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BosNet Digest V5 #19 / Jan. 12, 1996From: "From: Davor" <dwagner@MAILBOX.SYR.EDU>Bosnia-Herzegovina News DirectoryCONTENTS[01] HERE ARE THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT AND ON THE GROUND IN THE BALKANS:[02] AN ACSB CALL TO ACTION[03] The ACSB Bosnia Hotline is updated daily, Monday through Friday.[04] HERE ARE THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT AND ON THE GROUND IN THE BALKANS:[05] The ACSB Bosnia Hotline is updated daily, Monday through Friday.[01] HERE ARE THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT AND ON THE GROUND IN THE BALKANS:IFOR ground commander Gen. Michael Walker visited Mostar today to urge an end to escalating violence in the city. Tensions are running high in Mostar after Bosnian Croat forces fired yesterday on Bosnian Army forces and touched off a brief exchange of shelling. The two forces had also clashed Saturday night. Bosnian Croat separatists also have been interfering with measures designed to strengthen the Bosnian Federation.Despite recent Bosnian Serb attacks on civilians and IFOR troops in Bosnia, particularly in Sarajevo, President Clinton is still expected to visit Bosnia and U.S. troops this weekend. He will reportedly avoid making an appearance in Sarajevo, however, thereby not extending the traditional courtesy of meeting a country's leaders in the capital. The President's handlers may have concluded that such an appearance, against the backdrop of extensive torching and demolition of sections of the city by departing Serbian ultra-nationalists, would sharply highlight the contradiction between the Administration's rosy characterization of the Dayton Accord's implementation and the reality on the ground and thus represent an unacceptable, embarrassing political liability. [02] AN ACSB CALL TO ACTIONACSB encourages you to maintain pressure on the Administration and Congress to ensure that the Bosnian Army is trained and armed and that the most positive elements of the Dayton Accords are being implemented. The Accords are deeply flawed and threaten the future of Bosnia, but it is imperative that we make the most of potentially positive elements. In particular, the Administration must comply with the Dole-McCain resolution, which calls for a written commitment and plan from the Administration to train and arm the Bosnian Army, as well as regular reports to Congress on progress in implementing the military and non-military provisions of the Accords. The most important provisions concern securing conditions for the free and safe return of refugees; guaranteeing conditions for free, fair, and secure elections; and ensuring full cooperation with the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal, particularly on the part of Croatia, Serbia, and the "Republika Srpska." The Administration must ensure that suspected war criminals are apprehended and transferred to the custody of the Tribunal, and that the U.S. provides the necessary financial and evidentiary support for the Tribunal.ACSB urges you to call the White House Comment Line at 202-456-1111 and demand that President Clinton fully comply with the Dole-McCain resolution and take a leading and active role in training and arming the Bosnian Army, securing conditions for the free and safe return of refugees; guaranteeing free, fair, and secure elections; and ensuring full cooperation with the U.N. War Crimes Tribunal. Also write, call, fax, and e-mail your Senators and Representative and urge them to call on the President to do the same. The Capitol switchboard can be reached at 202-224-3121 or 202-225-3121. [03] The ACSB Bosnia Hotline is updated daily, Monday through Friday.You can reach the ACSB Bosnia Hotline at (202-319-7189) or at our site on the World Wide Web at http://users.aol.com/amcomsabos/home.html.This is the American Committee to Save Bosnia's Bosnia Hotline, updated Wednesday, January 10, at 9:00 P.M. [04] HERE ARE THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT AND ON THE GROUND IN THE BALKANS:Tensions are running high in Mostar after Bosnian Croat forces fired last night on Bosnian Army forces and touched off a brief exchange of shelling. The two forces had also clashed Saturday night. Bosnian Croat separatists called off a potentially explosive demonstration for today.The IFOR deployment is currently 60% completed, with 31,000 troops in Bosnia and 4,000 in Croatia and Hungary. More than 5,000 of the intended 20,000 U.S. troops have arrived. In all, IFOR will number approximately 60,000 NATO and non-allied troops. Despite recent Bosnian Serb attacks on civilians and IFOR troops in Bosnia, particularly in Sarajevo, President Clinton is still expected to visit Bosnia and U.S. troops this weekend. He will reportedly avoid making an appearance in Sarajevo, however, thereby not extending the traditional courtesy of meeting a country's leaders in the capital. The President's handlers may have concluded that such an appearance, against the backdrop of extensive torching and demolition of sections of the city by departing Serbian ultra-nationalists, would sharply highlight the contradiction between the Administration's rosy characterization of the Dayton Accord's implementation and the reality on the ground and thus represent an unnacceptable, embarrassing political liability. [05] The ACSB Bosnia Hotline is updated daily, Monday through Friday.You can reach the ACSB Bosnia Hotline at (202-319-7189) or at our site on the World Wide Web at http://users.aol.com/amcomsabos/home.html. |