BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ZELJKO KOMSIC MET WITH PRESIDENT OF FRENCH SENATE

PARIS, France (November 30,2007) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic had separate meetings yesterday with the President of French Senate Christian Poncelat and French House of Representatives Speaker Bernard Accoyer.

The Bosnian and French officials talked about the relations between Bosnia and France, that is, about promotion of bilateral and economic cooperation between the two countries.

They concluded that Bosnia and France have developed outstanding relations.The French Senate President Poncelat emphasized that France is a true ally to Bosnia and that it wants to help the country develop the same way as other European countries.

The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic, on behalf of the people of Bosnia, thanked for all support France has provided for Bosnia and added that Bosnia cannot forget a positive role of France in stopping the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia.

He emphasized that Bosnia and the countries of the region are striving towards European Union and that the support of the friendly countries is of extreme importance.

The Bosnian and French officials agreed that the economic sector has been left unused and that economic relations should certainly be improved.

The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic met with the French House of Representatives Speaker Accoyer and talked about the current political situation in Bosnia and region.
It has once again been confirmed that Bosnia has a true friend in France, which supports Bosnia on the way to the EU.

The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic’s arrival to France has risen a great interest of the French media, especially the “France 24” Channel,which expressed a wish for President Komsic to participate in a show. '

During an interview which lasted for 45 minutes, the Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic talked about the situation in the region and Bosnia and on the Kosovo issue, relations between Bosnia and France, as well as about all other issues. The interview will be aired today.

The “France 24” is a 24-hour channel, which is broadcasted in French, Arabic and English. It is available in 75 million households in over 90 countries of the world.

BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY MEMBER HARIS SILAJDZIC MET WITH HEAD OF WORLD BANK'S OFFICE IN BOSNIA MARCO MANTOVANELLI

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 30,2007) – A member of the Bosnian Presidency Haris Silajdzic met in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo with Marco Mantovanelli, Head of the World Bank’s Office in Bosnia.

Silajdzic was informed about the World Bank’s activities in Bosnia and about the institution’s future plans.As he said, the World Bank has so far participated in various projects, especially in the projects related to the reconstruction of the country. Since the standard in Bosnia has improved, the future cooperation will be more based on partnership.

Silajdzic emphasized that the support to the reform processes in Bosnia, construction of infrastructural system and sharing of experience and skills are the World Bank’s priorities.

Silajdzic stated that apart from certain political problems, the Bosnian economy has improved and that is the growth which can be increased.

Silajdzic stated that it is necessary to remove administrative obstacles which are a problem for Bosnia’s development.He again emphasized the importance of the V-C Corridor and possibilities of investing into other sectors, like tourism, agriculture and energy.

World Bank’s participation in the process of overcoming the problems and supervision of transparency, Silajdzic said, would be of an enormous assistance.

BOSNIAN MINISTER OF FINANCE DRAGAN VRANKIC MET WITH IMF DELEGATION

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 30,2007) – The Bosnian Miniser of Finance Dragan Vrankic had a meeting with a delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), lead by Director Executive Dimitri Demekas and IMF Resident Representative in Bosnia Graham Slack.

Demekas and Vrankic expressed concerns over the non-functioning of fiscal coordination of Bosnia, which can lead to fiscal instability and increase of deficit in the following years, for there are tendencies of the budget liabilities increase and social funds’ provision.

Vrankic thanked the IMF Director Executive for past cooperation and help he has provided for Bosnia.

BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ZELJKO KOMSIC INVITED FRENCH COMPANIES TO INVEST IN BOSNIA

PARIS, France (November 30,2007) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic and a delegation of Bosnian BiH businessmen met in Paris with some 30 managers of leading French companies gathered in the French Association of Employers MEDEF International, which gathers some 750 major French companies.

President Komsic discussed with the MEDEF leadership and French businessmen the current situation in Bosnia, ways to improve economic relations between the two countries and to expand cooperation between French and Bosnian businessmen.

He informed his hosts about macroeconomic indicators in Bosnia and invited them to invest in Bosnia, especially in the sectors of infrastructure, electric energy, tourism and banking.

The Bosnian Association of Employers President Tomislav Grizelj and the Bosnian Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) Deputy Director Jasna Krivosic-Prpic held special presentations.

MEDEF officials responsible for international cooperation have announced their visit to Bosnia, which will be used to sign the agreement on cooperation between the Bosnian Association of Employers and MEDEF.

Bosnian bussinesmen also held a series of meetings with representatives of major French companies and agreed forms of cooperation.

Representatives of five major French banks have expressed great interest in cooperation and announced their plans to soon visit Bosnia.

SCHWARZ-SCHILLING: CIVIL UNRESTS IN BOSNIA ARE STILL POSSIBLE

MOSTAR, Bosnia (November 30,2007) - Civil unrests in Bosnia and in Kosovo are likely to occur, warned the former International Community's High Representative in Bosnia, Christian Schwarz-Schilling.

"The international forces in Bosnia and Kosovo are not there for no reason. War conflicts are unlikely to take place, however, clashes between different groups might break out," chwarz-Schilling said.

Schilling's statement comes just a few days after the incumbent International Community's High Representative in Bosnia, Miroslav Lajcak, warned in Brussels that "the political crisis in Bosnia is very real and deep, and cannot be ignored."

SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL RADE VESELINOVIC ARRESTED IN BOSNIA

PALE, Bosnia (November 30,2007) - Serbian war criminal Rade Veselinovic has been arrested yesterday by agents of the Bosnian State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA).

The Office of the Bosnian State Prosecutor said Veselinovic, 63, was detained yesterday near the Bosnian town of Pale.

Serbian war criminal Rade Veselinovic was suspected of war crimes against Bosnian civilians in the Sarajevo suburb of Hadzici in 1992 during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

RISE IN FOOD PRICES IN BOSNIA REFLECTS SIMILAR PRICE MOVEMENTS ON WORLD MARKET

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 30,2007) - The steep rise in food prices in Bosnia mainly reflects similar price movements on the world markets, and has not been caused by stockpiling, according to the World Bank and other international institutions.

The Bosnian media and consumers’ associations have recently criticized retailers for exploiting the Bosnian public’s concerns about the current political situation in Bosnia.

However, a joint statement released by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the top Bosnia-based international institution, the Office of the International Community's High Representative, dismisses claims that the price hikes in Bosnia have been caused by retailers profiteering from the current political situation.

“It is important to explain the underlying reasons for these prices rises: they are primarily the result of higher prices on world markets”, said the joint statement.

“Equally, Bosnia has an open economy, which ultimately protects the Bosnian citizens against price increases above those on world markets,” the statement added, noting that “price rises, which have been dramatic for some products, are not above those on the world market.”

Official statistics released earlier this week show that over the past month the prices of some staple foods increased by between 1.6 per cent (for coffee) and 14.7 per cent (for cooking oil).

The international institutions’ statement explained that world market prices, in particular, wheat, maize and edible oils, have risen this year because of surging demand in fast-growing developing countries, the greater use of cereals in bio-fuel production and bad harvests caused by drought in the summer of 2007.

Transport costs have also sharply increased, due higher fuel prices.

“These developments have had a direct impact on Bosnia since it is heavily dependent on imports of basic foodstuffs and fuel”, the statement said.

AUSTRIAN POST EYES BOSNIAN MARKET

NEW YORK, USA (November 30,2007) - Austrian postal operator Oesterreichische Post wants to buy into Bosnia,Romania and Bulgaria in the coming 15 months, the company's Chief Financial Officer Rudolf Jettmar said.

"We want to set up a network in the fragmented Southeastern European market.We want to fill in our blank spots in Bosnia, Bulgaria and Romania," Jettmar told journalists on the margins of an investment conference in New York.

Jettmar said the postal operator was aiming to take over private operators working in parcel delivery or distribution of advertising.

In the first three quarters of the year, Oesterreichische Post has spent 210 million Euros (312 million USD) on takeovers, and the company has another 150 million Euros left in its war chest, said Jettmar.

Oesterreichische Post is already present in Slovakia, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia.

OLLI REHN : BOSNIA AND EUROPEAN UNION COULD SIGN STABILISATION AND ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT BY END OF YEAR

BRUSSELS, Belgium (November 29,2007) – The Mostar Declaration and the Sarajevo Agreement could be the basis for initialing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) between Bosnia and the European Union.This was revealed by the EU Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn, as he met in Brussels with the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak.

Lajcak said, after a meeting with the European Parliament's Foreign Policy Council, that the goal of Bosnia is to continue integrating into the European Union.He confirmed his readiness to use his “authority as long as the political and institutional deadlock exists.”

Welcoming the willingness of the most influential political parties in Bosni to return to the EU agenda, Lajcak and Rehn stressed the need to normalize the political situation in the country and get back to work.

The International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak met with the European Commissioner for Enlargement as part of a one-day visit to the EU capital, where he also addressed the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.

The Action Plan agreed by party leaders in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo on 23 November builds on the Mostar declaration and is a further step in the right direction, but it is too early to provide an assessment of the process,Lajcak said.

“The objective must be to improve the political situation and focus on the reform agenda. Discussion, agreement and comprise is the European way”, Lajcak said following his meeting with Commissioner Rehn.

In his address to EU parliamentarians, Lajcak provided an assessment of the economic and political situation in Bosnia, arguing that the European integration process is the best way to reform the country’s systems of administration and government.

By failing to reach an agreement on police reform in September, political leaders in Bosnia rejected a commitment they made to the EU two years ago. It is in this context that the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak acted on 19 October to enhance the functionality of the Bosnian Government and Parliament.

“If there is no European process to improve the functionality of the Bosnian state, this can and must be addressed through the existing framework of the Dayton Peace Agreement,” Lajcak said.

The measures will enable the Bosnian Government and the legislature to tackle the huge backlog of business that must be dispatched to address Bosnia’s pressing social and economic needs, as well as the massive legislative agenda that accompanies EU integration, Lajcak said.

He also made clear that, as soon as Bosnia's political leaders start to resolve the political gridlock in Bosnia on their own, it will no longer be necessary for interventions by the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia,Lajcak said.

"The International Community is not just a bystander in the politics of Bosnia ; it has invested enormous financial and political capital in the rebuilding of the country and its institutions; it is a guarantor of the settlement that has maintained peace in the country for more than a decade, and it must show that it continues to take this duty seriously," the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak concluded.

BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ZELJKO KOMSIC MET WITH MEMBERS OF FRENCH PARLIAMENT

PARIS, France (November 29,2007) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic had a meeting in Paris,France, with members of the Bosnian and French Parliaments’ Group of Friendship.They exchanged opinions on the current political situation in Bosnia and in the region.

President Komsic talked about Bosnia’s determination to put in efforts to strengthen the entire scope of relationships between the two countries; starting with economy, politics, etc.

Commenting the current political situation in Bosnia, President Komsic said that the country is currently facing crisis and that the responsibility lies upon Bosnia's political leaders, for they are responsible, as bearers of parliamentary majority, to end the crisis.

President Komsic expressed support to the measures of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia and added that these measures are aimed at the strengthening of the Bosnian Government.

”The fact that Bosnia has been left out of the stabilization and association processes gave rise to a bitter feeling with the Bosnian citizens”, President Komsic emphasized and added that it is necessary for Bosnia to sign the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union under some milder conditions, like has recently been the case with Serbia.

President o the Group of Friendship, Member of Parliament Francois Lamy, as well as all other members of the French Parliament, including Patrick Bloche, a delegate from Paris, emphasized that Bosnia has a full support of France to enter the European Union and expressed understanding with the attitudes of the Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic on the need of an accelerated association of Bosnia to the EU.

President Komsic called his collocutors to be active bearers of all kinds of association and cooperation between Bosnia and France.

BOSNIAN STATE COURT JAILS SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL JADRANKO PALIJA FOR 28 YEARS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 29,2007) – A former member of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia,Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija has been sentenced by the Bosnian State Court to 28 years’ imprisonment for the participation in the mass murder of Bosnian civilians and the rape of one Bosnian woman during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija was found guilty yesterday by the Bosnian State Court of of having committed a series of crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Sanski Most area in the north-western part of Bosnia during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The specific charges against Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija included his participation in the mass murder of Bosnian civilians who had been taken by the genocidal Serbian aggressor from Begici hamlet, near Kljevci village, to a nearby bridge following an attack on May 31, 1992.

He was also found guilty of the rape of a Bosnian woman in summer 1992, and of torture of Bosnian and Croatian civilians between 1993-95.

Pronouncing the verdict, the presiding judge, Minka Kreho, said that the Bosnian State Court considered that the sentence "is adequate bearing in mind the consequences" of the defendant’s crimes.

Earlier, in his closing arguments, defence attorney Ranko Dakic denied the allegations contained in the indictment, and said the witnesses, in particular Raif Begic, who said he had survived the killings at Vrhpolje bridge, were unreliable.

The Bosnian State Court dismissed the defence claim.


Queuing for death, witness Raif Begic watched other Bosnian civilians being mass murdered. After saving his life by jumping into the river, he continued to watch the killings, Kreho said.

Bosnia's war crimes court was set up in 2005 to take over some of the workload of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

BOSNIAN STATE COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES ALLOCATED FUNDS FOR RECONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia (November 29,2007) – The Bosnian State Commission for Refugees and Displaced Persons passed a decision on allocation of the remaining funds aimed for the use in the projects of reconstruction in the last year and the funds approved for solving the problems of refugees in the amount of about 11 million Bosnian Marks for this year.

The Commission will ask the Bosnian Council of Ministers and the Bosnian Presidency to ensure the funds collected through the value added tax (VAT) for the reconstruction of devastated houses. The amount of money needed for that purpose is 600 million Bosnian Marks. Additional 400 million Bosnian Marks is needed for the purpose of ensuring a sustainable return.

President of the Commission Slavko Marin stated at a press conference after the session held in the northern Bosnian city of Banja Luka that the implementation of projects worth about 54.800.000 Bosnian Marks has been planned and that the total of 49,495,000 Bosnian Marks has been invested into the reconstruction of 2.199 homes.

Marin stated that a decision has been made on allocating the amount of 3,7 million Bosnian Marks for ensuring the reconstruction of homes for 150 families. The Development Bank partly supported the project aimed to solve the issues of families living in alternative centres.

The decisions adopted will become operative next week.

CEI MEMBER COUNTRIES' PRIME MINISTERS HELD A SUMMIT IN BULGARIA

SOFIA, Bulgaria (November 29,2007) – Heads of governments of the Central European Initiative (CEI) member countries held a meeting in Sofia,Bulgaria. That is the oldest regional initiative in this part of Europe. The main topic was regionalization of the Initiative.

Although announced, Bosnia's Prime Minister in resignation Nikola Spiric’s attendance did not take place. The Bosnian coordinator for Central European Initiative (CEI) Zlatko Dizdarevic addressed participants of the meeting on behalf of the Bosnian delegation.

He emphasized that Bosnia supports the future activities of the Initiative which is an efficient like between the nine CEI member countries that are only a part of the EU, but in different integration phases.

He emphasized the Bosnia’s readiness to continue putting in efforts which will result in overcoming of the interior problems in Bosnia, so that the country’s way to the EU membership is made faster.

The summit was resided by Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergej Stanisev. Bulgaria has ended the CEI presidency mandate and Moldova is to take over.

CEI member countries are Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia,Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova,Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia,Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.

AUSTRIA SUPPORTS HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 29,2007) – The Austrian government has been successfully implementing the project entitled “Support to the Higher Education in Bosnia”. The projects so far implemented are worth 1,5 million Bosnian Marks.

The project is financed through Austrian Development Cooperation and through the World University Service.Results will be officially presented in Sarajevo on November 30. The “Course Development Program +” (CDP+) and “eLearning-eContent Program” awards will be presented as well.

The Austrian Ambassador to Bosnia Werner Almhofer will present the awards to the most successful of students and will address the participants.In the two years of successful realization of the projects, 39 courses at all universities in Bosnia have been successfully modified and aligned with the Bologna Process.

The program worth 600.000 Bosnian Marks has been introduced as a measure of support in the process of aligning the Bosnian courses with the Bologna standards.

A COURT IN THE HAGUE RULES GENOCIDE SURVIVORS FROM SREBRENICA CAN SUE THE NETHERLANDS AND THE UNITED NATIONS

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands (November 28,2007) - Families of genocide victims from the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica have cleared a legal hurdle in their lawsuit against the Netherlands and the United Nations, which allowed the genocidal Serbian aggressor to mass murder thousands of Bosnian civilians, their lawyers said.

A court in the Hague ruled the case could proceed, dismissing pleas by the Dutch prosecutors that it should be dropped after the United Nations invoked its legal immunity and said it would not take part.

In 1995 the genocidal Serbian aggressor's forces massacred 10,000 Bosnian civilians from Srebrenica, a Bosnian town declared a safe area during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia and guarded by a Dutch army unit serving as part of a larger U.N. force in Bosnia.

Lawyer Marco Gerritsen, representing the genocide victims' families, said yesterday the court had supported their argument that the U.N. could not be granted automatic immunity.

"The U.N. has the duty to prevent genocide. An appeal to immunity in a case of genocide, as in the Srebrenica drama, is irreconcilable with the U.N.'s own objectives and its international obligations," he added in a statement.

The genocide victims' families launched the suit against the Netherlands and the U.N. in July, arguing the Dutch were to blame for the massacre because they refused crucial air support to their own troops defending the Bosnian town.

The Dutch U.N. soldiers abandoned the enclave instead to the genocidal Serbian aggressor who took away and mass murdered up to 10,000 Bosnian civilians who had relied on protection from the Dutch troops.

Former leaders of the Serbians living in Bosnia,Serbian war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, both wanted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague on genocide charges over Srebrenica, are still on the run.

Dismayed by the failure to bring to justice the two chief suspects, the genocide victims' families say they have turned to a Dutch court for recognition and redress for the tragedy.

The Dutch state has always said its troops were abandoned by the U.N. which gave them no air support, but public documents show a network of Dutch military officials within the U.N. blocked air support because they feared their soldiers could be hit by friendly fire, the genocide victims families' lawyers said.

"The Srebrenica women have got a fair chance to proceed against the United Nations," Bosnian lawyer Semir Guzin said.

LAJCAK ADDRESSED FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF EU PARLIAMENT

BRUSSELS, Belgium (November 28,2007) - The International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia, Miroslav Lajčák met with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn in Brussels, and addressed the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.

The European Parliament (EP) is the directly elected parliamentary body of the European Union (EU). Together with the Council of the European Union it forms the bicameral legislative branch of the European Union's institutions.

In his address to parliamentarians, Lajčák provided an assessment of the economic and political situation in Bosnia, and argued that the European integration process is the best way to reform the antiquated systems of the Bosnian administration and government.

“The European Union’s engagement with Bosnia, including its EUPM and EUFOR deployments, has been a success story, and in order to consolidate that success and build on it we must get the country’s political establishment to renew its focus on EU integration”, Lajčák said.

Lajcak also informed the European Parliament on his efforts to improve the functionality of the Bosnian state institutions.

Lajcak said that while the security situation in Bosnia remained stable, there has been little progress in trying to unite the country's ethnically divided police forces, a reform demanded by the European Union as a condition for closer ties.

In the late 1990s, Bosnia was one of the Balkan nations judged to be furthest along in efforts to join the EU. But it slid to rock bottom in 2007 because of a boycott by the political representatives of the Serbians living in Bosnia that has blocked EU-demanded reforms in the country.

Bosnia remains the only Southeastern European state without a pre-membership agreement with the European Union.

"For the time being there are no real prospects of restarting the process," Lajcak said. "If we do not act quickly and decisively, problems will spiral out of control. This is a lesson from the early '90s and one which is relevant for the present and for the future."

Bosnia has been overseen by an international administrator since the Dayton Peace Accords ended the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions.Lajcak, who took over in June, is seeking to create a stable Bosnian Government for all Bosnian citizens.

INDICTMENT AGAINST SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL JADRANKO PALIJA REVISED BY BOSNIAN STATE PROSECUTOR

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 28,2007) - The Bosnian State Prosecutor has revised the section of the indictment against Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija containing charges of war crimes against the Bosnian civilians.Some allegations have now been dismissed.

As the result of the revision, which was done during the hearing yesterday, the Bosnian State Prosecutor has removed part of clause 3 of the indictment, which charged Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija with forcing the Bosnian civilians to perform hard labour, causing starvation, confiscating and pillaging property, mass destruction and encroaching of property which was unlawful, arbitrary and unjustified by military needs.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor considers Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija responsible for war crimes against the Bosnian civilians committed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The charges include attacks on the Bosnian civilians and settlements,which resulted in death, severe bodily injuries or severe deterioration of health of many of them, as well as unselective attacks, which caused injuries to the Bosnian civilians.

The first two clauses contained in the indictment charge Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija with crimes against humanity. All criminal offences were allegedly committed on the territory of Sanski Most municipality in the period from 1992 to end 1995,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia, when the indictee was member of the genocidal Serbian aggressor's forces.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor introduced the changes after the Trial Chamber of the Bosnian State Court had pointed out that some parts of the indictment were not defined in a clear way.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor Dzemila Begic explained that the Prosecution would express itself concerning all other remarks during its closing arguments.

The Prosecution completed its evidence presentation process by introducing the changes in the indictment and presenting additional pieces of material evidence. The defence has also finalised its evidence presentation process by examining witness Zeljko Bajak.

Bajak said he did not hear about the mass murder of the Bosnian civilians in Sanski Most in the period from 1992 to 1995. He also said that there was a check-point at the road leading out of the town, where he and Palija were on duty occasionally, as military policemen "who were exclusively in charge of soldiers, not civilians".

During his testimony, Bajak described Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija as "a big man, somewhat chubby", but he said that he never saw him after the war and he was not sure if he would be able to recognise him.

During his testimony, the witness did not look at the indictee. However, on his way out he looked at him and greeted him, which was noticed by Chairwoman Minka Kreho.

Answering the chairwoman's questions, the witness said that there were no military actions in Sanski Most and that there was some shooting, "but only when people got drunk and celebrated". He also said that he never heard that any Bosnian civilians were murdered, that their houses were set to fire or that anyone was forced to escape from the town.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor is due to present its closing arguments on November 28. According to the current timetable, the defence should present its closing arguments on November 29.

A FOCA CONCENTRATION CAMP SURVIVOR TESTIFIED AT TRIAL OF SERBIAN WAR CRIMINALS SAVO TODOVIC AND MITAR RASEVIC

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 28,2007) - Protected prosecution witness,a Foca concentration camp survivor, stated before the Bosnian State Court yesterday to have been taken to the Foca concentration camp by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in April 1992,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia, and to have been held in the Foca concentration camp for four months.

"Prisoners would be taken out for examinations and they never came back. This happened at night. They were taken away by the guards. After that, we would hear shooting and that was it. Execution. We called them 'the black nights'," the witness recalled.

Serbian war criminals Mitar Rasevic and Savo Todovic are charged, on the basis of individual and command responsibility, with having committed crimes against Bosnian civilians detained by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in the Foca concentration camp. The Bosnian State Prosecutor considers that Rasevic was guard commander, while Todovic was deputy concentration camp commander.

On August 31, 1992, the witness was taken by the Serbian aggressor, "together with more than 50" other Bosnian civilians, "for exchange in the direction of Montenegro".

"They first took us all out and then returned us to one room. A policeman holding a list in his hand came and called out half of the people in the room, mainly the young ones. The rest of us were taken to Montenegro by bus. I do not know what happened with the first group of people. Only those who took them away know that," the witness said.

The indictment alleges that, at the end of August 1992, Serbian war criminal Savo Todovic "personally saw off 55 prisoners". The indictment further alleges that, the following day, a group of 35 elderly and sick Bosnian civilians was taken by the gnocidal Serbian aggressor to Montenegro, while the remaining 20 "were taken in an unknown direction".

The Bosnian State Prosecutor announced that it would examine an additional witness, "who is not able to appear before the court at present". This witness' statement will refer to Serbian war criminal Savo Todovic.

Although the Prosecution proposed to examine two more witnesses, the Trial Chamber of the Bosnian State Court sustained the defence's objection and therefore refused the proposal, explaining that the testimonies of those witnesses "are not interesting and relevant at this stage".

As per a decision made by the Trial Chamber, Serbian war criminal Mitar Rasevic's defence team is expected to start presenting evidence at the next hearing, scheduled on December 4.

His Defence attorney Slavisa Prodanovic announced that he was planning to present evidence for three days and that he intended to begin the evidence presentation by examining the indictee.

TRIAL OF SERBIAN WAR CRIMINALS ZELJKO MEJAKIC,MOMCILO GRUBAN,DUSAN FUSTAR AND DUSKO KNEZEVIC POSTPONED

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 28,2007) - The trial of Serbian war criminals Zeljko Mejakic, Momcilo Gruban, Dusan Fustar and Dusko Knezevic charged with crimes committed in the Omarska and Keraterm concentration camps,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia, has been postponed because the Defence teams and the Bosnian State Prosecutor are not adequately prepared yet.

The case has been put on hold because the Defence attorneys have not submitted its proposed list of evidence to the Trial Chamber of the Bosnian State Court.

"We cannot continue with the main trial today, because we have been informed that the Prosecution has not arranged for translation of all transcripts which will be presented as material evidence. Also, the Defence teams have not provided us with the list of evidence they intend to present. Earlier on, the Bosnian State Court asked the Defence teams to formulate their evidence," the Trial Chamber Chairman Saban Maksumic said yesterday.

The Trial Chamber has asked the Defence teams to submit the list of their proposed material evidence and the list of witnesses they would like to examine by Tuesday, December 4 at the latest.

Serbian war criminals Zeljko Mejakic, Momcilo Gruban, Dusan Fustar and Dusko Knezevic are charged with having committed murder, beating, rape and torture of Bosnian and Croatian civilians detained by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in Omarska and Keraterm concentration camps in 1992.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor pointed out that the transcripts containing statements of all witnesses given before the Bosnian State Court - "except witness K010" - have been translated and submitted to the Defence.

"This morning, the Prosecution received the translation of the remaining statement. The document is being copied at the moment and we shall hand it over to the defence after the hearing. All other transcripts were mailed to the defence. We also sent them to the indictees in the detention units," said Kidd.

Attorney Vinko Kondic reiterated that the proposed list of evidence was submitted to the Bosnian State Court by Serbian war criminal Momcilo Gruban's defence team. The attorneys of the other three Serbian war criminals said that they would submit their lists at a later stage.

Serbian war criminal Dusko Knezevic's defence has halted the preparation of the evidence list because they still have not received all transcripts from the Bosnian State Prosecutor.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor started presenting its evidence against the four Serbian war criminals in February 2007. So far, it has examined more than 40 witnesses and presented more than 190 pieces of material evidence.

The trial is due to continue on Friday, November 30.

NEW EUFOR COMMANDER TO TAKE OVER COMMAND ON DECEMBER 4

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 28,2007) - The European Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR) confirmed that the Rear Admiral Hans-Jochen Witthauer will complete his term as Commander of EUFOR on 4 December.

He will hand over command of EUFOR to General de Division Ignacio Martín Villalaín of the Spanish Army during a ceremony on the same day.

There will be opportunities for the press to talk to both the incoming and outgoing Commanders. EUFOR also expects that certain senior representatives of the European Union, German and Spanish Governments will also be present at various press conferences, EUFOR said.

SDA PARTY SUPPORTS INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S HIGH REPRESENTATIVES IN BOSNIA MIROSLAV LAJCAK

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 27,2007) – The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) Main Board supports the International community's High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak and the Bonn Powers in full capacity,the party officials said. They refused the current initiative for annulment of the Bonn Powers.The SDA Main Board expressed concerns at the session over the current political situation in Bosnia. The officials called all the relevant political forces to solve the artificially-caused crisis through dialogue and responsibility. SDA party officials are of the opinion that certain political representatives of the Serbians living in Bosnia have caused the crisis.

The SDA Party greeted the efforts made by the International Community to bring Bosnia a step closer to the European integrations. They also greeted all the efforts made by the international officials to make Bosnia more efficient and in that sense, the SDA party officials stated that the High Representative’s measures are a necessity.

The Main Board obliged the Party Presidency to make a special analysis of the security situation in Bosnia and in that sense offer concrete suggestions at a special session.

The SDA Party urged Bosnians in Sandzak and Serbia to stop the conflicts.It has been stated that unity of the Bosnians and Islamic Community must not be put into question for the purpose of achieving some selfish personal interests of some politicians.

The SDA Party Main Board accepted the information presented by the party President Sulejman Tihic on the current political situation in Bosnia.

The Board also adopted the Decision on Organization of the SDA Party Association of Women and the Resolution on the Bosnian Language.

The Board passed several special conclusions related to the overall situation in the refugee, displaced persons and returnee sector.

It has been stated that the full implementation of the Annex 7 of the Dayton agreement cannot be made possible until the last displaced person is back home.

EXHIBITION "JAJCE - THE ROYAL TOWN" OPENED IN PARIS

PARIS, France (November 27,2007) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic opened yesterday in Paris,France, at the UNESCO headquarters an exhibition entitled “Jajce – the Royal Town”, organized as a part of the activities in the process of nomination of the Bosnian town of Jajce to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura was present at the opening.

Visitors will be able to see numerous characteristics of this old Bosnian royal town, situated on the Vrbas and Pliva rivers’ banks. Twenty Bosnian national monuments are located there. 21 meters high waterfall is located at the very centre of Jajce and has been ranked 12th at the list of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls.

The Bosnian Royal Coat Of Arms will be presented at the exhibition, as well as some other historical monuments.

Jajce used to be the capital of the medieval Bosnian Kingdom.The town was the residence of the Bosnian Kings during the 15th century. The Bosnian King Stjepan Tomasevic was crowned there in 1461.

The first initiative for listing Jajce to the UNESCO World Heritage List originates form the year of 1979. The initiative was revived in 2005 and on February 1 2007, the Nomination File has been submitted to the UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

The Bosnian Presidency sponsors the exhibition.

TRIAL OF SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL MILORAD TRBIC,CHARGED WITH GENOCIDE,TO CONTINUE TODAY BEFORE BOSNIAN STATE COURT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 27,2007) - At the trial before the Bosnian State Court of Serbian war criminl Milorad Trbic, former member of the genocidal paramilitary forces of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS), the first prosecution witnesses are due to appear today, November 27.

Serbian war criminal Milorad Trbic is indicted for genocide committed against the Bosnian civilians in the Srebrenica region,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia,The trial will continue over the following day as well.

Also,the trial of Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija, charged with having committed crimes in Sanski Most, is to be completed this week before the Bosnian State Court, after the prosecution and defence present their closing arguments. These will be presented at the hearings scheduled for today and on November 28 and 29.
The trial of Serbian war criminals Zdravko Bozic, Mladen Blagojevic, Zeljko Zaric and Zoran Zivanovic continues today before the Bosnian State Court, when the prosecution is due to continue presenting material evidence.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor charges Serbian war criminals Zdravko Bozic, Mladen Blagojevic, Zeljko Zaric and Zoran Zivanovic, former members of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS), with responsibility for detention and mass murder of the Bosnian civilians in the eastern Bosnian town of Bratunac in July 1995,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

Also,the Bosnian State Prosecutor will continue presenting its evidence before the Bosnian State Court today against Serbian war criminals Mitar Rasevic and Savo Todovic, former members of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS), indicted for crimes committed against Bosnian civilians in the Foca concentration camp from 1992 to 1994.

As announced at the last hearing, the Bosnian State Prosecutor will finalise the evidence presentation at the trial of Serbian war criminals Zeljko Mejakic, Momcilo Gruban, Dusan Fustar and Dusko Knezevic, who are charged with having committed crimes against humanity in the Bosnian city of Prijedor in 1992. The indictees are due to appear before the Bosnian State Court today and and on Friday, November 30.

The trial of Croatian war criminal Pasko Ljubicic is due to continue on November 28, when new prosecution witnesses will appear.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor charges Croatian war criminal Pasko Ljubicic in his former capacity as commander of the Croatian aggressor's formations, which also included the "Jokers" Squad.

The indictment alleges that Croatian war criminal Pasko Ljubicic planned and ordered the attack on Bosnian towns of Vitez and Busovaca and the surrounding villages during the Croatian aggression against Bosnia in the early 1990's.

On that same day, and also on November 29, the defence teams of the 11 Serbian war criminals charged with genocide committed in the village of Kravica near the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica will continue presenting their evidence.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor charges the 11 former members of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia with involvement in the mass murder of more than 1,000 Bosnian civilians in the eastern Bosnian village of Kravica. The indictment alleges that those Bosnian civilians were captured and taken away by the genocidal Serbian aggressor on July 13, 1995.

On November 28 and 30, Croatian war criminals Marko Radic, Dragan Sunjic, Damir Brekalo and Mirko Vracevic ,charged with having committed crimes in the Vojno concentration camp near the southern Bosnian city of Mostar,during the Croatian aggression against Bosnia in the early 1990's, are due to appear before the Bosnian State Court. Two more prosecution witnesses will be examined first.

The trial of Croatian war criminal Zdravko Mihaljevic, charged with mass murder of the Bosnian civilians from the Tulice village near Kiseljak is due to continue on Thursday, November 29.

The indictment alleges that Croatian war criminal Zdravko Mihaljevic was commander of the Croatian aggressor's "Maturice" Special Purposes Squad. The Bosnian State Prosecutor considers that he participated in the attack on the Bosnian village of Tulice and that he participated in the mass murder of Bosnian civilians in that village on June 12, 1993.

BOSNIANS CELEBRATED 25TH OF NOVEMBER,BOSNIAN NATIONAL DAY

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 26,2007) – The Bosnian Associations of WWII Veterans (SABNOR) organised a formal academy in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo to celebrate the 25th of November,the Bosnian National Day,and the 64 anniversary of the Bosnian State Anti-Fascist Council of People's Liberation (ZAVNOBiH).

ZAVNOBIH (Bosnian: Zemaljsko Antifašističko Vijeće Narodnog Oslobođenja Bosne i Hercegovine) was formed in November 1943.

A member of the Bosnian Presidency Haris Silajdžić and a delegation of the city of Sarajevo yesterday laid flowers at appropriate monuments.

The FBIH Entity Prime Minister Nedzad Brankovic congratulated the 25th of November,the Bosnian National Day to all Bosnian citizens.

”This day has symbolized wish and will of all the peoples of Bosnia for the country to be sovereign, since November 25 1943. Today, 64 years after that event, we all have the responsibility of preserving those qualities and together build a better and a happier future”, Brankovic said.

He expressed a wish that “marking of this holiday strengthens the conviction that there is no other way to the formation of the Bosnian democracy in which every individual will enjoy all the benefits of the human and civic rights”.

BRITISH QUEEN CONGRATULATED BOSNIAN NATIONAL DAY TO BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 26,2007) – Her Royal Highness the British Queen Elisabeth the Second congratulated the 25th of November,the Bosnian National Day,to the Bosnian Presidency members.

”It is my pleasure to congratulate the Bosnian National Day to your Excellencies. It is my wish that the people of Bosnia prosper in 2008”, Queen Elisabeht the Second said.

INITIATIVE LAUNCHED FOR ICTY ARCHIVE TO BE LOCATED IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 26,2007) - Sarajevo Mayor Semiha Borovac has launched an initiative for the ICTY archive to be located in Bosnia.

Borovac informed the Advisory Commission for Archives of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) members Eric Ketelaar and Cécile Aptel about this initiative.

Borovac said that this initiative has been also forwarded to the Bosnian Presidency, which is expected to support it on behalf of the state.

BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY MEMBERS MET WITH DELEGATION OF ICTY ADVISORY COMMISSION

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 26,2007) - The Bosnian Presidency member Haris Silajdzic and Nebojsa Radmanovic, together with Head of the Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic’s Cabinet Amir Ibrovic, met in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo with a delegation of the Advisory Commission for Archives of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

The delegation of the ICTY Advisory Commission for Archives stressed that the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda should complete their work by 2010 and that the reason why the Advisory Commission has been established was to find a solution for archiving ICTY documents.

The ICTY has a vast archive and it will be needed even after 2010 by the domestic judiciary and other judicial structures in the world. Furthermore, its role is to serve history and reconciliation after everything that has happened.

Head of BiH the Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic’s Cabinet Amir Ibrovic informed the delegation about the position of the Bosnian President that the entire ICTY archive needs to be transferred to Bosnia, both for ethical and practical reasons.

A member of the Bosnian Presidency Haris Silajdzic said that the visit by the ICTY delegation is important because besides carrying an important judicial role the archives also carry another important role, namely truth.

He said that Sarajevo is the natural place for archiving ICTY document and that there will be many opportunities to make the archives available to judicial structures. Silajdzic said that for the purpose of truth, as well as researching history, the archive should be in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

A member of the Bosnian Presidency Nebojsa Radmanovic thinks that a large responsibility rests with the Advisory Commission because the archive is of different origin and he thinks that expert persons from the Court and the Commission will reach the final decision.

BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ZELJKO KOMSIC MET WITH PRESIDENTS OF CROATIA, MONTENEGRO AND MACEDONIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 26,2007) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic met in Dubrovnik,Croatia,with the Presidents of Croatia, Montenegro and Macedonia.

The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic and the Croatian President Stjepan Mesic think that the time has come when the new Governments in Croatia and Bosnia need to approach the resolution of outstanding issues that burden relations between the two countries, including ending the work on defining the border, reaching and agreement of property-legal relations, Port Ploce, common traffic infrastructure and other issues.

Mesic reiterated the determination of Croatia as a guarantor of the Dayton Agreement to fight for the territorial integrity and independence of Bosnia.He criticised attempts at destabilising the situation in Bosnia and expressed confidence that the current political crisis will soon be ended.

The President of Montenegro Filip Vujanovic expressed satisfaction with the high level of relations between Bosnia and Montenegro.He said that there is full agreement between the two countries at the political levels and that there are no outstanding issues.

Vujanovic repeated that the connection between Montenegro and Bosnia by road infrastructures and the use of Port Bar by Bosnia are becoming one of the priorities of his country.

The Montenegrin President informed the Bosnian President about how he sees the development of his country in the upcoming period and on the road to Europe.

President Komsic stressed the interest of Bosnia in strengthening overall relations with Montenegro.He underlined the interest of Bosnia's railways in building a railway from Capljina to Niksic, which would accelerate the flow of goods to Port Bar.

The Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski said during talks with the Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic that bilateral agreements that are already in procedure need to be accelerated.

He said that there are still no real steps towards expanding economic cooperation and that the two friendly countries have no outstanding issues in their relations.

He underlined the need for intensive dialogue with Bosnia and countries and the region and invited President Komsic to visit Macedonia.

The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic, together with the Presidents of Croatia, Montenegro and Macedonia, took part in the Southeastern European Economic Forum in Dubrovnik,Croatia.

PODZIC AND ENGLISH DISCUSSED DEFENCE REFORM IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 26,2007) – The Commander of the Bosnian Army Colonel General Sifet Podzic met with the U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia Charles English in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

They discussed the process of defence reform in Bosnia.

Ambassador English expressed strong support of the United States for the Bosnian Army and Bosnia's road towards joining Euro-Atlantic structures and NATO.

He also offered the continuation of assistance for the Bosnian Army on fulfilling obligations it has accepted as a member of the Partnership for Peace and for the rapid achievement of standards that will move the Bosnian Army closer to NATO.

Podzic thanked the U.S. Government and U.S. Army for the assistance provided so far and stressed that the activities of the Bosnian Army in the upcoming period need to be directed towards further reforms and that all assistance on the road towards achieving NATO standards is welcome.

BOSNIAN STATE PROSECUTOR RAISED INDICMENT AGAINST SERBIAN WAR CRIMINALS RATKO BUNDALO,NEDJO ZELJAJA AND DJORDJISLAV ASKRABA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 26,2007) – The Bosnian State Prosecutor has filed an indictment against Serbian war criminals Ratko Bundalo, Nedjo Zeljaja and Djordjislav Askraba, who are suspected to have committed crimes against humanity in Kalinovik municipality during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The indictment has been forwarded to the Bosnian State Court for confirmation.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor considers that, from April 1992 to March 1993,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia,Serbian war criminals Ratko Bundalo, Nedjo Zeljaja and Djordjislav Askraba took part "in a joint criminal enterprise and planned, initiated, abetted and assisted in the deportation" of Bosnian civilians from the Kalinovik area by "committing murders, torture, detention, rape, forcible disappearance and arbitrary mass destruction of property".

The indictment alleges that, at the time the crimes were committed,Serbian war criminals were members of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS) while Serbian war criminal Djordjislav Askraba supervised the "Barutni magacin" concentration camp, in which 85 Bosnian civilians were detained by the genocidal Serbian aggressor. Only two of them survived.

The Bosnian State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) arrested Zeljaja on August 28 this year. Askraba was arrested on August 29, while Bundalo was arrested two days later.

BOSNIAN STATE PROSECUTOR RAISED INDICTMENT AGAINST SERBIAN WAR CRIMINALS MIRKO PEKEZ, MILORAD SAVIC AND MIRKO PEKEZ

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 26,2007) – The Bosnian State Prosecutor raised indictment against Serbian war criminals Mirko (Spiro) Pekez (1966), Milorad (Ljupko) Savic (1970) and Mirko (Mile) Pekez (1965).

The indictment, which has been submitted to the Bosnian State Court for confirmation, charges Serbian war criminals Mirko Pekez,Milorad Savic and Mirko Pekez with having committed war crimes against Bosnian civilians in the Bosnian town of Jajce in 1992.

They have been indicted of murdering 23 Bosnian civilians and causing injuries to 4 Bosnian civilians,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The Bosnian State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) arrested the three Serbian war criminals on October 30. Two days later, a two-month custody was ordered for them.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor considers that three more Serbian war criminals are responsible for these crimes. A warrant has been issued to arrest them.

STRATEGY FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF ANNEX 7 OF DAYTON AGREEMENT TO BE REVISED

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 24,2007) – The Bosnian Human Rights and Refugees Minister Safet Halilovic stated at a press conference in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo that the Bosnian State Strategy for Implementation of the Annex 7 of the Dayton Agreement needs to be revised.

The Annex 7 concerns the return of all the refugees and displaced persons to their homes.The strategy needs to be revised, for 12 years past the signing of the Dayton Agreement, there is a lot more to be done. A lot more money is needed to achieve the final goal, which is that all the refugees and displaced persons return home. This is the first time that the issue of financial compensation for the persons whose property was destroyed is considered.

”The Bosnian Human Rights and Refugees Ministry and UNESCO are cooperating in the process of revising the Dayton Agreement Annex 7 Implementation Strategy, for the purpose of fulfilment of all the goals set. They will also cooperate with the department entity institutions and with the international organizations and civil sector representatives in Bosnia," Halilovic said.

"A special action plan for the revision of Strategy has been developed. It defines the way in which all the relevant institutions, both domestic and foreign, both governmental and non-governmental are involved in the process of finding a solution and taking all the measures necessary to implement the Annex 7. It is a very complex fact. Participation of about 70 governmental and non-governmental institutions has been planned”, Halilovic stated at a press conference.

”UNHCR remains dedicated to the supervision and offering support to the implementation of the Annex 7 of the Dayton Agreement. There is a lot more to be done prior to creating conditions for all Bosnian citizens to access the rights provided by the Annex 7”, the UNHCR official Hussaina Naveeda said.

After the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia ended, Bosnia faced with about 2,2 million refugees and displaced persons, which makes about 55 per cent of the pre-war population, which counted 4,3 million people.

Of about 1,2 million apartment units in the private and social ownership, about 445.000 apartments were torn down during the war. Additional 211.000 apartments now have new owners.

Communal and social infrastructure was almost completely destroyed. About 4 per cent of the state territory was under mines.

An enormous number of the people killed, the number of veteran and civil invalids, destroyed and separated families are only some of the realities Bosnia needed to face with after signing of the Dayton Agreement in 1995.

Some UNHCR date states that the number of returnees registered so far is 1.025.000. Most of them, over a half, returned in the first three years after the war ended.

In the first years after signing of the Dayton Agreement, the return processes were coordinated by the International Community.

In 2002, the Bosnian Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees developed the Strategy for Implementation of the Annex 7 of the Dayton Agreement.The Strategy was adopted in 2003 and was the first frame document which defined the goals and needs of the action reform aimed to implement the reforms needed for implementation of one of the most important annexes of the Dayton Agreement.

”The Bosnian Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees is determined to cooperate with other relevant institutions, primarily with the UNHCR so that the Annex 7 is fully implemented. The process must not end until the last refugee or displaced person is back to his or her home”, Minister Safet Halilovic said.

NATO AND EUFOR SEARCHED HOMES OF SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL RADOVAN KARADZIC'S SUPPORTERS IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 24,2007) – The European Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR) and NATO troops searched for leads on the Serbian most wanted war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, in homes of his supporters in Bosnia.

According to Major David Fielder, the spokesman for the European Union Force in Bosnia, troops began the search simultaneously at 5 a.m. yesterday at the homes of Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic's wife and children, looking for evidence that may reveal his whereabouts.

Former leaders of the Serbians living in Bosnia,Serbian war criminals Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic were indited by the UN war Crimes tribunal for genocide and other crimes they committed in Bosnia during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

Serbian war criminal Ratko Mladic is believed to be hiding in Serbia,protected by Serbia's fascist government.There have been no signs of Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic's location for years.

Due to a network of supporters who keep financing and otherwise facilitating their hiding, numerous bootless raids and manhunts have resulted the Serbian war criminals' evasion of justice for the last 11 years.

Yesterday’s action by international and local law enforcement forces demonstrates that combined action aimed at undermining the networks that support fugitive persons indicted for war crimes remains both relevant and necessary,” said the International Community's Principal Deputy High Representative in Bosnia Raffi Gregorian.

The Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) welcomed and fully supported the search of premises belonging to Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic's family members : Ljiljana Karadzic, Sonja Karadzic, Sasa Karadzic, Branislav Jovicevic and Ranko Cicovic.

Gregorian noted that Bosnia as well as OHR, the U.S. and EU have all enacted a variety of sanctions aimed at these persons because of their involvement in the support network.

"The capture of war crimes suspects through undermining their criminal support networks remains one of the key tasks for the International Community in Bosnia,” the Gregorian said.

“EUFOR’s and NATO’s roles here in Bosnia remain key for justice and for this country’s long term security and stability but equally important is the involvement of local law enforcement agencies,” he said.

Full cooperation with the ICTY remains a Dayton requirement and also has a direct bearing on Bosnia’s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures.


An Italian carabinieri serving with the European Union Force (EUFOR) in Bosnia guards the home of Ljiljana Zelen-Karadzic, the wife of former leader of the Serbians living in Bosnia,Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic, in his wartime stronghold of Pale, near the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, November 23, 2007.

NEW PERSONNEL JOINED EUFOR'S POLICE UNIT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 24,2007) – The Europenan Union Force in Bosnia (EUFOR) announced that the Integrated Police Unit (IPU) based at Butmir Camp and which is one of the key components of EUFOR has received new personnel in the Headquarters from elements of the European Gendarmerie Force (EGF).

"EUFOR welcomes this enhancement to the IPU capabilities and now that the mandate has also been extended for another year EUFOR and Bosnia can look forward to continuing the progressive work towards European integration whilst ensuring the safe and stable environment," EUFOR said.

The EGF is a multinational initiative of Dutch, French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish Police Forces with military status. Its aim is to reinforce International Community capabilities on police missions. This event strengthens the capability of the IPU that has been part of EUFOR since 1 January 2005 and adds to the nationalities that already provide manpower and equipment.

Next to the five EGF Member States already mentioned Hungary, Romania and Turkey also participate in the IPU by providing manpower and equipment essential to conducting IPU tasks.

As a crucial asset of EUFOR the IPU has inherent information gathering and preventative orientation capabilities, and, under EGF management, will continue to contribute to the safe and secure environment through assisting in the maintenance of public order and supporting the civilian implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace.

In particular, the IPU, upon request can support the Bosnian police in technical investigations and cooperate during execution of special activities. Furthermore the specialized element is capable to perform information gathering activities; crime analysis and investigation; search operations, document exploitation and escort operations.

The commander of the EUFOR IPU remains as Italian Carabinieri Colonel Giovanni Pietro Barbano who took over the role on 1 August 2007.

SDH NETWORK SUCCESSFULLY INSTALLED IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 24,2007) – Bosnia has now become one of the most advanced European countries related to the introduction of an independent and highly-sophisticated system of telecommunications owned by one or several state institutions. This was stated in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo by the Head of Delegation of the European Commission to Bosnia Dimitris Kourkoulas who attended the ceremony of introduction of the SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) network in Bosnia, which connects the Bosnian security and judiciary institutions and the Bosnian law implementing agencies.

Kourkoulas talked about the project which was financed by the EU in the amount of 3,1 million Euros.

”Implementation of this project was a challenge in technical, legal and political sense”, Ambassador Kourkoulas said and added that it is also a proof that there is political will present in Bosnia and that the country can face all the challenges of the 21st century.

The Bosnian Civil Affairs Minister Sredoje Novic talked about this system ownd by CIPS (Citizen Identification Protection System).The system enables a fast, reliable and efficient data exchange, as well as the exchange of images, pictures and sound. He said that once the SDH network is implemented in full capacity, 400.000 Bosnian Marks will be saved. That is the same amount of money used of the expenses of renting the links from the telecom operators.

He added that 2,3 million Bosnian have been ensured by the Budget through the CIPS direction, aimed to implement the project.

Head of the CIPS Project Implementation Direction Sinisa Macan talked about the technical characteristics of the network. He emphasized that precise rules and procedures for the users of the network are yet to be determined.

He said that it is the wireless communication structured on the basis of the radio relay system which can be advanced.

The network is a closed system outside the Internet. It functions in certain spectrum of frequencies designed for that purpose.

EUROPEAN UNION TO INVEST 3.5 BILLION EUROS IN SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE BY 2011

DUBROVNIK, Croatia (November 24,2007) – The European Union will allocate 3.5 billion Euros as admission support to the states of the Southeastern Europe until 2011 in order to support their mutual cooperation and access to EU, declared an EC official at the Regional Forum in Dubrovnik,Croatia.

“European Commission (EC) is here to encourage the region to remain on the road of Euro-integrations”, said the deputy manager of the Direction of European Commission for Enlargement, Jan Truszczynski, at the Regional Economic Forum of Southeast Europe.

“There is no guarantee that matters in the region will go on better than before. But it is certain that it is a political priority of EU and EC”, he said.

At the Forum which was held for the fourth time, about 160 politicians are taking part, business people, and scientists from eight states of the region, over the 2 days discussed economic cooperation and adoption of standards for access to EU.

The participants of the Forum,held in Palace Hotel in Dubrovnik, were joined by presidents of Croatia, Stjepan Mesić; Albania, Barmi Topi, Montenegro, Filip Vujanović; Macedonia, Branko Crvenkovski; and the Bosnian President, Željko Komšić.

Bulgaria was represented by the Bulgarian Minister of Economy, Petar Dimitrov, and Romania by adviser of Romani's Prime Minister, Constantin Ciupage.

President of the Regional Economic Forum, Bogić Bogićević, expressed his hope that heads of the states, businessmen, and scientists will bring closer their stands on adoption of European standards at the Forum, envisaged as a non-institutional framework for exchange of ideas, which could contribute to speeding up of integration of the Southeastern Europe into the European Union.

“The states of the region have no alternative, therefore we say with good reason that EU is our common home”, said Bogićević.

BUTMIR TRAINING CENTRE ADDED TO NATO LIST

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 24,2007) – NATO Secretary General informed the ambassadors of the NATO member states and ambassadors of the states who participate in the NATO programs on the decision that the Training Centre Butmir near the Bosnian capital Sarajevo is added to the NATO list of training centres.

The decision made the Butmir camp one of the 15 verified training centres which are a part of NATO’s Partnership for Peace Programme (PFP).

This will enable the development of the centre and participation in all kinds of activities of the civil and military representatives of 49 states.

In this way, Bosnia is considered a country capable of contributing the international peace and security.

The Bosnian Defence Ministry, initiated by the positive marks of NATO school based in Germany on professionalism and high standards achieved at the Butmir camp, started an initiative in July at NATO which resulted in signing of a memorandum on academic cooperation and a positive mark by the NATO Secretary General.

The Butmir Training Centre was formed in April 2005 through partnership of 12 countries, including the United States.

The camp’s mission is to ensure the internationally recognized training and education for the young officers based on the internationally accepted doctrine of peace support operations.

LEADERS OF MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES IN BOSNIA ADOPTED PLAN TO RESOLVE CRISIS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 23,2007) - The heads of Bosnia's most influential political parties discussed yesterday police reform vital to moving forward the country's bid to get EU membership.

The International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak, demanded a change in voting rules in the Bosnian Government to try to end frequent political deadlock by reducing the number of ministers needed to vote on laws.

After more than seven hours of discussion,Bosnia's politicians adopted what they termed "the Sarajevo Action Plan", reflecting their goodwill to work seriously to solving of the political crisis in Bosnia.

According to the agreement, both chambers of the Bosnian State Parliament should convene next week to discuss the new Standing Orders of the Parliament, and then open the process of nominating the new Bosnian Prime Minister.

Also,leaders of the most influential political parties in Bosnia agreed to continue to work on the Mostar Declaration, signed a month ago in the southern Bosnian city of Mostar to set a platform for final negotiations on police reform.

"We have made a step forward in relation to the police reform and this step could be decisive for the European Union to allow Bosnia initial the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA)", said Sulejman Tihic, head of the Party for Democratic Action (SDA).

The failure to agree on how to reform Bosnia's ethnically separate police forces, a key condition for the EU membership, has left Bosnia the only country in the Southeastern Europe without any formal agreement with the European Union.

Political representatives of the Serbians living in Bosnia said there would be no formal agreement on the measures until the crisis was resolved.

"We have discussed the actual situation but still do not have a definite answer," said Milorad Dodik,the Prime Minister of the genocidal Serbian creature in Bosnia (RS), adding the agreement on the police reform could not become effective until the voting issue was resolved.

The most influential political leaders in Bosnia agreed to meet again on Tuesday and try to clinch a compromise deal on the voting system. Lajcak has told them to also streamline voting in the Bosnian Parliament by December 1, otherwise he would impose his decision on it.

Bosnia's Prime Minister Nikola Spiric's resignation further complicated the situation. The parliament majority is unlikely to agree on a new prime minister-designate, opening the prospect of new elections that could derail reforms.

Serbians living in Bosnia fear the changes could lead to the end of their genocidal creature in Bosnia (RS). Their political representatives said if the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak doesn't withdraw the proposal, they will all resign from their posts in the Bosnian Government.

But,the U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia Charles English warned them on Wednesday that opposition to Lajcak would only hurt those who oppose him.

"Do not challenge the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia. A challenge to him is a challenge to the United States," Ambassador English said.

ENGLISH: DAYTON AGREEMENT MUST BE REFORMED

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 23,2007) – The U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia Charles English said, on the occasion of the 12th anniversary since the signing of the Dayton Agreement, that this document must be reformed to provide for a functional Bosnian state necessary for Bosnia's self-sustaining path to Euro-Atlantic integration.

“As we look back from this vantage point today, we must understand that Dayton was a document of its time. It was a remarkable accomplishment, but all parties understood it was, in and of itself, incomplete”, Ambassador English said speaking at the “Open Thoughts” panel debate organised in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo on the 12th anniversary of the Dayton Agreement.

“Despite its limitations, Dayton has allowed slow and steady progress towards the goal, which was articulated by Secretary Rice and shared by us all: Bosnia firmly and irrevocably incorporated into the family of Euro-Atlantic nations”, the U.S. Ambassador said.

However, he warned that hard work of twelve years is being undermined by a return to the failed and empty strategies of division.

“This cannot be allowed to happen.You must defend the hard won achievements and demand more from your leaders.This is the only way forward”, Ambassador English said.

The U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia Charles English said that at the core of any functional democracy is the ability of various interest groups to reach compromise that allows the country to move forward.

“This country is being tested on this ability, and it is failing.Police reform, more than simply an initiative to reorganize security structures, was an opportunity for your leaders to demonstrate their ability to come to grips with difficult political choices and compromise on issues of substantive importance”, he said.

The blame for this failure, according to Ambassador English, falls equally on all political parties and leaders n Bosnia.The hollow rhetoric of ethnic division that has shaped the political debate in this country since last year’s elections has lead to its inevitable outcome: national paralysis that builds nothing but mistrust and fear.No political party or ethnic bloc is exempt from the responsibility for this setback,he said.

"Let me be clear.We recognize that this is a society that has been beset with fear and suspicion. The United States accepts its responsibility, as part of the broader international community, to do its part to assuage those fears and to promote a climate where all citizens feel secure and empowered in any corner of this country," English said.

"We will do our part to support the checks and balances necessary within government to ensure that the country continues to move forward. That’s why we so strongly support the High Representative’s October 19 measures.They are designed to facilitate decision making in state-level institutions, which is critical to your country’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations," the U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia Charles English said.

OHR WELCOMES EXTENTION OF EUFOR MANDATE IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 23,2007) - The Office of the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia (OHR) welcomes the UN Security Council decision to extend the mandate of the European Union Force (EUFOR) in Bosnia,the OHR stated.

This decision is a confirmation of the serious commitment of the International Community towards Bosnia. Although the security situation in the country is stable EUFOR will continue to provide reassurance and remain ready to respond to eventual security challenges in the future,the OHR said.

The Extension of EUFOR mandate is an opportunity to continue excellent co-operation between the various EU institutions in Bosnia. Earlier this week,EU Foreign Ministers reiterated that as part of the European Union's overall engagement in Bosnia, the EU would retain a military presence in the country for as long as necessary in order to continue to contribute to the maintenance of a safe and secure environment,the Office of the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia said in a statement.

616 BODIES OF GENOCIDE VICTIMS EXUMED FROM MASS GRAVE IN KAMENICA

KAMENICA, Bosnia (November 23,2007) - The Bosnian forensic experts completed yesterday the excavation of a mass grave at Kamenica-9 location near the eastern Bosnian town of Zvornik and unearthed the remains of 616 genocide victim, the Bosnian Commission For Missing Persons confirmed.

The Bosnian village of Kamenica lies in an area nicknamed "Death Valley". Nine mass graves have been found there, containing remains of many of the 10,000 Bosnian civilians mass murdered by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica in the last months of the 1992-95 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

"We found 76 complete and 540 incomplete bodies," said Ismet Music, an official of the Bosnian Commission For Missing Persons, standing on the edge of a muddy grave where white-clad forensic pathologists cleaned up bones.

Some bodies of genocide victims are very well preserved due to an extraordinary microclimate in the grave. Music said some faces were almost intact, with eyes staring wide open.

"It was quite a horrifying sight," he said.

Documents found at the newly-excavated site and on many of the bodies reveal their identities.The genocide victims were Bosnian civilians from Srebrenica. Bodies of genocide victims have been unearthed with eyes blindfolded, hands bound, and bullet wounds.

The exhumed remains of genocide victims will be sent for DNA analysis to the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) in the northern Bosnian city of Tuzla, for identification.

Nearly 3,600 complete and incomplete bodies of genocide victims from Srebrenica have so far been exhumed from 10 mass graves in the Kamenica valley.

The Bosnian forensic experts also announced the possibility of opening a new mass grave at another location in Kamenica soon.

BOSNIAN STATE COURT REFUSED ICTY EVIDENCE AT TRIAL OF FOUR SERBIAN WAR CRIMINALS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 23,2007) - At the trial of four former members of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS) charged with war crimes committed against Bosnian civilians in the eastern Bosnian town of Bratunac in July 1995,during the Serbian aggression against Bosnia, the Bosnian State Prosecutor asked that it be allowed to admit, as material evidence, reports compiled by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY).

The reports in question concern the existence of mass graves on the territory of the eastern Bosnian towns of Srebrenica and Bratunac.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor charges Serbian war criminals Zdravko Bozic, Mladen Blagojevic, Zeljko Zaric and Zoran Zivanovic, former members of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS), with responsibility for the happenings in and around the elementary school in Bratunac, where Bosnian civilians were detained by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in July 1995.

However, the Trial Chamber of the Bosnian State Court has refused Prosecutor Kwai Hong Ip's proposal to include the ICTY report on exhumations of the remains of genocide victims from Glogova 2 mass grave in the list of evidence.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor explained that the report describes the exhumations undertaken in Glogova, but it does not indicate the origin of the victims buried in the grave.

The Defence teams objected the proposal and asked that the investigator and author of the report be examined in the courtroom instead.

The Bosnian State Prosecutor also asked that a report containing details on who was found in the Glogova mass grave be admitted as material evidence. The report also contains data on how the persons, whose remains were discovered in the mass grave, had died. The defence objected to this proposal, instead asking for examination of the pathologist who had written the ICTY report.

The Trial Chamber of the Bosnian State Court will render its decision on this request at a later stage.

At the trial, the Defence cross-examined Muris Brkic, the Bosnian State Investigator who had appeared as a Prosecution witness at an earlier hearing. Brkic was present when the exhumations from Glogova, Zeleni Jadar, Budak and Pusmuljici mass graves were carried out.

According to Brkic, a protected Prosecution witness revealed the locations of these graves to the investigative bodies.

"He showed us the places where the mass graves were, saying that he had visited them, but he was not able to confirm that the bodies of the people who had been murdered in the school in Bratunac had been transferred to the Glogova grave."

The trial of Serbian war criminals Zdravko Bozic, Mladen Blagojevic, Zeljko Zaric and Zoran Zivanovic is due to continue before the Bosnian State Court on November 27.

DEFENCE EVIDENCE PRESENTED AT TRIAL OF SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL JADRANKO PRALIJA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 23,2007) - At the trial of Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija, conducted before the Bosnian State Court, the Defence was due to continue presenting evidence at the hearing . Although invited, witnesses Vaso Curguz and Zeljko Baljak have failed to appear. Therefore, they are expected to testify at the next hearing, which is scheduled for November 27.

Serbian war criminal Jadranko Palija is charged, as a member of the genocidal paramilitary formations of the Serbians living in Bosnia (VRS), with having participated, from May 1992 to the end of the Serbian aggression against Bosnia in 1995, in the intimidation, arrest and detention of the Bosnian civilians and the Croatians living in Bosnia. He is also accused of murder and rape.

Defence attorney Ranko Dakic announced that these would be the last witnesses and that the evidence presentation process would be completed on November 27. The Defence said that it would not further insist on examining the two witnesses should they fail to appear at the next hearing.

The Defence has also presented 12 written pieces of evidence.

Dzemila Begovic announced that the Bosnian State Prosecutor would propose additional pieces of evidence at the next hearing.

The trial of Serbian war criminal Jadranko Pralija is due to continue before the Bosnian State Court on November 27, 28 and 29, when both sides are expected to present their closing arguments.

GOVERNMENT OF GREECE SUPPORTS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF SREBRENICA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 23,2007) - Contributing 200,000 US Dollars to the United Nations Development Programme's initiatives in Srebrenica Region, the Government of Greece joined the cohort of development partners aiming to provide support to social and economic development of the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica.

The partnership between the Greek government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bosnia was made official with signing the agreement that stipulates Greek contribution of 200,000 US Dollars for implementation of the UNDP project entitled „Establishment of a Training Centre in the Srebrenica Region”.

The agreement was signed by Constantina Mavroskelidou, the Ambassador of Greece in Bosnia and Stefan Priesner, the UNDP Resident Representative in Bosnia.

This activity is a part of the “Srebrenica Business Park” project that aims to improve current business environment in Srebrenica region by providing services and infrastructure for private sector development.

This will be achieved first through the establishment of a business park; and second, through the provision of technical assistance to the municipal authorities and local actors in economic and private sector development, the UNDP said.

More specifically, the Srebrenica Business Park will provide high quality business development support services; assist companies in upgrading of labor skills; invest in infrastructure supportive to investments; facilitate the process of finding appropriate sites for business; assist the authorities in fostering public-private dialogue; and promote Srebrenica as a place suitable for sustainable investment and business growth.

FBIH ENTITY PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS PRIVATIZATION POLICY ON NOVEMBER 29

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 23,2007) – Session of the FBIH Entity Parliament’s House of Representatives ended with an agreement that the delegates should state their opinion on the FBIH Entity Government’s document related to the privatization policy on the session that is to take place November 29.

The FBIH Entity Government sent to the parliamentary procedure the follow-up material of the priority development projects which are supposed to be financed by the money from the sale of the strategic companies such is the telecom. The amount of money that the FBIH Entity Government expects to earn from the sale rises up to 4 billion Bosnian Marks. Sector of electric energy is not a part of the plans.

The opposition placed several objections to the material, but the FBIH Entity Prime Minister Nedzad Brankovic concluded that the FBIH Entity Government is heading the right way because it focused on the development of the FBIH Entity from the money that is to be ensured by the sale of the state-owned companies. That is an issue the opposition agreed with.

The biggest oppositional party – the Bosnian Social Democratic Party (SDP BiH), explained their priority stances by saying that the FBIH Entity Government does not foresee the development fund in their material.

”If the privatization money is to be given in the form of grants for certain development projects, it will be spent. Then what? One should invest into projects which will make money”, the opposition commented.

”We are not against the privatization, but we need to know what the post-privatization period is going to be like. We are of the opinion that a public discussion should be organized on the issue” SDP Party delegate Alija Behmen said.

The FBIH Entity Government, however, stated in the document that the privatization policy should in the essence mean the acceleration of the process – transition to the market business through the process of privatization of the state capital which is per 51 per cent higher; as well as the development of the primary and secondary capital market.

”Privatization should not be conducted for the sake of the very privatization. It should be conducted because of the development”, the FBIH Entity Prime Minister Nedzad Brankovic said. The money would be used in two years’ period for two categories of the development projects. The first category is important for the entity and the second for the local communities’ development,he said.

BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY MEMBERS HELD RECEPTION ON OCCASION OF BOSNIAN NATIONAL DAY

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 22,2007) – Members of the Bosnian Presidency Haris Silajdzic and Zeljko Komsic hosted a reception in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo on the occasion of marking the 25th of November,the Bosnian National Day.Many prominent personalities from the Bosnian public, religious, cultural and political life, as well as the diplomatic chorus attended. The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic gave a short overview of November 25th 1943, a historical date for Bosnia.

On that day, in the middle of occupied Europe, in the Bosnian town of Mrkonjic Grad, representatives of all citizens of Bosnia assembled. They passed a political decision which marked a turning point in the Bosnian history and which represents the basis of a modern and democratic Bosnia.

The State Anti-Fascist Council of People's Liberation of Bosnia (ZAVNOBiH) was a session of antifascists from Bosnia from all citizens of Bosnia, Komsic said.

The Bosnian State Anti-Fascist Council of People's Liberation (ZAVNOBIH - (Bosnian: Zemaljsko Antifašističko Vijeće Narodnog Oslobođenja Bosne i Hercegovine) was formed in November 1943.

President Komsic warned that today there are certain political forces in Bosnia which want to eliminate antifascism from the Bosnian history and forget the ZAVNOBIH principles.

The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic is of the opinion that the negation of ZAVNOBiH and its principles; principles which enable the equality of all the citizens of Bosnia in the whole of its territory is the negation of existence of Bosnia as a state. That is also a negation of the universal democratic principles which states that all the people are equal, regardless of religious or political determination,he said.

President Komsic commented the already-common refusal to mark November 25 in certain parts of the country. He emphasized that the day of signing the Dayton Agreement is an important date in the Bosnian history and nobody should and can deny it.

However, the ZAVNOBIH day is untouchable and it is the only Bosnian National Day there is,President Komsic said.

”People who negate this fact should be aware that they negate the constitutiveness principle which is the same for all the peoples of the country, wherever they live. In that way, by calling upon the national interests of their people, they are making a permanent damage to the people, for they are denying them their rights which should be the same for all. That has become a common practice”, President Komsic said.

The Bosnian President said that the principle according to which certain parts of Bosnia are actually a war game of nations, parties and individuals is fascism.

Bosnia is our country, President Komsic said in the end.

“This country’s history reaches back hundreds of years. This country’s history teaches us that we should live, naturally, with one another, not one next another”.

A member of the Bosnian Presidency Haris silajdzic expressed regrets that the political representatives who do not recognize this day as a holiday did not attend the reception.

They think that the Bosnian history begins after Dayton. “Dayton stopped the war and only confirmed the already-existent statehood and sovereignty of Bosnia. The first act of the Dayton Agreement states that Bosnia ‘continues its legal existence in accordance to the international law”, Bosnian Presidency member Silajdzic emphasized.

Silajdzic also talked about the upcoming obligations of Bosnia, which foresee the Dayton Agreement amendments. By that time, the Dayton Agreement will be implemented accordingly. There are also numerous economic programs which should be implemented rather hastily,he said.

Silajdzic is of the opinion that on that road, Bosnia needs the help of the International Community. That is why the the Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) should continue to exist Silajdzic said.

He also commented the creation of political crisis coming form the genocidal Serbia.

”I would like to use the opportunity and clearly emphasize that this is not 1992. I would like to emphasize that the radical forces from Belgrade will not this time turn their ideas into actions and that the time has come for Serbia to begin solving its problems and to fulfil several international obligations towards Bosnia”, Bosnian Presidency member Haris silajdzic said.

Silajdzic stated his conviction that the International Community will double its efforts to stop the import of fabricated political crisis to Bosnia, especially for the purpose of protecting the returnees who live in the genocidal Serbian creature in Bosnia (RS).

Silajdzic also said that he is optimistic related to today's meeting of Bosnia's major political parties’ representatives.

UN SECURITY COUNCIL URGES BOSNIA TO MAKE PROGRESS TOWARDS EU MEMBERSHIP

NEW YORK, USA (November 22,2007) - The UN Security Council reiterated yesterday its support of the Dayton peace agreement ending the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia, but said the Bosnian leadership has failed to make progress in its implementation, including integration with the European Union.

The UN Security Council said the Bosnia has so far made "limited progress" toward joining the EU after completing the Stabilization and Association Agreement, a major step for EU accession. The document has not been signed in the past year.

The UN Security Council reminded the Bosnian Presidency that the 1995 Dayton agreement called for full cooperation with all parties involved in the agreement.

The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had informed the UN Security Council of political turmoil in Bosnia.

"There has been almost no progress in addressing the reform agenda, and Bosnia has moved no closer to initialing a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU," the report said.

"This is despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of the Bosnian citizens wish to see progress with regard to the relationship with the EU," it said.

The 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia ended in 1995 with the Dayton peace agreement endorsed by the UN. The UN initially administered the country and the responsibility has since shifted to the European Union.

UN SECURITY COUNCIL EXTENDED EUFOR'S MANDATE IN BOSNIA FOR ANOTHER YEAR

NEW YORK, USA (November 22,2007) – The UN Security Council extended yesterday the mandate of the European Union Force in Bosnia for another year, unanimously adopting resolution 1785 (2007)

Noting that Bosnia had thus far made only "very limited" progress towards benchmarks for integration with the European Union, the UN Security Council authorized for a further year the European Union Stabilization Force (EUFOR) mandated to ensure continued compliance with the Dayton Peace Agreement that ended the 1992-1995 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia.

Unanimously adopting resolution 1785 (2007), the Council also authorized the continued presence of a headquarters for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in Bosnia, which led the Stabilisation Force (SFOR) that handed over peacekeeping responsibilities to the EUFOR in 2004, and recognized the right of both organizations to take all necessary measures to defend themselves from attacks or threats.

The UN Security Council reiterated that the primary responsibility for the further implementation of the Peace Agreement lay with the Bosnian authorities. Their compliance ,including the surrender for trial of all persons indicted by the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia,will determine the continued willingness of the international community and major donors to provide support, the resolution said.

The UN Security Council also emphasized its full support for the Internatioal Community's High Representative in Bosnia in monitoring implementation of the Peace Agreement and recognized that he is the final authority in theatre regarding the interpretation of civilian implementation of the Agreement.

The meeting convened at 10:10 a.m. and closed at 10:15 a.m.,yesterday.

The full text of resolution 1785 (2007) reads as follows:

"The Security Council,

"Recalling all its previous relevant resolutions concerning the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and relevant statements of its President, including resolutions 1031 (1995) of 15 December 1995, 1088 (1996) of 12 December 1996, 1423 (2002) of 12 July 2002, 1491 (2003) of 11 July 2003, 1551 (2004) of 9 July 2004, 1575 (2004) of 22 November 2004, 1639 (2005) of 21 November 2005, 1722 (2006) of 21 November 2006 and 1764 (2007) of 29 June 2007,

"Reaffirming its commitment to the political settlement of the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States there within their internationally recognized borders,

"Emphasizing its full support for the High Representative's continued role in Bosnia and Herzegovina,

"Underlining its commitment to support the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Annexes thereto (collectively the Peace Agreement, S/1995/999, annex), as well as the relevant decisions of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC),

"Recalling all the agreements concerning the status of forces referred to in Appendix B to Annex 1-A of the Peace Agreement, and reminding the parties of their obligation to continue to comply therewith,

"Further recalling the provisions of its resolution 1551 (2004) concerning the provisional application of the status of forces agreements contained in Appendix B to Annex 1-A of the Peace Agreement,

"Emphasizing its appreciation to the High Representative, the Commander and personnel of the multinational stabilization force (EUFOR), the Senior Military Representative and personnel of the NATO Headquarters Sarajevo, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the European Union (EU) and the personnel of other international organizations and agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina for their contributions to the implementation of the Peace Agreement,

"Emphasizing that a comprehensive and coordinated return of refugees and displaced persons throughout the region continues to be crucial to lasting peace,

"Recalling the declarations of the Ministerial meetings of the Peace Implementation Conference,

"Recognizing that full implementation of the Peace Agreement is not yet complete, while paying tribute to the achievements of the authorities at State and entity level in Bosnia and Herzegovina and of the international community in the twelve years since the signing of the Peace Agreement,

"Emphasizing the importance of Bosnia and Herzegovina's progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration on the basis of the Peace Agreement, while recognizing the importance of Bosnia and Herzegovina's transition to a functional, reform-oriented, modern and democratic European country,

"Noting the reports of the High Representative, including his latest report of 5 November 2007 (S/2007/561, annex),

"Determined to promote the peaceful resolution of the conflicts in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

"Recalling the relevant principles contained in the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel adopted on 9 December 1994 and the statement of its President on 10 February 2000 (S/PRST/2000/4),

"Welcoming and encouraging efforts by the United Nations to sensitize peacekeeping personnel in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases in all its peacekeeping operations,

"Taking note of the conclusions of EU Foreign Ministers and Ministers of Defence at their joint meeting on 14 May 2007, which reiterate that the EU would retain a military presence in the country as long as necessary, in order to continue contributing to the maintenance of a safe and secure environment,

"Recalling the letters between the European Union and NATO sent to the Security Council on 19 November 2004 on how those organizations will cooperate together in Bosnia and Herzegovina in which both organizations recognize that the EUFOR will have the main peace stabilization role under the military aspects of the Peace Agreement (S/2004/916; S/2004/915),

"Further recalling the confirmation by the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including its constituent entities, of the arrangements for EUFOR and the NATO Headquarters presence (S/2004/917),

"Welcoming the European Union's increased engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the continued engagement of NATO,

"Noting that Bosnia and Herzegovina has made very limited progress towards the European Union, and, in particular, towards the conclusion of a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) despite the fact that the text of the SAA has been finalized, and reiterating its call on the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to implement in full their undertakings as also confirmed by the PIC declaration of 31 October 2007,

"Determining that the situation in the region continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security,

"Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

"1. Reaffirms once again its support for the Peace Agreement, as well as for the Dayton Paris Agreement on implementing the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina of 10 November 1995 (S/1995/1021, annex) and calls upon the parties to comply strictly with their obligations under those Agreements;

"2. Reiterates that the primary responsibility for the further successful implementation of the Peace Agreement lies with the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina themselves and that the continued willingness of the international community and major donors to assume the political, military and economic burden of implementation and reconstruction efforts will be determined by the compliance and active participation by all the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in implementing the Peace Agreement and rebuilding a civil society, in particular in full cooperation with the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, in strengthening joint institutions, which foster the building of a fully functioning self-sustaining State, able to integrate itself into the European structures and in facilitating returns of refugees and displaced persons;

"3. Reminds the parties once again that, in accordance with the Peace Agreement, they have committed themselves to cooperate fully with all entities involved in the implementation of this peace settlement, as described in the Peace Agreement, or which are otherwise authorized by the Security Council, including the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, as it carries out its responsibilities for dispensing justice impartially, and underlines that full cooperation by States and entities with the International Tribunal includes, inter alia, the surrender for trial or apprehension of all persons indicted by the Tribunal and provision of information to assist in Tribunal investigations;

"4. Emphasizes its full support for the continued role of the High Representative in monitoring the implementation of the Peace Agreement and giving guidance to and coordinating the activities of the civilian organizations and agencies involved in assisting the parties to implement the Peace Agreement, and reaffirms that under Annex 10 of the Peace Agreement the High Representative is the final authority in theatre regarding the interpretation of civilian implementation of the Peace Agreement and that in case of dispute he may give his interpretation and make recommendations, and make binding decisions as he judges necessary on issues as elaborated by the Peace Implementation Council in Bonn on 9 and 10 December 1997;

"5. Expresses its support for the declarations of the Ministerial meetings of the Peace Implementation Conference;

"6. Reaffirms its intention to keep implementation of the Peace Agreement and the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina under close review, taking into account the reports submitted pursuant to paragraphs 18 and 21 below, and any recommendations those reports might include, and its readiness to consider the imposition of measures if any party fails significantly to meet its obligations under the Peace Agreement;

"7. Recalls the support of the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the EU force and the continued NATO presence and their confirmation that both are the legal successors to SFOR for the fulfilment of their missions for the purposes of the Peace Agreement, its Annexes and Appendices and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions and can take such actions as are required, including the use of force, to ensure compliance with Annexes 1-A and 2 of the Peace Agreement and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions;

"8. Pays tribute to those Member States which participated in the multinational stabilization force (EUFOR), and in the continued NATO presence, established in accordance with its resolution 1575 (2004) and extended with its resolutions 1639 (2005) and 1722 (2006), and welcomes their willingness to assist the Parties to the Peace Agreement by continuing to deploy a multinational stabilization force (EUFOR) and by maintaining a continued NATO presence;

"9. Welcomes the EU's intention to maintain an EU military operation to Bosnia and Herzegovina from November 2007;

"10. Authorizes the Member States acting through or in cooperation with the EU to establish for a further period of 12 months, starting from the date of the adoption of this resolution, a multinational stabilization force (EUFOR) as a legal successor to SFOR under unified command and control, which will fulfil its missions in relation to the implementation of Annex 1-A and Annex 2 of the Peace Agreement in cooperation with the NATO Headquarters presence in accordance with the arrangements agreed between NATO and the EU as communicated to the Security Council in their letters of 19 November 2004, which recognize that the EUFOR will have the main peace stabilization role under the military aspects of the Peace Agreement;

"11. Welcomes the decision of NATO to continue to maintain a presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the form of a NATO Headquarters in order to continue to assist in implementing the Peace Agreement in conjunction with EUFOR and authorizes the Member States acting through or in cooperation with NATO to continue to maintain a NATO Headquarters as a legal successor to SFOR under unified command and control, which will fulfil its missions in relation to the implementation of Annex 1-A and Annex 2 of the Peace Agreement in cooperation with EUFOR in accordance with the arrangements agreed between NATO and the EU as communicated to the Security Council in their letters of 19 November 2004, which recognize that EUFOR will have the main peace stabilization role under the military aspects of the Peace Agreement;

"12. Reaffirms that the Peace Agreement and the provisions of its previous relevant resolutions shall apply to and in respect of both EUFOR and the NATO presence as they have applied to and in respect of SFOR and that therefore references in the Peace Agreement, in particular in Annex 1-A and its appendices, and relevant resolutions to IFOR and/or SFOR, NATO and the NAC shall be read as applying, as appropriate, to the NATO presence, EUFOR, the European Union and the Political and Security Committee and Council of the European Union respectively;

"13. Expresses its intention to consider the terms of further authorization as necessary in the light of developments in the implementation of the Peace Agreement and the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

"14. Authorizes the Member States acting under paragraphs 10 and 11 above to take all necessary measures to effect the implementation of and to ensure compliance with Annexes 1-A and 2 of the Peace Agreement, stresses that the parties shall continue to be held equally responsible for the compliance with that Annex and shall be equally subject to such enforcement action by EUFOR and the NATO presence as may be necessary to ensure implementation of those Annexes and the protection of EUFOR and the NATO presence;

"15. Authorizes Member States to take all necessary measures, at the request of either EUFOR or the NATO Headquarters, in defence of the EUFOR or NATO presence respectively, and to assist both organizations in carrying out their missions, and recognizes the right of both EUFOR and the NATO presence to take all necessary measures to defend themselves from attack or threat of attack;

"16. Authorizes the Member States acting under paragraphs 10 and 11 above, in accordance with Annex 1-A of the Peace Agreement, to take all necessary measures to ensure compliance with the rules and procedures governing command and control of airspace over Bosnia and Herzegovina with respect to all civilian and military air traffic;

"17. Demands that the parties respect the security and freedom of movement of EUFOR, the NATO presence and other international personnel;

"18. Requests the Member States acting through or in cooperation with the EU and the Member States acting through or in cooperation with NATO to report to the Council on the activity of EUFOR and NATO Headquarters presence respectively, through the appropriate channels and at least at three-monthly intervals;

"19. Invites all States, in particular those in the region, to continue to provide appropriate support and facilities, including transit facilities, for the Member States acting under paragraphs 10 and 11 above;

"20. Reiterates its appreciation for the deployment by the EU of its Police Mission (EUPM) to Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1 January 2003;

"21. Also requests the Secretary-General to continue to submit to the Council reports from the High Representative, in accordance with Annex 10 of the Peace Agreement and the conclusions of the Peace Implementation Conference held in London on 4 and 5 December 1996 (S/1996/1012), and later Peace Implementation Conferences, on the implementation of the Peace Agreement and in particular on compliance by the parties with their commitments under that Agreement;

"22. Decides to remain seized of the matter."

The UN Security Council had before it the thirty-second report of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia,Miroslav Lajcak, (document S/2007/651), transmitted by a letter dated 5 November 2007 from the Secretary-General addressed to the President of the Security Council and covering implementation of Bosnia's Peace Agreement during the period from 1 April to 30 September 2007.

During this time, the High Representative reports, "there has been almost no progress in addressing the reform agenda and Bosnia has moved no closer to initialling a Stabilization and Association Agreement with the European Union", despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of the Bosnian citizens wish to see progress on that front.

The key political requirements of the Union remain police restructuring, cooperation with the International Tribunal on the Former Yugoslavia, public administration reform and public broadcasting reform, he noted.

Lajcak added that tensions over Srebrenica in the wake of the February judgment of the International Court of Justice have lessened, although they continued to define domestic politics in the first half of the reporting period.

Unfortunately, August and September again saw a deterioration of the political atmosphere in Bosnia, the High Representative said. The Declaration of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council of 31 October, appended to the report, said that responsibility for the deterioration lay with political leaders from both sides who have blocked progress and undermined the situation with their "aggressive rhetoric".

The Board stressed that it is time for such politicians to end the practice of questioning the fundamental political structure of the Bosnian State. Given the lack of progress in reforms, a focus on completing the Dayton Peace Agreement is necessary, including efforts to tackle the evident dysfunctionality of State institutions, it said