19 December 97, 19:30
NATO Secretary General visited Banja Luka and Sarajevo. Solana said that the recent action may represent a signal to other war criminals they will be arrested too. Solana met with the BiH President Izetbegovic, Presidency member Zubak, and RS representative Bozanic. Solana stressed the obligation of extradition of war criminals, and explained the decision about the international forces mandate extension. Solana also met with the RS President Plavsic, discussing the matters of war criminals, and the election results implementation.
3:00
Flash news
- Pentagon, Western countries and Russia supported the recent SFOR action.
- One of the arrested indictees, Furundzija listened his indictment.
- ICTY Justice, Arbour supported the recent SFOR action, and called the remaining indictees to surrender to the Tribunal.
- ICTY prosecutors decided to discharge the indictments against three Croat indictees, Katava, Skopljak and Santic, because of lack of evidence.
- US Senator Werner proposed to establish a reward for the information on war criminals for the amount of $1.000.000.
- UN Security Council extended the mandate of IPTF for another six months.
- BiH Ambassador to the UN, Sacirbegovic condemned the statements of some countries who called the ICTY ridiculous and a ‘legal show’. Sacirbegovic also commented the staying of the US troops in BiH, saying that the general opinion is optimistic.
The Federal Prosecutor’s Office published the details about the action of arrest of terrorist in the Middle Bosnian Canton. The summary is that 19 persons were arrested, six charges were pressed, and three persons are still on the run. Different kinds of weaponry was wound at their possession, as well as various forged IDs, mostly of humanitarian organisations, and several registration plates.
2:30
An improvised explosive device was found by the wall of the Catholic church of the Apotheosis of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Canton MUP Bomb Squad disabled the device, composed of two anti-tank mines, and a hand-grenade. The bomb was placed into a large travelling bag. The bomb had the destruction power in the range of 200 meters.
2:00
The HoR continued their session, and adopted the Law on Prohibition of Tobacco Products, and discussed the matter of the representatives salaries.
2:00
The BiH President Izetbegovic and Presidency member Zubak signed the arbitration decision by OHR on Establishment of Usora Municipality. HR deputy Schumacher said that since the signatures of both, Izetbegovic and Zubak are on the decision, it is certain to be implemented. Schumacher added that the OHR did not create international borders that will separate the people. The Office defined the administrative lines, not borders.
2:00
The Provisional Elections Committee severely condemned the behaviour of departing municipality authorities in Bijeljina that are to be replaced by the newly elected ones. OSCE spokesman Verheyden announced that six illegally replaced officials will remain in the authorities, as regulated by the law. Verheyden added that the PEC does not recognise the decision of the Bijeljina Mayor to replace these councillors.
1:00
The OHR announced that the Brcko Supervisor talked to the RS Prime-minister about the implementation of the decisions for Brcko – the multi-ethnic administration, the Justice system, and police in this municipality. The supervisor was informed that all three orders will be implemented as scheduled, however, the next day, the supervisor and the IPTF Commissioner Seitner received a letter that puts under the question what was agreed between the police Head in Brcko and IPTF.
1:00
International Mediator Schwartz-Schilling supported the decisions from Bonn, and quicker implementation of Annex 7. Schwartz-Schilling met with the officials of Una/Sana Canton discussing the mater of refugee return.
1:00
At the second day of the OSCE CoM session, BiH FA Minister Prlic talked to the European Council Secretary General Tashis and the Russian FA Minister Primakov. With Tashis, he discussed the BiH entry into the EC, and with Primakov, the matter of larger Russian engagement in BiH affairs.
1:00
The BiH TV Acting Director, Omersoftic answered the question of Mr. Hrle, why three salaries have not been paid to the employees, saying that BiH TV was not given the promised 1,7 million DEM for the expenses during the Pope John Paul the Second’s visit to Sarajevo, because the revenues for the employees’ salaries were spent on the Pope’s visit.
1:00