BosNet NEWS / Apr 1, 1996

From: Nermin Zukic <[email protected]>

Bosnia-Herzegovina News Directory

From: Nermin Zukic <[email protected]>

Subject: BosNet NEWS / Apr 1, 1996

CONTENTS

[01] AGREEMENT ON FEDERATION SIGNED

Sarajevo, April 1, 1996 (Press TWRA)

EU High Commissioner Deputy for civil tasks, M.Steiner, presented, on yesterday's press-conference, the agreement on the BH Federation, signed this week end by K. Zubak and E. Ganic on behalf of Croatian and Bosnian sides. The agreement consists of 13 points and defines more than 20 issues to be solved from April 1-30, 1996. One of the main point is a strengthening of the BH Federation government. Prime Ministers Muratovic and Kapetanovic are requested to ensure conditions needed for a normal work of the Federal Government, as envisaged in the Constitutions of the BH Republic/Federation. At the same time, responsible persons of the Croatian side are requested to ensure a transfer of people from the civilian authorities in the area under HVO control. Tariff policy should be defined today while a paying system is expected to be established till the end of April.Cantonal governments and municipalities not yet founded should be established till April 9. BH Federation Finance Minister is expected to set on motion urgently Finance Ministry in order to function as a mediator for receipt of the international aid. Dark-grey Federal police uniforms should be presented publicly till April 8. Steiner pointed out that this time certain persons are responsible for the implementation of the agreement. It was agreed that any condition on the implementation of the agreement would not be accepted, so those cantons and municipalities that would not fulfil their tasks would be given no help. Those persons who would not fulfil their duties would be dismissed. Steiner announced he would request from German Foreign Minister to organize a new a meeting in Petersburg with the main topic: reconstruction of the BH Federation police forces, supported by international forces. This would help a realization of the final aim which is establishing of the federal police by the end of the year in the BH Federation as a whole. BH Federation Vice President E.Ganic considers establishing of a tariff policy as the most important part of the agreement for it is "the best factory that always works and gives money". A proposal for the Federal flag and arms was also accepted and should be discussed on the next Assembly session. The Federal flag should be three-colored: white (the most wide area)in the middle, red color in the upper part and green in the lower. The federal arms is to be composed of four parts: in upper,left,green corner there is a lily-flower while in the right there is a chessboard. The lower part has left, red and right, green area. <end> S.K.

[02] MURATOVIC'S LETTER TO BILDT

Sarajevo, April 1, 1996 (Press TWRA)

BH Prime Minister, H. Muratovic, requested from EU Commissioner for civil tasks, Bildt, to "stop asking help for Karadzic and Mladic's regimes for as long as they are on the top". "By such requests, we are losing a great number of people who are not willing to finance such a regime", Muratovic said in his letter. He also requested Bildt to take necessary measures for extradition of these two war-criminals to the Hague as soon as possible. <end> S.K.

[03] PRLIC ON FOREIGN POLICY OF B-H

Sarajevo, March 31, 1996 (Press TWRA)

Bosnian foreign minister Jadranko Prlic informed at the press conference on his visit to the USA, Canada and Czech Republic and his participation at the OSCE meeting. He announced his soon meeting with his Hungarian counterpart to discuss the activity of CEI (Central European Initiative) to be presided by B-H in the second half of this year. In the middle of the year the USA will start another initiative for another USD 2OO mill. of help to B-H for next year. Meanwhile, diplomatic activity is to start supporting participation of the heads of the donors's states at the conference of the B-H donors planned for May 12 and 13, in Brussels," says Prlic. /end/ A.S.

[04] KASAGIC PROMISED LIBERATION OF REMAINING PRISONERS

Banja Luka, March 31, 1996 (Press TWRA)

Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska, Rajko Kasagic, stated on yesterday's meeting, that the Serb entity in BH guarantee a liberation of remaining prisoners, Croats and Bosniaks, except of those charged for war- crimes. During the same meeting of BH and the both entities Prime Ministers, BH Prime Minister H.Muratovic said that BH Government would not set on freedom remaining Serb prisoners for as long as it would not be proven by ICTY they did not commit any war-crime. C.Bildt, who was a mediator at this three-lateral meeting of the Prime Ministers, welcomed Kasagic's announcement and said: "Now deeds are better than words." <end> A.S.

[05] WILLIAM PERRY - VISIT TO CROATIA, BH AND MACEDONIA

Zagreb, March 31, 1996 (Press TWRA)

The U.S. Defense Minister W.J. Perry visited Croatia, from where he settled to BH, planing also to visit Macedonia and Egypt.He will meet the U.S. soldiers in Sarajevo and Skopje and have the talks with the authorities. In Egypt, he is intended to talk about a bilateral cooperation, fighting against terrorism and Middle East peace-process. Macedonia was accepted to NATO PFP (Partnership for Peace) program last January, on the U.S. proposal, so Perry said the U.S. will also support, on the NATO meeting in May, the entrance of Croatia to the program. He reminded it supposes a complete fulfillment of the Dayton accord from the Croatian side. Perry said he also talked in Zagreb about bilateral military cooperation, pointing out that IFOR has been successful in BH, so far, but there is "still lot to be done", expressing his hope Karadzic and Mladic would be arrested soon. <end> A.S.

[06] IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT ON THE B-H FEDERATION POSTPONED

Sarajevo, March 31, 1996 (Press TWRA)

Implementation of the agreement on some issues in the B-H Federation that Bosniak and Croat representatives headed by Ejup Ganic and Kresimir Zubak reached at the Friday meeting with Michael Steiner as mediator, is postponed. The 7-hour meeting, the reason for which the meeting Zubak-Ganic at Petersburgh near Bonn was put off, was called by Steiner in an attempt to overcome a standstill in the functioning of the Federation. K. Zubak said the agreement made the Geneva statement, referring to appointing the persons and specifying the terms, concrete.

Steiner said all the problems between Bosniaks and Croats impeding full implementation the Federation were sorted out.

Bosanski Brod - a part of the Bosanski Brod county is in the B-H Federation along with the Odzak county. Local authorities established the Bosanski Brod County Office raising Croatian flag and arms with the symbols of "Herzeg Bosnia" without the insignia of Bosnia Herzegovina. /end/ A.S.

[07] RICARDO PEREZ CASADO - BIOGRAPHY

Mostar, March 31, 1996 (Press TWRA)

EUAM spokesman Dragan Gasic provided the journalists with the biography of new EU administrator for Mostar as follows: "Ricardo Perez Casado, born in Valencia on Oct, 27, 1945, married, with one son. He graduated from the Faculty of political sciences and sociology (Complutense University of Madrid). He continued studying at the Faculty of Economics (University of Barcelona) and Center for studying Mediterranean societies at the University of Aix-En-Provence.

He worked as a professor at the University of Polytechnic in Valencia and the Faculty of Economics and Trade (University of Valencia). His works on urbanism, environment and economics were published, he participated at the international congresses and conferences with the same subjects. From 1968 to 78 and 1989 to 1996 he managed the firms, sectors and studies dealing with the environment, marketing and urbanism. He leads a team of experts who deal with urbanism and development of the projects regarding real estates.

He was a founder of Socialist party in Valencia, 1964, in charge of public relations at Student Democratic Syndicate at the University of Barcelona (1966). He was a member of Democratic Alliance of Spain (La Junta Democratica de Espagna) in 1975. He has been active member of Socialist Labour Party of Spain since 1978. He was elected mayor of Valencia in 1979. From 1979 to 1982, he was the head of the Alliance of Mediterranean towns. He presided at the Spanish Committee of the World Federation of the towns, established and led the federation of the Valencia counties. He was elected vice-president of the Council of European counties and regions and Spanish federation of the counties in 1983 and reelected in 1987." /end/A.S.

[08] TUDJMAN AND SUSAK ON ICTY

Zagreb, March 31, 1996 (Press TWRA)

CNN correspondent asked F. Tudjman if he would force Tihofil Blaskic to appear before The Hague Tribunal. Croatia's president replied: " I believe Blaskic alone will go to the Hague to face it. The issue of other Croats accused by ICTY is not the problem of Croatia but Herzeg Bosnia and the solution depends on how the other two sides in B-H will cooperate with the Hague. It is important to get over the unhappy past and find the ways to co-existence for all nations there. We want security for Croats in the B-H Federation." Gojko Susak, Croatian defence minister who was on medical treatment in the USA and arrived at Zagreb along with W. Perry said: " As gen. Blaskic informed me, he travels to the Hague on Monday." /end/ A.S.

[09] SERB OPPOSITION CALLS FOR REMOVAL OF MILOSEVIC FROM POWER

Belgrade, March 31, 1996 (Press TWRA)

Leaders of the Citizen League of Serbia, Serb Movement of Renewal and Democratic Party, Vesna Pesic, Vuk Draskovic and Zoran Djindjic, respectively called the opposition at the meeting in Nis to unite and remove Milosevic from power. Organizer of the meeting estimates that about 2OO,OOO people were present, although arrival at Nis from the adjacent places in eastern Serbia was impeded due to "unexpected repairs" on the roads and the authorities threw posters from the buildings around the demonstrations site while RTV media previously announced a storm in Nis. The reason for demonstrations was promotion of notorious deputy of the minister of police, Radovan Stojcic to general colonel.

" I call from Nis (the material for the prosecutor to arrest me) officers and generals of our military to think what to do, what is the officer's honour and duty. Milosevic organizes his own military being for years trained and armed for some fighting known only to him. He will soon proclaim himself a marshall," said Draskovic. While his rhetorics went from chauvinism to pacifism, Vesna Pesic is anti-nationalist and Djindjic present himself as a modest politician but he used to visit Karadzic when Milosevic criticized Pale. /end/ A.S.