BOSNIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER SVEN ALKALAJ ATTENDED 15-TH MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT

TEHRAN, Iran (July 31,2008) - The Bosnian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Alkalaj atteneded the 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement that took place in Teheran,Iran, from July 27th to 30th.

The Conference was opened by the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mahmoud Ahmedinejad.

Alkalaj used this opportunity in Teheran for the bilateral meetings, as well as for asking for support to Bosnia's candidacy for the non-permanent member of the UN Council for Security for the period 2010 - 2011, it was announced from the Bosnian Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

In his talk with the Bosnian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Alkalaj in Teheran, the Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Manucher Mottaki said that Iranian business circles were interested in investing in Bosnia.

During their meeting, which took place as a part of the 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement, the two confirmed that the political relations between Bosnia and Iran were adequate and expressed the desire to further improve bilateral relations and realize greater economic cooperation.

Alkalaj congratulated Mottaki on the organization of the Ministerial Conference and expressed satisfaction for taking part in it and establishing connections with representatives of a large number of member countries of the Movement.

On the margins of the Conference Minister Alkalaj also talked with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Africa and the two established the need to improve bilateral relations in all areas.

Bosnia has an observer status in the Non-Aligned Movement.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is an international organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. It was founded in April 1955; as of 2007, it has 118 members.

The purpose of the organization as stated in the Havana Declaration of 1979 is to ensure "the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries" in their "struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, Zionism, and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics."

They represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations's members and comprise 55 percent of the world population.
.

SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL RADOVAN KARADZIC TO APPEAR AT UN WAR CRIMES TRIBUNAL TODAY

THE HAGUE, The Netherlands (July 31,2008) - Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic is to make his first appearance before the UN war crimes tribunal on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

His appearance is scheduled for 1600 CEST (1400 GMT) today.Click here to watch it LIVE).

Judge Alphons Orie will officially inform Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic of the 11 counts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity on the indictment, and give him an opportunity to plead.

Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic's lawyer, Svetozar Vujacic, has said his client will postpone entering a formal plea for 30 days, the maximum allowed under court rules.

In the dock of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), for the first time, Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic will also be given an opportunity to address the judge on such issues as his detention conditions and arrest.

Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic, 63, was arrested on July 21, thirteen years after the tribunal first indicted him for genocide and other war crimes,committed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

Since his arrest he has been shorn of the flowing beard and the long hair that helped disguise him as "an alternative healer" in the years following the Serbian aggression against Bosnia. He was flown to the Netherlands yesterday morning.


The Face Of Evil - Unmasked: Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic without the long hair and heavy beard he used for 13 years to hide from justice,pictured in custody earlier this week.He has been charged by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) with genocide, extermination, murder, deportation, inhumane acts, and other crimes against Bosnian civilians,committed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

Speaking to reporters, prosecutor Serge Brammertz conceded the case would not be easy but said his team would draw on evidence already presented in other cases since Karadzic's original 1995 indictment. They are expected to update the indictment before the trial begins.

"We will ensure that it reflects the current case law, facts already established by the court and evidence collected over the past eight years," he said.

It will take months for both sides to prepare for the trial, he said.

Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic is accused of orchestrating the 1995 mass murder of up to 10,000 Bosnian civilians in the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica, the deadly 44-month siege of the Bosnian capital Sarajevo and numerous other genocidal campaigns,during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.He faces life imprisonment if found guilty.
.

BOSNIA'S EXTERNAL DEBT DROPS BELOW 4 BILLION BOSNIAN MARKS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (July 31,2008) - In the first six months of this year, the external debt of Bosnia, supervised by the Bosnian Council of Ministers and the Bosnian Ministry of Finance, dropped bellow 4 billion Bosnian Marks.

According to the data provided by the Bosnian Central Bank, the debt amounted to 3.9 billion Bosnian Marks or approximately 2 billion Euros. Bankers, relevant Ministry, and economic analysts generally agree that the sum of Bosnia's external debt is not very high.

Even more favourable are the terms of payment, since these are long-term loans with minimal interests, ranging form 0.75 to 1.5 percent, and a deferral period of up to 10 years.

Bosnia owns the most to the World Bank; this debt encompasses 45 percent of all its obligations; this is followed by 1.1 billion Bosnian Marks it owes to the Paris Club and the London Club. Larger debts also include the one to the European Investment Bank, which exceeds 200 million Bosnian Marks.
.