BOSNEWS digest 491 - 06/12/95

From: Davor <[email protected]>

Bosnia-Herzegovina News Directory

CONTENTS

[01] NATO -- Bosnia

December 5,1995 BRUSSELS, Belgium

NATO Foreign and Defense Ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the deployment of 60 thousand Alliance troops to carry out the Bosnia peace agreement.

French Foreign Minister Herve Decharatte has told his fellow ministers France plans to take a larger role in NATO's military affairs. US Secretary of State Warren Christopher told the ministers, the French move will increase the Alliance's strength and effectiveness.

The French announcement came before NATO Foreign and Defense Ministers met together for the first time in eight years. The occasion is NATO's approval of its largest military mission ever, the Bosnia implementation force. The joint meeting is also discus sing the next step in plans to expand NATO to Eastern Europe.

The little known allied Rapid Reaction Force Corps from Germany forms the heart of NATO's strategy for Bosnia. RRFC will be composed of three heavily armed tank divisions -- one American, the First Armored Division based in Tuzla; one British, the Third UK Armored Division based in Gornji Vakuf, and the French Sixth Division based in Mostar.

Major Simon Haselock, a member of the RRFC Headquarters says the preparations for the deployment are now well under way.

"We've now started to deploy the initial, what we call, enablers to theater to set up the basic infrastructure which will allow the Headquarters and the divisions to deploy."

The entire enabling force of about 25-hundred men will be fully in place by the 18th of December.

About 13,000 of the 60,000 NATO troops to be deployed in Bosnia will be British. they will comprise the largest national contingent in the NATO force after the American units.

Turkey, which has UN peacekeepers in Bosnia, is also sending 51 policemen to help Bosnian and Croatian police in a new force that will help repatriate refugees.

In Warsaw, the Government of Poland announced that a battalion of 660 Polish soldiers will be deployed with American and Nordic troops in Northeastern Bosnia.

[02] Serbs Fate In Serb Hands Only

December 4,1995 PALE, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nationalist Serb military commander Ratko Mladic discarded the Dayton peace plan claiming that some parts of the agreement must be renegotiated. He called the Bosnian Serb forces to "defend the borders of the so-called "Republika Srpska" stressing that only Serbs are responsible for their fate." Addressing his units in Vlasenica Mladic said better solutions must be found for disputable areas and specially for Serb controlled parts of Sarajevo.

The Sarajevo Serbs plan to hold a referendum on December 12th, two days before the peace agreement is to be signed in Paris. It is expected that the Serbs will overwhelmingly reject the accord.

A UN spokesman in Sarajevo says the agreement will not be renegotiated even if Serbs in Serb-held districts of the city reject it. While ruling out any new negotiations, the UN spokesman says nervous and angry Serbs in Sarajevo do need significant assur ances about their safety. In an attempt to build their confidence, the UN refugee agency is establishing offices in Serb-held districts of Sarajevo.

Chris Vernon, UNPROFOR spokesman informed that the bullet which wounded one older man in Sarajevo tram Saturday was fired from the direction of demarcation lines near hotel Holiday Inn. Several French armed vehicles have been deployed as a precaution on that place together with the machine guns pointed at Grbavica Sarajevo's settlement under Serbian control.

The representatives of Bosnian Government warned that Serbs could provoke new and bigger confrontations in Sarajevo in the next few days. Hasan Muratovic, the Minister in Bosnian Government in charge of relation with UNPROFOR warned that even Serbian cannon attacks could be expected in Sarajevo. "That could be prevented only by urgent deployment of NATO forces on ground", said Muratovic.

[03] Bosnian HDZ accepted Zubak's and Kordic's resignation

December 4,1995 MOSTAR, Bosnia and Herzegovina

HDZ (Croatian Democratic Community) of Bosnia and Herzegovina B-H on its regular session accepted Dayton agreement and Kresimir Zubak's resignation on a position of President of Federation and Dario Kordic's resignation on position of HDZ B-H President. On session were proposed new candidates for position of HDZ President (Ivo Lozancic), Bosn ian Foreign Minister (Jadranko Prlic, present Defense Minister) and Federation President (Vladimir Soljic).

[04] New NATO General Secretary -- Reactions

December 2,1995 WASHINGTON, United States

US State Secretary W. Christopher expressed satisfaction about the election of Spanish Foreign Minister H. Solana for NATO General Secretary. "Solana will be a capable leader of peace action in B-H", said Christopher.

However, six Republican senators and among them a Republican leader Bob Dole are displeased with the Solana. In the letter which they sent to President Clinton before Solana's election they described him as "a convicted socialist who made great number of statements in which he spoke against NATO". Republican majority leader Robert Dole criticized the election Reminding that Solana often criticized NATO pointing out his pacifist and socialist views. Dole emphasizes that such a person whose appointment is supported by Clinton's administration, is not suitable for the post of NATO secretary general.

The US Senate could vote this week on a Resolution on Bosnia and now it appears the house of Representatives may follow suit. House leaders say they will make a decision on Tuesday.

House Speaker Newt Gingrich says before any decision is made, he wants to get a full report from the Congressional delegation that just visited Bosnia. It was unclear if the House would even bring up a new resolution now that the deployment has begun. Bu t during a brief session with reporters, Gingrich said he thinks there will be another vote. He would not speculate on the wording the Republican leadership would bring before the House. He said he believes there is very strong support for the troops bu t a lot of questions about the President's policies.

President Clinton is stepping up his campaign to win public support for sending US peacekeeping troops to Bosnia and Herzegovina. As part of that campaign, Mr. Clinton is to meet with Bosnian refugee families at the White House today (Tuesday.)

[05] "Vice-president" Koljevic - Bishop Komarica

December 4,1995 BANJALUKA, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Banjaluka bishop Franjo Komarica revealed that "vice president of Republika Srpska" had visited him the previous weekend, promising him cessation of expelling the Catholics from the Banjaluka region and possibility for all the refugees to return their homes if they want. Number of the remaining non- Serbs in that area is not known and estimates go up to 5,000 Bosniaks as many Croats and about 100 of others.

[06] Conference On Permanent Penalty Criminal Tribunal

December 4,1995 SYRACUSE, Italy

Today in Syracuse begins a four-day-conference on establishing a permanent international penalty Criminal Tribunal. Officials of UN, European Council and 50 experts for the international penalty law will attend the conference. Sheriff Basiouni, president and rapporteur of Commission for war crimes and other violations of the international hum anitarian law committed in ex-Yugoslavia, will preside the conference. The proposals to step the UN the decision on establishing a permanent supreme criminal tribunal for the international perpetrators instead of currently ad hoc set up international tribunals with restricted authority like the Hague Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

[07] Drnovsek On Recognition Of "Fry"

December 4,1995 LJUBLJANA, Slovenia

Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek in relation to Slovenian recognition of so called "FRY" said that is a contribution to stabilization of the situation on the territory of former Yugoslavia. News on Slovenian recognition of so called "FRY" are the top news in Belgrade. Belgrade's media estimated that Slovenia decided to take this step for pragmatical reasons, economical interests and because it does not want to be part of the package on Paris conference where the mutual recognition of the states created on territory of former Yugoslavia is expected. In the same time, Belgrade reproach to Ljubljana that along with the recognition of former "FRY", Slovenia leads wide diplomatic campaign to prevent "FRY" to deal with funds of former Yugoslavia.

[08] HVO Plunder And Set On Fire Serbian Houses

December 5,1995 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

The UNPROFOR spokesman in Sarajevo A. Ivanko reported that members of HVO continue to to plunder and set on fire Serbian houses in Sipovo and Mrkonjic Grad. "They violate the Dayton agreement with this conduct. Croatian military representatives of HVO told us they will end that vandalism, but nothing changed on the ground", said Ivanko. "UN forces continue to report that 20 buildings are burning on the territory of Sipovo although HVO deployed additional units on that territory", estimated the UN military representative Chris Vernon.

[09] Gen. Shalikashvili on Mujjaheedin

December 4,1995 WASHINGTON, United States

General John Shalikashvili announced that Bosnia's President Izetbegovic would ask the Islamic volunteers fighting within the B-H army either to leave Bosnia or to surrender the arms to make the peace process implementation for the USA and NATO easier. Pentagon hardly tolerated the presence of mujjaheedin in Bosnia. Bosnian Government which has the sovereign right to make decisions on (para) military forces in its state did not, due to NATO strikes on Serbs and the US peace plan, carry out the announcement of prime minister Silajdzic issued when Srebrenica fell, that the forces from friendly states could be invited to fight in Bosnia on Government side.

[10] THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT AND ON THE GROUND IN THE BALKANS

A Louis Harris and Associates Poll published today indicates that two out of three Americans oppose the Clinton Administration's plan to deploy U.S. troops to Bosnia. According to the poll, 63 percent of those who heard or read President Clinton's November 27 address explaining why he was sending the troops still oppose the deployment, while 34 percent of those persons support it.

At a Red Cross convention in Geneva today, Bosnian Ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva Mustafa Bijedic was prevented by Red Cross officials from delivering an address condemning that organization for "sacrifices of the principles of the Geneva Conventions" in not responding adequately to Serb war crimes in Bosnia.

The U.N. announced today that it would terminate the humanitarian airlift to Sarajevo by the end of January, 1996. Only Britain, Canada, France, Germany, and the U.S. currently participate in the operation, which started on July 3, 1992. The operation was frequently suspended due to shortages of supplies and U.N. deference to the demands and threats of Serbian forces.

UNHCR condemned today a "scorched earth policy" apparently being implemented by Bosnian Croat forces in western Bosnian territory due to be transferred to Serb control under the Dayton peace accord. Bosnian Croat forces have reportedly looted and burned several villages in the region.

UNHCR announced today that it would soon open offices in Serb-occupied districts of Sarajevo. The move comes at the request of the Bosnian government in response to intense nationalist Serb propaganda against the Dayton accord and the planned reunification of the city. UNHCR will also open an office in Banja Luka.

The White House announced today that President Clinton does not intend to visit Sarajevo this month, as the Washington Post had reported.

Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole stated today that the Senate would likely vote next week on a resolution endorsing the deployment of U.S. troops to Bosnia on the condition that they not engage in "nation building" activities and that the U.S. take an active, leading role in arming and training the Bosnian Army.