BOSNEWS digest 466 - 12/11/95

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

Bosnia-Herzegovina News Directory

CONTENTS

[01] STATE DEPARTMENT DISCARD OWEN'S CRITICISM

Washington, Nov 11, 1995 (Press TWRA) - Nicholas Burns discarded criticism of ex-European mediator in the former Yugoslavia D. Owen condemning the USA for failure of the Vance-Owen peace plan and current peace talks to Dayton for nearing carve up of Bosnia. The State Department spokesman N.Burns commented Owen's words saying: "Mr Owen is free to say whatever he wants. Yet, I would like to remind that we have come a long way since he stopped being a mediator to ex-Yugoslavia. Sicne that time, the USA is advancing towards a diplomatic triumph. Do not forget that the fire cessation in B-H holds and the siege of Sarajevo is brought to the end. This winter, although hard, will be the easiest to survive for Bosnian people. We hope the peace agreement is within reach and it will be made if the negotiations succeed. We are not even near the division of B-H. We believe that sides will agree on maintaining integral Bosnia. /end/ A.S.

[02] TUDJMAN - MILOSEVIC: WITHOUT AGREEMENT

Dayton, Zagreb, Nov 11, 1995 (Press TWRA) - Presidents of Croatia and Serbia Tudjman and Milosevic had long talks last night about eastern Crotia being under Serb occupation, but they did not reach any agreement despite the presence of the US Secr. of State Warren Christopher who returned disappointed to Washington expressing his hope for dispute to be settled in following days.

Zagreb - UN spokesman Dag Kofman released that the international mediators for the remaining part of the occupied Croatia, P. Galbraith and Th. Stoletenberg returned yesterday from eastern Slavonia where they should have had talks with local Serbs but had not been authorized by Dayton for a new round of talks. Military situation on the east of Croatia is tense but unchanged, UN informs. /end/ A.S.

[03] AGREEMENTS IZETBEGOVIC-TUDJMAN AND IZETBEGOVIC-MILOSEVIC

Dayton, New York, Nov 11, 1995 (Press TWRA) - A. Izetbegovic and F. Tudjman, presidents of B-H and Croatia reached agreements about strengthening the B-H Federation what is confirmed by the president of the Federation Kresimir Zubak. The agreement first speaks about return of the refugees to Jajce, Travnik, Bugojno, Stolac and some other towns including Mostar being defined as a single town (the mayors of the town Safet Orucevic and Mijo Brajkovic arrived at Dayton). Responsibilities of the Republic of B-H would include foreign affairs, foreign trade, defence and international contracts while police, taxes, health service and education are within the competence of the B-H Federation.

New York - Security Council adopted a decision on providing gas supply for Serbia and Montenegro to make life easier this winter. It is a result of this week's agreement made between Izetbegovic and Milosevic on Russian gas supply for Serbia and BH. US officials stressed at the SC session that it does not mean suspending sanctions on "FR Yugoslavia" or their partial lifting.

[04] WAR CRIMINALS WILL NOT BE SPARED

Washington, Nov 11, 1995 (Press TWRA) - "We are going to provide all relevant information to the International Tribunal for War Crimes in the former Yugoslavia seated in the Hague. Even in cases when the data come from intelligence officials and similar classified sources, we will find a way to provide them to the main prosecutor Mr Goldstone. He said that in near future ten new indictments might ne expected. The accused of war crimes like=20 Karadzic or Mladic must know that amnesty and immunity and the right to be exempted from prosecution are not and will not be discussed at Dayton or anywhere else. If we or some other relevant member of the international community arrests suspects, they will be given a ticket for a fast and one-way to the Hague. We will take care of them to visit the Tribunal and stay there as long as needed. Everyone has been clearly said that none perpetrator or commander who issued orders for crimes against humanity will not take part at peace talks, sign peace agreement or be elected at democratic elections that will follow," said the US Assist. Secr. of State Strobe Talbott.

[05] IZETBEGOVIC-MILOSEVIC-TUDJMAN IN MOSCOW

Dayton, Nov 11, 1995 (Press TWRA) - "We still want to be the hosts of the meeting of the presidents Milosevic, Izetbegovic and Tudjman. If a general agreement on peace in Bosnia and ex - Yugoslavia is reached at Wright Patterson, there are still humanitarian, economic and other issues to be solved and the Moscow summit could be a step in that direction, said the deputy head of Russian diplomacy and the leader of the Russian Federation delegation at the Dayton talks, Igor Ivanov. Presidential summit in Moscow was put off due to worsened health condition of Russian president Yeltsin late last month. Yeltsin's health has improved in the meantime. Due to Yeltsin's weakened reputation in Russian public, the USA agreed for Russian forces to be deployed under Russian and not under NATO command in a likely peace keeping operation in Bosnia. In return, Russians silently agreed on a little more than one thousand of their soldiers to be deployed and not about 15,OOO, i.e. probably fewer than Italian soldiers and a lot fewer than from some other states, including the USA. Croatian media claim that the USA, for that reason (encouragement of Russia) accepted that this week's Security Council Resolution 1O19 along with the Serb guilt for crimes committed in Srebrenica, Zepa, Sanski Most, Banjaluka mentions within the same context, Croat guilt for the atrocities committed against Serb civilians in the liberated part of the country. Summit of the statesmen of B-H, Croatia and Serbia in Moscow would help to the prestige of Russia. Improved Yeltsin's position in dispute with radical Russian nationalists would not harm the US interest and the parties to the conflict, as no vital decision would be brought there, the observers to Dayton believe.

[06] THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ON THE DIPLOMATIC FRONT AND ON THE GROUND IN THE BALKANS

The U.N. War Crimes Tribunal today indicted six Bosnian Croats. They include Tihomir Blaskic, commander of the Bosnian Croat militia, and Dario Kordic, president of the Bosnian branch of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman's ruling party, the Croatian Democratic Union. The six were indicted for war crimes committed during 1992 and 1993, when separatist Bosnian Croat forces, backed by Croatia, fought a brutal war against the Bosnian government.

Today's indictments might complicate efforts at the peace talks at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, to strengthen Muslim-Croat relations in Bosnia. Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic and Croatian President Franjo Tudjman signed an accord Friday to strengthen the Bosnian Federation.

The Croatian government and Serbian forces occupying eastern Slavonia signed an accord on Sunday to return the region to Croatia's control. The accord calls for the U.N. Security Council to establish a "Transition Administration," backed by international forces, to administer the region for one year. The transitional period could be extended to two years at the request of either party.