITH TERRITORIAL DIVISION

Dayton, November 16,1995 (Press TWRA) - According to US sources the ceremony of signing the peace agreement on B-H has been scheduled for Tuesday. That is the reason why US State Secretary Christopher ended his visit to Japan sooner and is expected in Dayton tomorrow. However, there are still many unsolved territorial issues. Bosnian Serbs do not want to give up on partition of Sarajevo while Bosnian delegation sees Sarajevo only as a united city. Serbs also demand the extent of corridor toward Banja Luka and control over power plants on Vrbas which supply Banja Luka with electricity. Bosnian side demands corridor between Sarajevo and Gorazde and, together with Croats, towns which are located along the Split-Zagreb railroad which passes through Bosnia.

Croatian side, and that was expressed in the B-H Federation President Zubak's letter to head of peace negotiation team Holbrooke, is dissatisfied with the development of negotiations. Zubak expected that he will more actively participate in the production of final documents which include the maps, however he was only informed without the direct insight into the final version of that document. The Zubak is mostly discontent with the solution for Bosanska Posavina which although the territory with the Croatian majority has been excluded from B-H Federation. At the end of the letter Zubak said that he is not ready to sign document which offers such solutions.

According to "Voice of America" B-H President Izetbegovic commenting the negotiations said that Slobodan Milosevic until now refused all maps proposed no matter weather they are American or Contact Group's maps. If we do not reach the consensus peace negotiations can be ended immediately", said Izetbegovic and added that he is very skeptical in regard of reaching solution for B-H.