BOSNEWS digest 450 - 31/10/95

From: Dzevat Omeragic <dzevat@ee.mcgill.ca>

Bosnia-Herzegovina News Directory

CONTENTS

[01] CROATIAN DEMARCHE TO THE USA

Zagreb, Oct 27, 1995 (Press TWRA) - Deputy foreign minister of Croatia invited today an official of the US Embassy to Zagreb Robert Finn and handed him a demarche due to the claims the Congressman Frank Wolf made three days ago saying that the present atmosphere in Zagreb reminded of Berlin 6O years ago and that president Tudjamn was a fascist dictator. Wolf succeeded in preventing the establishment of the Croatian-American economic committee. Wishing to preserve good relations with Washington, Zagreb demands American explanation. R. Finn told Sanader that Wolf spoke on his behalf which is not in accord with Clinton's administration.

[02] CROATS OBSTRUCT PROGRESS, SAYS KOSCHNICK

Mostar, Oct 27, 1995 (Press TWRA) - EU administrator of Mostar Hans Koschnick said at the press conference that this month's meeting of 22 states, friends of the B-H Federation was successful but without any progress for Mostar. They proposed resolution demanding fast implementation of Memorandum on understanding signed by Croatian and Bosnian side and EU. Bosniaks accepted the resolution but Croats rejected it, says Koschnick announcing his attendance at the EU meeting in Brussels to remind that it was also a co-signer and a guarantee of the Memorandum on understanding.

[03] SERBIAN CRIMES-WORST AFTER 2ND WORLD WAR IN EUROPE

Washington, October 27,1995 (Press TWRA) - In the relation to the reports which are available now after long and thorough reconstruction of events "Washington Post" reports that the massacres committed on the territory of "safe heaven" Srebrenica during the Serbian siege in July are the worst crimes committed in Europe since the 2nd World War. According to the reports based on the statements of those who survived, B-H officials and the representatives of different humanitarian organizations "big territory of east B-H has been turned into the field for killing".

"Washington Post" reports that 12 OOO Bosniaks of drafting age, (most of them unarmed), gathered on one hill above Srebrenica out of fear that Serbs would kill them. Less than a half of these men reached the safe territory while others were massacred by Serbian soldiers under Gen. Mladic's command inspite of his personal guarantees for their safety.

Sarajevo - The UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski reported that UNHCR collected new testimonies on crimes which were committed in north-west B-H by Karadjic's Serbs. Based on the statement of prisoner detained in Serbian prison in Sanski Most who escaped together with some other prisoners confirmed that on October 8th this year group 35O men were separated from family, were brought to "Keramika" factory where some were maltreated and some even killed.

Zagreb - John Shuttack, US Asst. Secy. of State for human rights confirmed after he talked with the refugees from Bosanska Dubica, Sanski Most, Bosanski Novi, Prijedor and Banja Luka during last week mission that he has the evidence of existence of new Serbian detention camps in B-H. Shuttacks evidences are based on the refugees statements who where detained in camps like Keraterm, which has recently been opened again. (end) S.K.

[04] HOLBROOKE ON MEETING IN OHIO

Washington, October 27,1995 (Press TWRA) - As US Asst. Secy. of State and peace negotiatior R. Holbrooke stated the draft of B-H peace plan which will be presented on November 1st, in Ohio is prepared. The agreement which has been prepared in the frame of Contact Group's preliminary talks foresee the detailed proposals on Constitution and territory of B-H and agreement on return of refugees. Holbrooke stressed that they face number of obstacles and one of them is the fact that three presidents has to the kept in the military base Wright Paterson in Ohio for indefinite period of time.

[05] POSTPONED OR CANCELLED MEETING IN MOSCOW

Moscow, October 27,1995 (Press TWRA) - The Russian President's spokesman Sergey Medvedev reported that the announced meeting of Presidents Izetbegovic, Tudjman and Milosevic with Yeltsin will be most probably postponed or cancelled. The Russian President is recovering in the hospital from light heart stroke, second in four months, and as Russian Prime Minister V. Cernomirdin said his condition is not critical. (end) S.K.## CrossPoint v3.02 ##

[06] RUSSIAN AND US JOINT UNIT FOR B-H

Fort Bailey, October 28,1995 (Press TWRA) - Russian and US Defence Ministers P. Gracev and W. Perry agreed to in order to maintain the peace in B-H send the joint unit with several hundred soldiers. George Joulwan, the Commander of NATO for Europe, will command this joint unit. The engineers, logistics and transport will be included in this unit. However, joint Russian-American unit will not be part of peace forces which will be deployed in B-H in order to implement peace agreement. Perry after the meeting said that each side has clearly and undoubtedly denoted its positions on Russian participation of implementation of peace in B-H. "There is obvious gap between these two positions, on how to achieve this goal. We had a good talks similar to business meeting and managed to reduce that gap a bit. But we still did not eliminated", said Perry and announced that talks on this issue will continue in Pentagon. (end) S.K.

[07] "WHY TRADE SOMETHING THAT BELONG TO US", SAID GANIC

Sarajevo, October 28,1995 (Press TWRA) - In the eve of forthcoming negotiations in US air base Wright-Patterson, high B-H officials commented on some of the important issues.

The President of B-H Presidency Alija Izetbegovic stated (by phone from New York) for B-H Radio, that B-H delegation will firmly stand up to any attempt to question the unity of B-H weather it comes from open enemies or lukewarm friends". "The international community now firmly support the preservation of B-H as democratic and multinational state", said Izetbegovic. He stressed that it is of equal importance for Bosniak and Croatian side the joint appearance on forth combing peace negotiations, but he warned that he personally is very dissatisfied with the implementation of Federation, so far.

Zagreb - "The most important problem is attempt to put in B-H under "the same roof" democratic regime and Karadjic's fascist regime, which can not exist together", said Ejub Ganic on press conference. He stressed that the declared Serbian demands are unreal and that they only aim for buying time and establishing the symmetrical guilt for war in B-H. Ganic refused the possibility for exchanging the territories. "We were not elected to change Gorazde for Banja Luka, anyway why would we trade with something that belongs to us", said Ganic. (end) S.K.

[08] 3OOO BOSNIAKS DETAINED ON UNKNOWN PLACE

Geneva, October 28, 1995 (Press TWRA) - The UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said on press conference in Geneva, relating to confidential sources, that Bosnian Serbs held on unidentified place in north B-H about 3OOO Bosniaks of draft age. Those men were, after Arkan's soldiers expelled them in early September from houses, separated from women and children and taken to unknown direction. Out of 5O OOO Bosniaks and Croats, who lived on the territory of north B-H before the war only 8OOO-13OOO are left,said Redmond. "Many of them - women, children and old people - were also expelled from their homes and we do not know were Serbs hold them", said Redmond. Last month UNHCR lost four vehicles which were taken from it under threat of force.