Manjaca – VRS drill – this is the first large scale drill of the VRS. The 1st and the 2nd Corps participated in a simulated battle, ‘fighting’ with heavy artillery. This was the first such drill after the war, carried out in accordance with the DPA. RS leadership and others (Plavsic, Krajisnik, VRS Commander Colic, distinguished members of FRY Army, SFOR, etc.) also attended the drill. Plavsic said that she was impressed with the scene she saw at the simulated battlefield, underlining that the VRS should have such drills in the future for the purpose of preserving peace and combat readiness, and to 090 130 530defend the RS from a potential attacker. During the war I could not even dream that we would watch a simulation fighting while sitting at the red table without fear for people’s lives. So help us god not to have war again. Colic said that soldiers are trained so well that they can easily train new soldiers. This was a crown of the training that proves that VRS has successfully completed its reorganisation, Colic said. In the end, Plavsic congratulated the most successful soldiers.
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Pale – Member of BiH Presidency, Krajisnik met the Russian Ambassador to BiH, Gerasimov, and discussed the disputed issue of SRT, and the Belgrade Agreement. They agreed on the importance of the Agreement as a tool that should help calming down the crisis in the RS, Krajisnik’s Cabinet reported. It was also reported that the media issues should be treated as an entity matter and the internal issue of the RS.
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Flash news:
Brussels – Meeting the NATO Secretary General, Solana, Frowick underlined that the IC should take a firm position with regard to the RS presidential elections and begin preparation. He and HR Westendorp tried to explain to Solana the importance of extending the SFOR mandate in the BiH union in order to keep stability in the region.
Sarajevo – German Defence Minister, Ruehe met the Muslim-Croat leadership and discussed various issues, such as the Equip and Train Programme. Germans have always had a lot of interest in the Federation and the Programme, explaining it with ‘keeping the balance’ in the BiH Union. He said that Germany might decrease a number of its troops, but they will send efficient soldiers instead.
All Italian media reported on the first VRS drill, adding that VRS is preparing for the defence of its country from eventual attackers. Today’s International Hague Tribunal reported that the US can withdraw its troops safely and end the mission in the BiH Union by admitting its division, said Prof. Michimmer, from the Chicago University. He added that it was impossible to have a unified country when all three nations hated each other. Therefore, the only reasonable solution was division of the BiH Union. Hague – Out of 10 BiH Croats, who were indicted of war crimes three BiH Croats, among whom was Kordic, pledged not guilty of war crimes.
3:00
Pale – CoM Co-Chair of the Dayton BiH, Bosic met the Malaysian Ambassador to Sarajevo, and discussed further economic co-operation and development of the Dayton BiH.
With regard to the Glas Srpski article on the work of the illegal police high school in Doboj which was published on October 7, the legal police stated that the school in Doboj had been established due to false documents issued by the Government (Ministry of Education), which is not in line with either Constitution or the law. The legal police submitted the case to the RS Constitutional Court for examination.
2:00
Banja Luka – 11 opposition parties held a joint meeting to discuss implementation of election results in this area and to complete final preparations for establishment of the new municipality assembly. The leading parties in Banja Luka that share the number of seats, Socialist party and Party of Krajina and Posavina will be the first to suggest their candidates. Parties showed progress and willingness to closely co-operate.
2:00
A member of the RS PEC, Kovac announced results of the local elections for the following municipalities: Kalinovik – SDS 11 seats, SRS (Serb Radical Party) 9, Coalition 7, RS Socialist party 4; Srbinje (Foca) – SDS 12, SRS 15, Coalition 18; Srebrenica (out of 45 seats) – SDS 12, SRS 8, Coalition 24, a Muslim independent candidate 1; Pale – SDS 26, SRS 19, Coalition 5; Serb Trnovo – SDS 15, Coalition 11; Bratunac – SDS 9, SRS 14, Coalition 20, RS Socialists 2; Serb Novo Sarajevo – SDS 16, SRS 17, RS Socialists 2; Vlasenica – SDS 13, SRS 15, Coalition 20, RS Socialists 2; Serb Mostar – SDS 32, Coalition 3; Bijeljina – SDS 19, SRS 14, Coalition 12, Socialists 8, Democrats 7;
Banja Luka – Economic Adviser to Plavsic, Tomas, met representatives of the UN Development Project and discussed reconstruction of infrastructure in the RS. The RS will be given a donation of about $10 million to be used for reconstruction of houses, employment, restarting of production, support of the socially vulnerable, etc.
2:00
Refugees from Trebinje sent a letter to SRT complaining against the Ministry of Refugees and RS leadership for not doing anything to protect them or help them to find accommodation. There are 30 families, mainly from former Serb Sarajevo, who after 19 months of consideration finally broke into the municipality building in Trebinje and found accommodation there. They promised to stay there until a better solution in provided, because all of them are socially vulnerable.
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