Bosnet Digest V5 #76 / Friday, 23 February 1996

From: Davor<[email protected]>

Bosnia-Herzegovina News Directory

CONTENTS

[01] NATO Miss Capturing Karadzic

(From the Electronic Telegraph)

Italian NATO Troops Nearly Miss Capturing Radovan Karadzic

Feb 21, 1996 PALE, Bosnia and Herzegovina

After Standoff with Machine Guns at Pale Stronghold Bosnia's Most Wanted Rants Over War Crime Charges

Italian NATO soldiers came yesterday within yards confronting, and possibly arresting, the Bosnian Serb "president", Radovan Karadzic, who heads the wanted list at the War Crimes Tribunal. The Italian patrol, on a routine mission to Pale, the Bosnian Serb capital, were barred by Serb bodyguards from the car park outside the building in which Bosnian Serb politicians work.

They had no idea that Karadzic was on the premises, according to an IFOR spokesman, Maj Peter Bullock. He said: "The Italians were . . . escorting Serbs back from a meeting in Sarajevo. They delivered the three men, then left."

The bodyguards reacted as if the vehicles carrying the armed Italians had come to pull in Karadzic. The scene was witnessed from a distance by Dusan Stojanovic, the Associated Press reporter in Pale. "They were turned back by dozens of Karadzic's personal security guards, who cocked their machine-guns," he reported. "The NATO troops turned round and left."

Moments later Karadzic came out of the building and began ranting about the charges which have been laid against him in the Hague. NATO troops have been issued with a poster showing photographs of 16 Serb and Croat leaders wanted by the Hague court-the faces of Karadzic and his military leader, Gen Ratko Mladic, prominent among them.

"Some people are behaving as if we are already convicted," Karadzic said yesterday. "This is disastrous for the tradition of the law in the West and I can't understand why they are only accusing, and not trying to understand. "The international community is doing what is easiest, just accusing the Serbs."

"Am I ever going to see this picture, or is it going straight to the Hague?"

When a photographer snapped Karadzic as he left surrounded by bodyguards, the Bosnian Serb leader barked: "Am I ever going to see this picture, or is it going straight to the Hague?" Had Karadzic left his office a few minutes sooner, the Italians would have been in a quandary. Under the Dayton peace accords, IFOR troops are bound to arrest suspected war criminals on the wanted list.

This was clarified in Rome at the weekend at the special summit on the Bosnian peace agreement. The Italian Foreign Minister, Susanna Agnelli, said the 52 now indicted would have to be apprehended "but there might be amnesty for those not accused by name." In Rome there was speculation that it had been agreed among the international powers trying to enforce the Dayton accords that a major effort is to be made to arrest Karadzic. It has been recognised that arresting Gen Ratko Mladic would be trickier as it might start serious fighting between the Bosnian Serb forces and IFOR.

Mladic still rides high in the affections of the Bosnian Serbs, and his personal following extends beyond the Bosnian Serb Army to much of the Serb-based Army in the rump Yugoslav Federation, now consisting of Serbia and Montenegro. The President of the Hague War Crimes Tribunal, Antonio Cassese, said yesterday that he expected Bosnian Muslims to be indicted by the court next month. So far all those accused are Serbs and Croats.

Judge Cassese was in Paris to rally support and raise more funds for the war crimes investigation. The French government wants all suspects named by the court to be brought to trial in the Hague as soon as possible. But yesterday Hervey de Charette, the French Foreign Minister, was uncharacteristically downbeat about the way the Dayton accords were being enforced in Bosnia. The brave words in Rome, he suggested, were not being matched by developments on the ground.

[02] News: 22 February 1996 - Press TWRA

ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC IN HOSPITAL Sarajevo, Feb 22, 1996 (Press TWRA) - Due to sudden heart complication, Bosnian President Izetbegovic has been taken to the Sarajevo Kosevo hospital, BH Press reports. Medical team demands that Izetbegovic should restrain from all activities. (end) A.S.

DIPLOMATIC RELATION: VATICAN - YUGOSLAVIA Rome, Feb 22, 1996 (Press TWRA) - Vatican established diplomatic relations with Belgrade before the US and EU. Usually, Vatican recognizes and establishes diplomatic relation after it has been done by a vast majority of other nations. Fifty months ago, Vatican, among the first, recognized Slovenia and Croatia. The second case of this kind is Yugoslavia. Vatican supports full integrity of Bosnia and Macedonia. (end) A.S.

BUCHANAN OVERLAPPED DOLE Washington, Feb 22, 1996 (Press TWRA) - At yesterday Republican Convention in New Hampshire, ultra-conservative Pat Buchanan won 27 out of 86% counted votes. Bob Dole won 26 and former Tennessee Governor Lamarr Alexander won 23%. After Phill Gramm (Texas, close to the ex-president Bush whose associates Scowcroft, Eagleburger and Scanlon are Gramm's advisers) gave up the candidacy in Iowa, New Hampshire confirmed the rich publisher S. Forbes probably will also not be Republican candidate. Although supported by Gramm, Dole is not the main favorite after defeat in New Hampshire. Buchanan's chances are decreased by his quarrel with Jews who consider him anti-semitic. Buchanan claims "the US are endangered by the Mossad infiltration whose member is Hillary Clinton". New Hampshire was important, for all US presidents in the past 50 years, except Clinton, won that convention. This time, Clinton won almost all votes in New Hampshire and he does not have a serious rival in his party. (end) A.S.

IFOR DENIES KARADZIC ENCOUNTER WITH ITALIANS Sarajevo, Feb 22, 1996 (Press TWRA) - Dozens of Karadzic's body guards forced two Italian IFOR vehicles to leave Pale where they had just arrived, Associated Press reported. Italians, confronted with automatic riffles, accepted the "advice" and left. Spokesman of the Italian forces said he knew nothing about the incident.

Foreign journalists - eye-witnesses claim the Serb police prevented Italians to park four armored vehicles in front of the "parliament" building. IFOR denied the wire on encounter of their soldiers and Karadzic, AFP reports. "Italian patrol arrived in Pale early morning in a regular mission to transport civilians to Sarajevo. The visit was meanwhile postponed and Italians returned alone. They did not meet Karadzic's people or other body guards near the Presidential palace", claims IFOR. (end) A.S.

PALE ENCOURAGE SERBS TO MASS EXILE Sarajevo, Feb. 21,1996 (Press TWRA) - The foreign correspondents report that Serbian population from Ilidza and Vogosca mass movement inspite of Bildt's office and IFOR guarantees for safety. The UNHCR spokesman K. Janowski stated that this is a result of heavy Pale's propaganda whose media directly call Serbs to leave their homes which creates panic and confusion among the population. The most active in organizing and encouraging Serbs' mass movemernt is Gojko Klickovic who did the same at the Croatian occupied territories after the Croatian Army military operations "Lightning" and "Storm". Serbs are taking everything from their homes. The cases of burned down houses have been noticed.

The UN spokesman Peter Fitzgerald reported that by Friday February 23, Federational police will start to work at Vogosca, one of the five Sarajevo's parts which are under Serbian control. He announced that 85 policeman will enter Vogosca. "This will be gradual transfer. They will take over one part of the city after another", said Fitzgerald. (end) S.K.

SERBIAN TERRORIST NETWORK DISCOVERED IN ITALY Rome, Feb. 21,1996 (Press TWRA) - Italian newspaper "Messaggero" reports that Italian Carabinieri discovered the Serbian terrorist network which prepared the attacks on different objects in Italy, among which are refinery and airport at Falconara, near Ancona, from where the airplanes with humanitarian aid flew to Sarajevo. The investigation have been started in 1993 when the carabinieri discovered, near API gas company fuel-carrying vehicle, the storage of arms and explosive. The organization of Serbian terrorists was established when Italy became the base for UN humanitarian and military missions for former Yugoslavia. Serbs entered Italy with false croatian passports and start establishing logistic bases not only in Ancona but in Milano, Rome and Bari, too. "Messaggero" writes that this terrorist network was almost not discovered, but some Serbs became too greedy and started to sell parts of their equipment to Italian criminals. The State Prosecutor Fausto Angelucci filed 2OO charges. In the next few days the arrests will start. (end) S.K.

NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND UNIONS Zagreb, Feb. 21,1996 (Press TWRA) - Todays' negotiations between independent union of Croatia and Croatian Government have failed. Before the beginning of negotiations more than 3OOO members of union from almost all Croatian cities participated in the peaceful protest. Representatives of Government rejected all union demands: to increase the lowest basic income to 11OO kunas (3OO DM), introduce more just taxes on income and to regulate incomes and workers rights with collective contract and not with different governmental decisions. After the negotiations the President of SSSH I. Lesar threatened with general strike and social unrest in the whole country. The railway workers union announced the general strike for tomorrow while the Croatian post and telecommunication workers were on 24 hours strike, yesterday. (end) S.K.

JOINT POLICE IS PATROLLING IN MOSTAR Mostar, Feb 21, 1996 (Press TWRA) - This morning there were no obstacles for the joint police in Mostar, which began to function yesterday afternoon, several hours later than it was agreed last week in Rome. WEU (West-European Union) police spokesman Howard Fox said five patrols are permanently in the streets of Mostar. Each patrol includes translators, two WEU policemen and one from each Croatia, Bosnia (mostly Sarajevo), eastern & western Mostar.

Pieter Lambrehtcse, WEU police chief of staff, confirmed the incident that took place in Mostar yesterday afternoon. "The men just came from eastern to western part of the town, when they were stopped and forced to return. There was shooting, and four persons were arrested. Free movement was resumed after that."

Last night, Croatian TV showed in program "Image on Image" record of a western TV, showing a car while trying to return to eastern Mostar, after being exposed to fire. Also was said that three young men were in the car, two succeeded to escape, while one was caught and beaten up.

Sarajevo - Bosnia's president Izetbegovic told B-H Press he was not satisfied with the way in which began Mostar's freedom of movement. "The process has started, but rather slowly. It is not yet known whether it will continue or be stopped. It seems that resistance at the Croat side is still large. After the meeting in Rome, the world is even more obligated to do something, due to the concessions regarding Mostar, which we made with intention to get the agreement in Rome". (end) A.S.

STATE DEPARTMENT ON MUJAHEEDIN IN BOSNIA Washington, Feb 21, 1996 (Press TWRA) - Nicholas Burns, spokesman of State Department, said the USA would not supply B-H Government with weapons and military equipment unless the foreigners, who have been allies of B-H Army in Bosnia, leave the country or be disarmed. "Some 2OO or 3OO volunteers are still in Bosnia. They mean a threat to the peace process" Burns said. (end) A.S.

CONTINUATION OF THE NEGOTIATIONS: IFOR - KARADZIC'S SERBS Sarajevo, Washington, Feb 21, 1996 (Press TWRA) - Pentagon stated that a new meeting of representatives of IFOR and Serbs might take place in Tuzla today. Its agenda would be resumption of the mutual connections, cancelled by Serbs after two of their high military officers were arrested and extradited to the Hague. It was schedule of yesterday's talks between Serb general Zdravko Tolimir and sir Michael Walker, who visited Pale. "The aim of my visit was to check whether Serbs were ready to re-establish the official links with us" explained the British general. Z.Tolimir asked for postponement of his answer to Walker's question, as the command of Mladic's army has to decide on it. (end) A.S.

[03] TWatch comments: "The IFOR Year" & Martic

Sender: Tribunal Watch List <[email protected]>

From: Tom Warrick <[email protected]>

- "The IFOR Year"

- Martic Rule 61 Proceeding

**** "The IFOR Year"

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke left his government position to return to private business yesterday. He said a number of things of interest in a final interview, one of which was:

"There's so much anger between the Croats and the Muslims,

far, far much more than with the Serbs ... That's the

greatest danger to peace. ... If Mostar doesn't work at

the end of the IFOR year, the Federation would break up

and then the country would self-destruct."

I find ironic the expression "the IFOR year." The remainder of his statement is quite sobering.

Tom Warrick Coalition for International Justice

**** Martic Rule 61 Proceeding

Milan Martic, the Croatian Serb leader indicted for firing rockets into Zagreb, will be the subject of a Rule 61 proceeding next week. This will present an interesting and important issue of law for the 21st century: the intentional firing of surface-to-surface rockets with anti-personnel cluster munitions into populated civilian areas. Assuming for the moment that military action is itself legitimate, it's possible with today's military technology (including, I understand, the technology in the rockets used by the Croatian Serbs) to aim such rockets at "legitimate" military targets. If what Martic did was a war crime, then so, clearly, was Saddam Hussein's firing of SCUD's into Israel. I'm not sure what precedential effect a Rule 61 hearing should have, but for those who believe that certain weapons in common use today should be outlawed or restricted in their use, this case may create important legal precedent.

The Reuters report of the Martic case erroneously refers to the ICTY's consideration of the Bosnia v. FRY genocide case. That case is before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), also in The Hague.

Tom Warrick Coalition for International Justice

[04] Aid for Bosnia Peace

From: Parveez Syed, Global Media Monitoring, Shanti Communications

STATEMENT BY THE PRESS SECRETARY

The Whitehouse, Wasington DC. USA

Wednesday 21 February 1996

President Clinton has asked the Congress to provide $820 million to support the Bosnian peace process.

The United States and its allies have begun the difficult task of bringing peace to Bosnia. Under the U.S.-brokered agreement that led to the Dayton Peace Accords, U.S. troops have been committed to a multinational force in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the United States has pledged help in multinational civilian peace implementation programs.

The requests seek $620 million for Department of Defense operations associated with the NATO-led Bosnia Peace Implementation Force (IFOR) and Operation Deny Flight, and $200 million for civilian implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords.

The security and success of the IFOR mission go hand-in-hand with implementation of all aspects of the Dayton Peace Accords. The planned civilian programs will not only underpin the Dayton Accords but also support IFOR and American troops, enhancing their security as they perform their mission and facilitating their safe and smooth withdrawal upon its completion.

The President designated the $820 million in fiscal 1996 spending as an emergency under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. In addition, the President proposed to offset this spending fully by rescissions from funds available to the Department of Defense.