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BosNet News: Press TWRA (96-08-08)
CONTENTS
[01] IZETBEGOVIC IN TURKEY
[02] BEFORE AND AFTER AGREEMENT
[03] MEETING BETWEEN THREE PRESIDENTS IN GENEVA - ANNOUNCED
[04] SHOOTING IN DOBRINJA, BOSNIAK KILLED IN BANJA LUKA'S PRISON
[05] REACTIONS ON TUDJMAN-MILOSEVIC MEETING
[01] IZETBEGOVIC IN TURKEY
Ankara, August 8,1996 (Press TWRA)
President of BH Presidency Alija Izetbegovic met yesterday with Turkish
President Suleyman Demirel. Izetbegovic informed Demirel about the
development of BH situation. They talked about the situation in Mostar
after the signing of the agreement, and the problems with the
implementation of the Federal projects and the BH relations with Croatia
and Serbia. Regarding the realization of the direct help worth 20 million
US$ which Turkish President promised during his recent visit to Sarajevo,
President Izetbegovic demanded that one part of that sum be directed to
financing the project for employment of disabled war veterans. At the
meeting at which was also present the Ambassador of RBH in Turkey Hajrudin
Somun, the two Presidents exchanged the opinions on the forthcoming
elections in BH and the realization of the "Train and Equip" program in
which, besides US, Turkey also plays important role. President Demirel also
stressed that he and Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly support in all
international contacts the sovereignty of BH and that Turkey will actively
continue to help to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the process of renewal and
reconstruction. (end) D.O.
[02] BEFORE AND AFTER AGREEMENT
Mostar, August 8,1996 (Press TWRA)
The first session of the City Council on which, according to the signed
agreement, will be elected the mayor and the deputy mayor was announced
today in Mostar. Commenting the Mostar events, before the signing of the
agreement, the world media critically referred to the Mostar's Croats
positions. The international press agencies reported that Bosnian Croats
suddenly moderated their position when they realized that Bosniaks would be
able to run the administration without them. The turning point came after
the three days long, exhausting negotiations during which Croats insisted
on boycott of the newly elected City Council in Mostar. The European Union
officials stated that they warned Croats that City Council could meet
without Croatian representatives. The Mostar's constitution says that mayor
can be elected even without the assent of the 1/3 of the present
representatives of one nation. So, if Croats fail to appear at the session
that will mean zero representatives and 1/3 of zero is zero again. As it
happens, it was obvious that Croats never red the constitution properly.
When they realized that Bosniak's mayor could be appointed, and that they
will not have the opportunity to stop that "they started to melt like ice",
stated the EU officials. That is how Croats agreed to what they rejected
for days. "We now that difficulties still exist and that Croats will try to
find the way to stop the work of the Council. However, we expect it to
function, since Croats know now that Americans had enough ", stated the
European Union officials. The threat of IFOR's intervention In Mostar is
still a useful weapon which protects the EU patrols and discourages all
fractions attempts to disturb the peace process. (end) D.O.
[03] MEETING BETWEEN THREE PRESIDENTS IN GENEVA - ANNOUNCED
Washington, August 8,1996 (Press TWRA)
The State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns announced yesterday that US
State Secretary Warren Christopher will held meeting with Presidents of BH,
Croatia and Serbia, on August 14, in Geneva. "The meeting will focus on the
respect of Dayton Accord, and specially on elections", said Burns. Burns
emphasized that US will insist on all preconditions necessary for holding
the free and fair elections on September 14 in BH, and that is freedom of
movement, freedom of media and the problem of extradition of those accused
of war crimes and human rights in general. The individual meetings between
Christopher and Presidents Izetbegovic, Tudjman, and Milosevic are foreseen
after which the joint meeting is possible. It is expected that at the
meeting with Milosevic and representatives of Bosnian Serbs the
implementation of the agreement on withdrawal of Radovan Karadjic will be
discussed. (end) D.O.
[04] SHOOTING IN DOBRINJA, BOSNIAK KILLED IN BANJA LUKA'S PRISON
Sarajevo, August 8,1996 (Press TWRA)
In Sarajevo's settlement Dobrinja through which passes the border between
Republic Srpska and BH Federation the shooting occurred last night around
11:00 p.m. Someone fired on two members of Serbian police forces from the
territory of BH Federation. One policeman was heavily wounded. The
perpetrators are still unknown, reported the IPTF spokesman Patrick
Swenson.
One Bosniak, who was arrested and accused for illegal possession ofarms died in the Serbian prison in Banja Luka. Serbian police informed his
wife that the cause of death was unknown. However, doctors confirmed that
he died of internal bleeding, caused by beating, reported Swenson adding
that he expects the perpetrators to be found and punished. (end) S.K.
[05] REACTIONS ON TUDJMAN-MILOSEVIC MEETING
Zagreb, August 8,1996 (Press TWRA)
Only two days after the celebration of Homeland Thanksgiving Day (a year
after the Croatian military operation "Storm" during which the territory of
the so called Krajina was liberated) in relation to which Croatian
President Tudjman held the speech in Knin and among the others said : "We
returned Zvonimir's (Croatian medieval king) Croatian city (Knin) to the
lap of the Croatian motherland, "clean" as it was in Zvonimir's time",
president Tudjman met in the Athens with the Serbian President Milosevic.
Foreign Minister and vice- president of Croatian Government Mate Granic
reported on the results of the meeting. Granic informed that on August 23,
he will meet with the Serbian chief of diplomacy in Belgrade Milutinovic on
which occasion Granic will sign the agreement on the establishing the
diplomatic relations between two states. "Cape Prevlaka is no longer
obstacle in our relations, both sides remained on their previous positions,
but they agreed that cape is important security issue for Boka Kotorska Bay
and Dubrovnik area. The solution for this issue still has to be found
because the demarcation on the see and the free entrance to Boka Kotorska
Bay still has not been solved", state Granic. During the talks the support
to Erdut Agreement and Gen. Klein has been emphasized, and it has been
agreed that all data on missing persons has to be hand over without delay.
The Tudjman-Milosevic meeting followed the reactions of the Croatianopposition parties. Social-democratic Party (SDP) considers very
indicative that Croatian President talked and negotiated with such easiness
with the up to yesterday's war enemy who caused not only Croatian
misfortune while on the other hand Tudjman either obstructs or ignores the
local political opponents. With respect for Greeks Prime Minister Simitis
hospitality, SDP however wonders how come that President Tudjman almost
agreed to initialize the final normalization of the relations with FRY in
the capital of one of the Balkan's states when the Balkan itself in his
political rhetoric has the meaning of insult. In its press release SDP
hopes that "agreement does not have secret annexes" adding that it is
interesting that the press release issued after the Athens' meeting does
not mentioned the respect for recognized borders of countries which signed
the agreement". "Does that mean that borders are no longer issue, or they
just did not make it to the schedule", asks SDP.
President of Croatian Peasants Party (HSS) Tomcic stated for "Voiceof America" that "Cape Prevlaka is undoubtedly Croatian territory and that
was not necessary to burden the relations between two states and European
policy with the problem which really did not exist". If HSS was in
position to lead the negotiations it would surely put on the schedule the
issue of war reparations for all damage done during the war.
Croatian Peoples Party (HNS) considers that the main reasons for thetwo presidents' meeting were developments in BH since after the solving of
Mostar crisis the events were undoubtedly negative for the protagonist of
the division of BH. HNS rejects the so called Athens spirit and the
principals of normalization of relations with FRY since they do not denote
who is aggressor and who the victim. HNS also refuses to accept the
humiliation which is obvious from Presidents Tudjman's assent to Croatian
recognition of FRY before the renewal of Croatian sovereignty over Baranja,
east Slavonia, and west Srijem and before the solution for the succession
of SFRY. (end) S.K.
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