SWITZERLAND/ BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER SPEAKS ABOUT AGREEMENT BETWEEN BALKAN LEADERS

Record ID: 208322

  • Title: SWITZERLAND/ BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER SPEAKS ABOUT AGREEMENT BETWEEN BALKAN LEADERS
  • Date: 14th August 1996
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND/ MOSTAR, BOSNIA (AUGUST 14, 1996) (RTV/RTV(W) - ACCESS ALL) GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (AUGUST 14, 1996) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV EXTERIOR HOTEL INTERCONTINENTAL 0.04 2. LV U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER WALKS TO PODIUM 0.15 3. SCU CHRISTOPHER SPEAKING (ENGLISH)/ CUTAWAYS (5 SHOTS) 1.19 MOSTAR, BOSNIA (AUGUST 14, 1996) (RTV(W) - ACCESS ALL) 4. GV CITY (2 SHOTS) 1.30 5. SV/ ZOOM OUT RUINED BUILDING IN THE CITY 1.37 6. SV INTERIOR CITY ASSEMBLY, MEMBERS VOTING (2 SHOTS) 1.56 7. SV CROAT MAYOR IVAN PRSKALO STANDS / MOSLEM DEPUTY MAYOR SAFET ORUCEVIC STANDS / SHAKES HANDS WITH PRSKALO 2.09 8. SCU PRSKALO SAYING HE WILL DO HIS BEST FOR THE WHOLE OF MOSTAR (SERBO-CROAT) 2.47 9. SCU ORUCEVIC SAYING HE SUPPORTS A UNITED MOSTAR (SERBO-CROAT) 2.55 10. LV DAMAGED BUILDINGS IN THE CITY/ TRAFFIC (3 SHOTS) 3.12 SEQUENCE 3 TRANSCRIPT: CHRISTOPHER: "THE FIRST AND, NO DOUBT, THE MOST URGENT STEPS ARE THOSE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS A MONTH FROM TODAY. THE PARTIES HAVE PLEDGED TO ENSURE FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS AND FULL ACCESS TO VOTING PLACES THROUGHOUT BOSNIA. THEY'VE ALSO AGREED TO TAKE STEPS TO STOP INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE, TO STOP THREATS AND INTIMIDATION AGAINST OPPOSITION POLITICIANS OR AGAINST ETHNIC GROUPS OR AGAINST JOURNALISTS. RENEWED COMMITMENT WAS ALSO MADE TODAY THAT PERSONS INDICTED FOR WAR CRIMES WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTION PROCESS IN ANY WAY. THE JULY 18TH AGREEMENT TO REMOVE RADOVAN KARADZIC WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN EVERY RESPECT AND THE ARREST OF KARADZIC AND OTHER INDICTED PERSONS REMAINS AN IMPORTANT GOAL." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 29th August 1996 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND/ MOSTAR, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
  • City:
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Reuters ID: LVACPKP5IN99GDBXR31CBAMKJBX1
  • Story Text: INTRO: Western peacemakers have notched up two successes in their efforts to bind Bosnia's fractious Croats and Moslems into a working federation.

    Under the guiding hand of U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic and Croatia's Franjo Tudjman signed a statement in Geneva agreeing to abolish the Bosnian Croat mini-state of Herceg-Bosna -- a thorn in the side of Dayton peace agreement.

    Transforming Bosnia's Moslem-Croat federation from paper concept to political reality was one of the main aims of Wednesday's Balkan summit called by the United States to prepare for the country's first post-war election next month.

    In Mostar, the southern city where Bosnia's Croat-Moslem divisions have been bitterest, the choice of a mayor and deputy mayor on Wednesday formally closed a crisis over the outcome of the June 30 elections for the city assembly.

    Moslems, who have a five-seat edge in the assembly, won the Croats' grudging acceptance of their majority position last week by agreeing to elect Croat mayor Ivan Prskalo and Moslem deputy Safet Orucevic.

    Both men pledged support for a united Mostar.

    The continued existence of Herceg-Bosna had earlier thwarted attempts to unite the city, as Croat separatists looked to Herceg-Bosna rather than the city council for leadership and hope for the future.

    The Izetbegovic-Tudjman agreement said that Herceg-Bosna's institutions would "cease to exist" from August 31.

    The stalemate in Mostar had been seen as a test of whether Moslems and Croats could work together -- and of the multi-ethnic state which is the ultimate aim of the peace agreement negotiated in Dayton, Ohio, last November.

    The Bosnian election is seen as vital to the West because it should allow IFOR, a 60,000-strong NATO-led peace implementation force, to complete its mission on schedule at year's end.

    The one-day Geneva summit was also attended by Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

    Apart from bolstering the Federation, Christopher urged the presidents to encourage freedom of movement -- including freedom for displaced voters to cast their ballots in their home towns on September 14 -- and free domestic media coverage.


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