Bosnet Digest V5 #89 / Thursday, 7 March 1996

From: Nermin Zukic <n6zukic@SMS.BUSINESS.UWO.CA>

Bosnia-Herzegovina News Directory

CONTENTS

[01] MURATOVIC VISITED IRAN, MILITARY TRAINING OF BOSNIAKS IN IRAN

Radio Teheran alleges that Muratovic told Rafsjanjani that "Bosnian people expect of Islamic states, specially from Iran, the aid in reconstruction of their state now when relative peace is established," and Rafsanjani replied by inviting the Bosnian leaders to maintain and intensify relations with Muslim world to receive support of that world and its participation in the reconstruction. Last November, the OIC member states decided at the Teheran meeting to aid Bosnia in economy, humanitarian and especially military domain, to enable the government in Sarajevo to establish the balance of power with the neighbouring states and their quislings. Meanwhile, the USA exert pressure on Sarajevo to give up military cooperation with Iran if it wants western support and above all, the American. Izetbegovic and B-H government seem to be ready to stop cooperating militarily with Iran if given guarantee that the other side will provide them with similar support but are not ready to break political, economy and cultural relations with Iran, regarding it as a part of their inalienable rights belonging to a sovereign state. Recent invitation of the USA to the ally states to join them in the boycott of Iran being accused of support to the international terrorism was ignored by most western states.

Chris Hedges from Vienna released in "The New York Times" the article on military training that several hundred of Bosnian soldiers had been given in Iran. His sources are diplomats of European states with their embassies in Iran and two Bosnian government officials who wanted to remain anonymous but refused to give the time and the number of soldiers having been trained. The same article quotes anonymous European officer who said the problem was not military skill that Bosniaks would attain (they are trained in fighting tactics of light infantry), but in "Islamic indoctrination being a part of any, particularly of military training in Iran. "

Due to the bomb attacks of "Hamas and "Jihad" in Tel Aviv, Ashqelon and Jerusalem, the international attention is again focused on Iran whose radio reports that those suicidal/lethal assaults show the power of Islam. Iranian mission to the UN denied the allegations of Israel that Teheran supports radical Palestinians financially and militarily, describing the claim as "irresponsible and provocative." /end/ A.S.

[02] BOSNIAN AMBASSADOR DENIED "THE NEW YORK TIMES"

[03] ANOTHER INDEPENDENT TV IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA SOON

[04] KARADZIC'S SERBS ACCUSED HIDAJET DELIC

[05] SARAJEVO REWARDED WITH THE VATICAN ANNUAL REWARD

The prize was established by Catholic Church in 1973 during the Pope VI pontificate (Giovanni Montini), to be rewarded to those preaching Bible, Qur'an and other holy books to spread the truth in evidence on humanity. /end/ A.S.

[06] BOSNIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONS - VISIT TO CROATIA

[07] IFOR, SEPAROVIC, CASSESE, KLARSFELD AND AVRAMOV ON ICTY

Den Hague - Croatian victimologist Zvonimir Separovic gave to ICTY Chief Prosecutor Richard Goldston, proposal of the indictment against S. Milosevic for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. Besides that Separovic also enclosed the proposal of indictment against Serbian leader in east Herzegovina, Bozidar Vucurevic and General Strugar, who were engaged in the attacks on Mostar and Dubrovnik, and the new indictment against Milan Martic, whom ICTY already indicted for last year missile attack on Zagreb in May.

commenting the Separovic's indictment against Serbian President, Antonio Cassese, the judge from Firenza who chairs ICTY, said: "Every court in the world bases its estimates on evidences. Give me the authorized tone script in which Milosevic orders genocide or signed document which proves that and there will be no problem. We need solid evidences, and not unprovable guesses".

Paris - French lawyer and nazi hunter S. Klarsfeld in his article in "Le Monde" supported the establishing of permanent international Tribunal, whose support would be permanent police forces, and which would try perpetrators, and would act as preventive and save lives of millions. Klarsfeld writes that such permanent tribunal could not be established if those after whom ICTY issued a warrants are not caught, which can not be done without use of force, and at the moment there is no other force which would be able besides IFOR, which does not show special will bring to justice 52 accused, which is the result of UN restrain but also NATO members.

Moscow - Russian daily "Pravda" reported issued an interview with Smilja Avramov, Milosevic's expert for international law, who is a chief of the Fond for protection of the Hague Tribunal which has been establish recently in Belgrade. Smilja Avramov, who headed the Serbian team on Croatian-Serbian expert negotiations on division of Bosnia and who quite often publicly talked on behalf of Karadjic's Serbs, said to Russian newspaper that ICTY is incompetent, unlegal, unlegitimate, and that over stepped its authorities, established in contrast to UN rules, and that it acts arbitrary and manipulatory. (end) A.S.

[08] DJUKIC DENIES HIS GUILT AND COMPETENCE OF ICTY

[09] ROBERT DOLE A FAVOURITE AGAIN

[10] COURT BANS STRIKE IN CROATIA

[11] NEGOTIATING TABLE ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN B-H

Participants of the conference are representatives of till recently warring states in ex-Yugoslavia, its neighbouring states, EU member states, the USA, Canada, Russian Federation, Japan, Marocco, Turkey and Norway. There are the representatives of more than 3O NGOs (non-governmental organizations). The B-H delegation is led by foreign minister Jadranko Prlic.

The conference was opened by the PIC high representative, the EU/UN coordinator for B-H, Carl Bildt, Austrian foreign minister Wolfgang Schuessel. Secretary general for foreign issues Albert Rohan presided at the conference to which the guests were UNHCR high official Jose Ayala Lasso, UN special rapporteur for human rights in ex-Yugoslavia Elisabeth Rehn, UN official for missing persons prof. Manfred Novak and the US envoy to the Balkans Robert Galluci. /end/ A.S.

[12] SESSION OF ADVISORY COUNCIL IN MOSTAR, ZUBAK'S COMPLAINTS

They discussed acting in the district, housing decree and particularly preparations for elections to be held next Friday. Safet Orucevic said: "We demand urgent establishment of a unified town authorities, the Neretva canton and believe the problems that arose somewhere else need not affect Mostar." "The problems somewhere else" refer to Sarajevo where local HDZ demands more rights for Croats who, according to that demand, should have as much power with their total of 7% population as Bosniaks with 5O%, at the last census. That is why Sarajevo's HDZ called all Croatian institutions to blockade the establishment of the B-H Federation until Bosniaks met the demand and set up the Sarajevo canton as a Croat-Bosniak one and not only Bosniak. The demand is an excuse to HDZ for postponing the establishment of the two agreed cantons - in central Bosnia and the Neretva valley. Croats bought from fleeing Serbs many houses at a low price in Hadzici and Ilidza, southwestern settlements of Sarajevo which can be connected to the neighboring HVO controlled counties (Kiseljak, Kresevo), the settlement of Stup called a Croat county by HDZ.

EU special envoy Vargas and coordinator for Mostar at Italian Farnesina, Mattacota who were present at the Advisory Council session, met with the B-H Federation president Zubak and discussed the modes of EUAM acting after the local elections announced for next May. "H. Koschnick's successor will be known in a few weeks but the elections for local democratic authorities are more important," said Vargas, but Zubak added: " Competence of the B-H Federation and the Republic in finances should be resolved prior to the elections." Asked if demarcation lines between Republic of Srpska and the B-H Federation were settled, Zubak says: "Both Croats & Serbs have proposals for their changes but nothing has been agreed yet." Regarding the Serb-Croat agreement, the sources close to B-H police say that AID (Agency for Investigation and Documentation) followed & recorded often, mainly secret meetings between Zubak & Karadzic's associate Krajisnik at Pale and elsewhere, organized by Bildt at which separate Croat-Serb accords on Bosniaks' account were specified. The same source claims that was the reason for Zubak to protest against AID and the fact that the Agency is out of his control.

In the letter to Bosnian TV read in a documentary program on the Independence day, March 1, Zubak protested against "neglecting the role of Croats in defence of B-H being presented only as separatists". Addressing to the Council of the Bosnian intellectuals conference, K. Zubak said: "A big problem is that Bosniak leadership has not accepted Federation as their model of co-existence and future but as the interim period and instrument to achieve their final political aim - one nation's rule hiding under civil democratic society." /end/ A.S.

[13] IFOR ON HADZICI INCIDENT

[14] SERBS KIDNAPPED 14 CIVILIANS ON "ARIZONA" ROAD

[15] LOUISE ARBOUR ON ICTY

L. Arbour was born in Montreal in 1947, and become Ph.D. in Montreal and York. She taught law for 13 years in York (Osgoode Hall Law School) and before that she worked on the commission for reform of Canadian legal system. The Vice-president of Civic Freedoms organization and editor of several journals and magazines, the author of number of works on penal procedure and human rights, L. Arbour works on Appeal Court in Ontario, the highest court in Canada. (end) A.S.

[16] HANS KOSCHNICK ON HIS RESIGNATION

Since yesterday, the joint police operate in the whole town: two patrols in central zone, eastern & western part of the town, each, said West European police (WEU) spokesman Howard Fox. Combined police operates non-stop; six patrols of seven persons within 24 hours along with detectives specialists & the local police monitors make total of 7O persons. /end/ A.S.

[17] FRENCH PILOTLESS AIRCRAFT OVER B-H

[18] DISPUTE OVER DOBRINJA

Head of the Sarajevo county of Novi Grad Ismet Cengic said the B-H Federation authorities demanded correction of the separation lines in the part going through the Sarajevo settlement of Dobrinja. Namely, the lines determined at Dayton pass through the buildings even the rooms in the flats of that settlement whose major part belongs to the B-H Federation and minor part to Republica of Srpska. Federal authorities offered the territory exchange according to which the whole of Dobrinja would be in the B-H Federation, said Cengic. /end/ A.S.

[19] RADICALS IN HDZ OBSTRUCT COOPERATION WITH ICTY

Vice president of Croatian government Ljerka Mintas Hodak, Croatian foreign minister & deputy prime minister Mate Granic and justice minister Miroslav Separovic called on the MPs to endorse further procedure for the Constitutional law on cooperation with ICTY. Granic said that pressures on executive authorities, incl. president Tudjman, were exerted & intensified, to be cooperative with ICTY which is formed by the Security Council resolution 827 defining the status of the Tribunal, the rules on investigation and Tribunal proceedings as obligatory for all UN member states and others to cooperate with ICTY. Not passing the Constitutional law would result in immediate and direct pressures starting from the hindrances on our way to integration into Europe through suspension of cooperation with all important states including the USA to the threats with comprehensive UN sanctions. It is almost impossible for Croatia to change the rules in the ICTY Statute but this Constitutional law can be amended in the second reading procedure. Good cooperation with ICTY, properly regulated by our law can be the ground for more effective work of Tribunal alone whose so far activities Croatia cannot appreciate," said Granic.

Constitutional law was previously discussed by three boards of the parliament: Board of Justice headed by Bosiljko Misetic, Legislative Board headed by Vice Vukojevic and Constitutional Board headed by Vladimir Seks. Misetic, though not satisfied with the work of ICTY advocated the second reading procedure of the Constitutional law. Seks, on behalf of the HDZ Club said the Constitutional law should be considered from legal, political and constitutional aspect with regard to the interests of the state.

During the discussion in the Board led by V. Seks, Smiljko Sokol (HDZ) and a guest member of the Board, Horvatic were against the Constitutional law to enter the further procedure. They explained that ICTY Statute is contrary to the items 1O & 31 of the Croatian Constitution banning the extradition of Croatian citizens, not allowing even to the International Tribunal to take the verdict given by the national court into proceedings, being the very contents of the item 1O of the ICTY Statute that gives the Tribunal the right to repeat the proceedings against the persons acquitted of the same crime before the national court.

Vukojevic's Board concluded that the item in the ICTY Statute is humiliating and insulting for Croatia, the opinion shared by a member of HSP and Seks' Board, Ivan Gabelica. In the dispute in the parliament, the HSP members were against adoption of the Constitutional law and "dictate of ICTY which is meant to deny the sovereignty of Croatia."

While Seks' Board considered the Constitutional law, prof. Horvatic said that they should not insist on absolute legal justification of Croatia's duties towards the international community as restricting its sovereignty was unacceptable for Croatia; and that there was no difference between the terms "hand over" & "extradite" though international lawyers make difference looking on "hand-over" of the citizens to the supra-national Tribunal as a goodwill of a state while the term "extradition" is used for the case of extradition between the two states. It is important to differ between the two terms as Croatia referred to its Constitution preventing its citizens from being extradited to a foreign court, but the ICTY president Antonio Cassese, grounded on the international law including the decision of the World Court from 1931 explained that it did not imply handing over of the citizens to the international supra-national tribunal.

Ivan Milas, high ranking official of the ruling party and of Croatia ("guardian of the privy seal"), a member of Seks' Board, said: "It is a pure political pressure and violence, i.e. the export of imperialistic tendencies to some states. I support the crime punishment but in the manner of France and the USA, not of some Goldstone who used to be a member of the South Africa Constitutional Court conducting racial segregation at that time."

SDP and a part of HDZ, suggested, due to the unmatched part of the proposed law with Constitution and the UN resolutions alone the law be treated as the previous reading but V. Seks warned such item did not exist in Parliament's Statute anymore. Seks as the chairman, warned I. Jakovcic (IDS) when he asked for TV broadcast of the current dispute over cooperation with ICTY. IDS and HSLS are "aware of all implications which the law has as well as the fact that it is enforced", yet they endorsed it.

Vukojevic's Board demanded the dispute be postponed and the government take over responsibility to change the ICTY Statute. Foreign minister Granic warned that Croatia is due to adopt the law: "Model to our behaviour cannot be either Belgrade or Bosnian Serbs. Croatia cannot live alone and isolated. The law must go to further procedure. There is not much space to manoeuvre."

When it came to voting, there was no quorum - there were fewer than half of the MPs left. Drazen Budisa (HSLS) said nearly empty benches in Sabor showed irresponsibility & carelessness of the delegates avoiding the responsibilities. A. Vujic (SDP) said: "Such acts are stupid as they cannot deceive anybody". /end/ A.S.

[20] BRIGADIER CUMMINGS ON SARAJEVO AND DJUKIC

There has not been any major incidents so far in areas of Sarajevo in which the B-H Federation police took control. 27 international policemen authorized to monitor the situation were sent to Hadzici," said Cummings. On the ICTY charges against Serb gen. Dj. Djukic he said: "It is a legal decision that must be observed by both entities in Bosnia-Herzegovina". /end/A.S.

[21] AGREEMENT ON FINANCIAL COOPERATION AND AID

Mostar - Delegation of the Dutch government talked with Croat mayor of western Mostar Mijo Brajkovic. The Dutch minister of development stressed in the talks, the importance of using European currency in opening the working posts and reconstruction of the destroyed houses and damaged infrastructure.

Bangkok - European Commission demanded from Japan at the Euro-Asian summit, to join in the international efforts to B-H in the part regarding reconstruction and rebuilding of the state. President and vice-president of the Commission, Jacques Santer and sir Leon Brittan, respectively, demanded from Japanese prime minister Ikedo Yukikiko to participate in the program of support to B-H which in next four years totals USD 6 billion. "Japanese prime minister heard the demand but promised nothing, " said European Commission spokesman.

New York - UN called the international community to allocate USD 823 million for the return of the B-H refugees program and reconstruction of the state. UNHCR would receive USD 353 mill. to help it in the effort to return of 2 million of displaced persons and refugees. UNHCR estimates that 83O,OOO persons could return to their homes - among them 46O,OOO of those who remained in the state where they used to live, 17O,OOO of the refugees to some other states of ex-Yugoslavia and 2OO,OOO of 7OO,OOO persons placed in Europe outside the ex-Yugoslavia. /end/ A.S.

[22] BISHOP JEFTIC VISITED MOSTAR

Bishop Jeftic tiold journalists: "We talked about restoring the relations between Bosniaks and Serbs. I have brought mail to Serbs living here from their relatives but also the message that many Serbs want to return to this town. I was cordially received and was pleasantly surprised with contacts including the talks with Serbs who remained in Mostar. It is good they have stayed and it would be even better if it is possible for the others to come. Mostar is my town, too, as it is the seat of our bishopric. As for return of Bosniaks to eastern Herzegovina, return of every person is granted by the peace agreement. It is a good initiative to enable Bosniaks to visit muslim churchyards in eastern Herzegovina and Serbs to visit eastern orthodox churches in Mostar. I hope the Old Bridge will be rebuilt as it was a symbol of Mostar which, thank God, neither of us destroyed, but we might have destroyed some other bridges between us. I discussed with Mr Koschnick reconstruction of old orthodox church."

A. Jeftic visited the Croat-held part of the town, talked with mayor Mijo Brajkovic, chairman of the local Serb community Milan Bodiroga and among the issues discussed was the possibility of building a new orthodox church in the western part of the town where by Croat sources, about 3,OOO Serb are living. /end/ A.S.

[23] BISHOP PERIC DECLINES THE COMPLAINT OF ISLAMIC COMMUNITY

[24] THIRD CONFERENCE OF MILOSEVIC'S PARTY

Prominent SPS member Nikola Sainovic addressed in his introductory speech to the attendants at the conference - high ranking officials of Serbia, Montenegro and FR Yugoslavia, saying: "The greatest achievement of our Party since its foundation is our successful avoidance of the war from western parts to be spread across the river Drina and broke out in Serbia. We persistently fought for Serb people rights in the succeeded republics of ex-Yugoslavia. This conference is held in the year of victory and peace and reaffirmation of our state after three-year isolation from the international community. In achieving peace, chairman of our party and president of our Republic Slobodan Milosevic had an important role. In this country, we have to start the fight for prosperity, removing the results of unfair sanctions which in the past three years reduced GNP of FR Yugoslavia for about 6O%. Yet, FR Yugoslavia is the most stable state in the Balkans despite the situation in which any other state would have collapsed, had it been faced with it."

Beside SPS, there is another party in Serbia led by Milosevic's wife Mirjana Markovic Milosevic - Yugoslav United Left, JUL. JUL has ambitions to become the umbrella party of the left-wing parties in Serbia and Serb opposition cynically says, "to the benefit of Serb people rule for centuries more." The abbreviation JUL is chosen as it reminds of July, the month in which some Yugoslav communist holidays were observed, the most significant one was celebrated on the same day when Americans observe their Independence Day, July 4, which historians of Tito's Yugoslavia took as the beginning of "resistance" in WWII as the first armed conflict broke out in Vojvodina which in 1918 was within Serbia. The first partisan units organized in Croatia were not taken into account. JUL came out of another party also led by Mirjana Markovic - SKPJ Communist League of the Movement for Yugoslavia.

SKPJ stressed anti-nationalism in public, but gathered a number of persons leading war against Slovenia, Croatia and B-H including some generals. Among them, gen. Stevan Mirkovic who condemned building of Draza Mihajlovic's statue in central Serbia. "Draza Mihajlovic is symbol of chetnik movement which committed slaughters against muslims and other people in the previous war and now," said Mirkovic when Vuk Draskovic and Serb opposition were making the monument. However, it was S. Milosevic who led Serb offensive and punitive actions against Albanians at Kosovo and approved later the aggression on Croatia. SKPJ, JUL and Mirjana Markovic before Milosevic started with rhetoric of the peace-making and condemnation of war, hatred and ethnic racism.

As true anti-nationalists are still in the margin in Serbia, it is believed that at the elections, SPS and JUL will promote peacemaking unlike "democratic opposition" whose leaders - Djindjic and Kostunica supported Karadzic even when official Belgrade stopped doing that. Remaining relevant political party in Serbia is Serb movement of Renewal SPO whose chairman Vuk Draskovic was a fierce nationalist, promoting pacifism and tolerance in the past four years.

At yesterday's SPS conference with organized video presenting and luxurious emblems and decorations and costly reception for guests, there was no dispute as till recent Milosevic's key associates were not present after he let the blame of inflaming chauvinism fall on them - Mihajlo Markovic, Borisav Jovic, Milrad Vucelic). Speakers - delegates of the SPS leadership of different regions in Serbia talked about economy and cultural development leaving out nationalistic issues.

In last evening's voting for new chairman, of 1799 votes, 1795 were for Milosevic, three against and one invalid ballot. Then Milosevic addressed the conference saying: "In hard years of sanctions, refugees and war in the neighborhood we supported materially and morally all Serbs in trouble. The citizens of Serbia showed solidarity which is an everlasting monument to their humanity. All those touched with solidarity should remember it as a lesson in humanity and as a debt that perhaps, should be returned to some future generation. SPS tried to act in the interest of society giving priority to the issues regarding the position of Serb people in Serbia and outside. We acted correctly, but none can claim there were no mistakes, nationalistic disturbances, inadequate staff, moral unsuitability. While preparing this conference, some mistakes were identified but have been removed and will be further removed due to the good that SPS wishes Serbia and all residents of Yugoslavia. I believe this conference denotes better days coming to us."

Bosnian media quote the late prof. Fuad Muhic who claimed that "Serb left is ultra right." /end/ A.S.