BosNet NEWS Digest V5 #5 - Jan. 1, 1996

From: Dzevat Omeragic <dzevat@EE.MCGILL.CA>

Bosnia-Herzegovina News Directory

CONTENTS

[01] A. IZETBEGOVIC AND S. DELIC ON PEACE AGREEMENT

Sarajevo, Dec 28, (Press TWRA) - At the reception organized due to New Year holidays, Bosnian president Izetbegovic rejected any possibility of peace accord change explaining that the IFOR commander adm. L. Smith could postpone the implementation of some parts of the military accord for technical reasons, for a few days only. Its political part is not subject to change so there cannot be a long postponement, Izetbegovic stresses while the observers estimate that the warning refers to reunion of Sarajevo under the B-H Federation authorities. Izetbegovic says he believes that the Dayton agreement finally has ended the war in B-H which will not be easily resumed. "Aggressors will for several generation remember heavy defeats inflicted by our people who now have their Army and are not vulnerable and unprotected any longer."

Tuzla - Commander of the B-H army 2nd corps Sead Delic has warned that a war might break out in Bosnia again if the expelled Bosniaks and Croats are not enabled to return to their homes in "Serb entity", granted by the peace agreement. /end/ A.S.

[02] CHANGES IN BOSNIAN DIPLOMACY

Sarajevo, Dec 28, 1995 (Press TWRA) - B-H media have released that Jadranko Prlic will take over the post of the B-H diplomacy head from which current minister Muhamed Sacirbey resigned last month but is still performing the duty till his successor is elected. Two years ago, J. Prlic was president of the so-called Herzeg-Bosnia's govt., the period of conflicts between HV/HVO and the B-H army. Although "Herzeg Bosnia" was ethnically cleansed, possible evidence of Prlic's direct involvement in the crimes, destruction and siege of Mostar, is not publicly known. His govt. was mostly concerned with economy claims Prlic, not the military issues. He also claims he opposed to criminal and smuggling in "Herzeg Bosnia", while his critics state that the illegal actions were patronized by his government.

Since spring 1994, when new government was established in Sarajevo after the Washington agreement, "Herzeg Bosnia" proposed Croatian ministers and J. Prlic was appointed defence minister and deputy of premier Silajdzic. As a defence minister, Prlic has no influence on the B-H army while his influence to HVO has always existed. As a foreign minister he will probably have a considerable influence on the staff election, the decisions made by the Foreign Ministry, on embassies and consulates. Some Bosnian media warn that Prlic has admitted he does not conduct the policy of B-H but of Croatia.

Current Bosnian ambassador to Croatia, Kasim Trnka goes to Brussels and his place will be taken over by Nedzib Sacirbegovic. Beside Belgium, the Embassy in Brussels covers Benelux, EU, NATO. Nedzib Sacirbegovic is Muhamed Sacirbey's father, a psychiatrist, who has lived in USA for 3O years, close to the US Republicans. In 1946, N. Sacirbegovic along with A. Izetbegovic and some other persons, members of the organization "Young Muslims", were sentenced to long term prison sentence by communist authorities.

Current ambassador to Slovenia, Ugljesa Uzelac, whose work is highly estimated, will be appointed the ambassador to Moscow and the so far member of the B-H presidency, Tatjana Ljujic - Mijatovic, the ambassador in the Athens. They are ethnic Serbs proposed by the B-H govt. but after multi-party elections, the Serb entity authorities will also have influence on the structure of the B-H diplomacy.

Meanwhile, the dispute between M. Sacirbey and so far ambassador to London and previous ambassador to Bern Muhamed Filipovic continues. Filipovic, the chairman of the opposition party LBO (Liberal Bosniak Organization) held a press conference saying he does not regard himself responsible before the minister Sacirbey but the president of the Republic, being the only one to evaluate the results of his work. Filipovic again stressed that he holds himself a very deserving person for Bosniaks reminding that public statements referring to their own ambassadors are unusual in diplomacy. Sacirbey's associates reply it is more unusual to discard the decision of superior minister. Filipovic's successor to Britain is not known yet, but the so far secretary in the B-H Ministry of the Interior Osman Topcagic is believed to be appointed. /end/ A.S.

[03] OFFICIAL FRANCE DENIES "LE CANARD ENCHENE" ALLEGATIONS

Paris, Dec 28, 1995 (Press TWRA) - France denied Wednesday allegations published by "Le Canard Enchene" to have protected Bosnian Serbs by ordering two recently liberated pilots to cover maltreatment they had been subjected to during capture. "We did not accept any conditions to liberate the pilots", French foreign ministry official Yves Doutriaux stated. He did not wish to confirm nor to deny the "Le Canard Enchene" allegations on the maltreatment, admitting only they had been subjected to psychological pressure. Jean Luis Chiffot, one of the pilot's father stated to the French media he had seen his son's injuries, Reuter reports. (end) F.N.

[04] COMMANDERS' MEETING IN BOSANSKA POSAVINA

Orasje, Bosnia, Dec 28, 1995 (Press TWRA) - In Cernik, south of the so called Posavina corridor, on the Serb controlled area, commanders of Bosnian army, HVO and Serb units deployed in the region, met on Wednesday. Meeting was presided by US general W. Nash. The three commanders were introduced to the maps of demarcation and urgent tasks. The main task is to clear the area around the front lines from land mines in which the NATO will help. "We have obtained the maps, but have not solved anything concrete", HVO commander Dj. Matuzovic stated at the press conference.

Lepnica, Bosnia - Karadzic's Serbs left Wednesday their first position in the Posavina corridor, next to the US check point. Serb withdrawal was demanded by the Americans who control Zupanja-Tuzla highway. Serbs continue military and civil transportation within the corridor, AFP reports. (end) F.N.

[05] THE FRENCH AT THE KEY POINTS IN SARAJEVO

Sarajevo, Dec 29, 1995 (Press TWRA) - In compliance with the peace agreement, the B-H army and Serb paramilitary withdrew, Wednesday midnight from their separation lines and key points in Sarajevo. Commander of the IFOR French division gen. Louis Zeller said that about 4O check points were taken over by his soldiers, mainly on northern and southern Sarajevo front lines. Also, snipers left all buildings in which they were positioned on both banks of the Miljacka river. Among the French controlled points are those which had a great importance during the fighting in Sarajevo, like Jewish cemetery. In regular patrolling, the French have duty to prevent any attempt made by any side to recapture the positions having been left in the past three days. /end/A.S.

[06] SACIRBEY : SERB LEADERSHIP IS NOT FOR THE AGREEMENT

Washington, Dec 29, 1995 (Press TWRA) - Bosnian foreign minister Muhamed Sacirbey accused Karadzic's Serbs of trying to obstruct the peace plan, by demanding the postponement of Bosnian capital reunion within the B-H Federation. Said Sacirbey:

"Serb leadership at Pale tries to use Sarajevo to obstruct the whole peace package. We want to provide security to Serb population in all parts of Sarajevo. We encourage their joining in the civil police in the area and also welcome and accept the presence of the international human right protectors. We look on Sarajevo as a sort of test. If we succeed in maintaining the town as united, we will maintain B-H as integral state. /end/ A.S.

[07] HONOURS TO FENOGLIETTI

Mostar, Rome, dec 29, 1995 (Press TWRA) - Dead body of the Italian carabinier commander in B-H, major Erman Fenoglietti (37), was transported yesterday to Turin. He was killed when his "landrover" slipped off the road at Vrapcici near Mostar this week. At that time, rain storm spreaded over wider area of Herzegovina and southern Bosnia, including Mostar casing flood in some parts. /end/ A.S.

[08] FRENCH PILOTS TORTURED INDEED

Paris, Dec 29, 1995 (Press TWRA) - French defence minister has confirmed that two French pilots recently released were actually tortured during their two month-and-half long Serb captivity in Bosnia. Refusing to give details on the maltreatment, Charles Millon said: "We will say nothing more about it."

So far, French authorities have claimed that, while being Serb POWs, the pilots were treated in accord with the corresponding Geneva conventions. /end/ A.S.

[09] SERBS DESTROYED RELAY ON VELEZ

Mostar, Dec 29, 1995. (Press TWRA) - Serb terrorist undermined and ruined the tele-communicational transmitter on the Mt. Velez, east of Mostar. Serb paramilitary has to leave that area, which belongs to B-H Federation, according to the peace agreement. The inflicted damage to the relay is believed to be so large that it cannot be repaired, so another has to be constructed. (end) A.S.

[10] EL MUNDO: PERSON OF THE YEAR 1995 - ALIJA IZETBEGOVIC

Madrid, Dec 29, 1995. (Press TWRA) - Spanish daily "El Mundo" chose Bosnia's President Alija Izetbegovic for the Man of The Year 1995. The paper explains it as the expression of support to Bosnian people, whose resolute courage and resistance power were successfully crowned by the peace agreement. With that motive, the paper published eight pages about Bosnia in yesterday's issue including interview with Mr.Izetbegovic. (end) A.S.

[11] COLONEL FONTENOT CAUSED NUMEROUS PROTESTS

New York, Washington, Dec 29, 1995 (Press TWRA) - Colonel Gregory Fontenot, commander of the First brigade of the First US Armored Division, whose units are among the first to come to Bosnia in a considerable number, gave interview to "The Wall Street Journal".

Speaking about "the parties in Bosnia", Fontenot said: "They think there that I believe them nothing - and that is right. They are the people who were killing children and women, attacking their neighbors. I to offend them? Hell, they offended me by the need to go to Bosnia because of their fighting". The article quotes Col. Fontenot, addressing two of his Afro-American soldiers, to say: "It'll be interesting to hear what all you'll see. Croats are racists. They kill people for their color".

US Gen. Nash, one of the leading IFOR's officers, said he was "disappointed and very sad" when he read the Fontenont's statement. "I will investigate the details" Nash says. Sources in Washington claim that Nash sent Gen. Brig. Stanley Cherrie to the area where Fontenot is at the moment, to find out the details.

The State Department high official told journalists: "Those are very serious statements, which cause great concern. If those words were properly reported, they are a wrong estimation, an extremely wrong estimation... The direction of his comment is completely wrong and unacceptable".

President of Croatian Brother Community, gathering Croats in the USA, Bernard Luketich, sent a letter to the US President Bill Clinton, demanding Fontenot either excuse for his words, or be removed from the position, as he badly insulted Croats, including the US Croats. Also the National Federation of the Croats in America (NFCA) sent letters to president Clinton and editorial of "The Wall Street Journal", protesting due to claims on the racism of the Croats. (end) A.S.

[12] BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED WITH SMITH'S STATEMENTS

Sarajevo, Dec 28, 1995 (Press TWRA) - Bosnian president Alija Izetbegovic sent Wednesday a letter to the IFOR commander admiral L. Smith, after his statements on possible delay in implementation of some parts of the Dayton peace accord, BH press reports. Text of the Izetbegovic's letter has not been presented. Bosnian minister for relation with IFOR, H. Muratovic said his government "is deeply disappointed with Smith's statements". He stated for the Bosnian TV: "If they (NATO) continue to act this way, we will demand from the governments whose soldiers are obliged to implement the parts of the task and from their commanding officers to replace them with those who will do their job". These reactions came a day after Smith's ambiguous answer to the Bosnian TV. Asked about the possible IFOR's concessions to Serb demands for delay of withdrawal from Sarajevo, Smith hasn't confirmed nor denied the possibility. (end) F.N.