BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: U.N. IS SATISFIED WITH BOSNIAN SERB REMOVAL OF HEAVY WEAPONS FROM SARAJEVO
Record ID:
647628
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: U.N. IS SATISFIED WITH BOSNIAN SERB REMOVAL OF HEAVY WEAPONS FROM SARAJEVO
- Title: BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: U.N. IS SATISFIED WITH BOSNIAN SERB REMOVAL OF HEAVY WEAPONS FROM SARAJEVO
- Date: 19th September 1995
- Summary: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA (SEPTEMBER 19 AND 20, 1995) (RTV/ RTV (A) - ACCESS ALL) SARAJEVO (SEPTEMBER 20, 1995) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV U.N. PRESS CONFERENCE 0.04 2. SV U.N. SPOKESMAN CHRIS GUNNESS SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 0.22 3. SV JOURNALISTS 0.25 4. SV U.N. PROTECTION FORCE (UNPROFOR) SPOKESMAN LIEUTENANT COLONEL CHRIS VERNON SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 0.58 5. SLV JOURNALISTS 1.01 NEAR SARAJEVO (SEPTEMBER 19, 1995) (REUTERS TELEVISION (A) - ACCESS ALL) 6. SV U.N. SOLDIER TICKING LIST AS CONVOY OF SERB WEAPONS PASSES 1.13 7. SLV BOSNIAN SERB SOLDIERS ON TOP OF TANK GIVING VICTORY SIGN 1.26 8. SV CONVOY PASSING SIGN FOR SARAJEVO 1.32 9. LV/SV TRUCKS PASSING (2 SHOTS) 1.52 10.SLV TANKS MANOEUVRING 2.04 SEQUENCE 2 TRANSCRIPT: GUNNESS: "THE BOSNIAN SERBS CONFIRMED THEIR WILLINGNESS TO COMPLY WITH THE DEADLINE FOR THE REMOVAL OF SPECIFIED HEAVY WEAPONRY FROM THE EXCLUSION ZONE BY TONIGHT'S DEADLINE AND COMPLIANCE WE SAW YESTERDAY, WHICH WAS SUBSTANTIAL, GIVES CREDENCE TO THAT COMMITMENT." SEQUENCE 4 TRANSCRIPT: VERNON: "A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF BOSNIAN SERB ARMY HEAVY WEAPONS WERE ESCORTED YESTERDAY BY SECTOR SARAJEVO UNITS OUT OF THE 20 KM EXCLUSION ZONE. SECTOR SARAJEVO RETAINED THREE OBSERVATION POSTS ON THE ACTUAL EXCLUSION ZONE LIMITS ITSELF, ON THE THREE MAJOR ROUTES OUT NORTH, EAST AND SOUTH. TODAY, SECTOR SARAJEVO WILL FORM MONITORING TEAMS WHICH TOGETHER WITH BOSNIAN SERB ARMY LIAISON OFFICERS WILL GO THROUGHOUT THE COMPLETE RAF RESPONSIBILITY TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THERE ARE ANY WEAPONS REMAINING." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 4th October 1995 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
- Reuters ID: LVACDM0XQUDT2FBXVL5XA891GCP5
- Story Text: Bosnian peace efforts were balanced delicately on Wednesday (September 20) as Serbs faced a NATO deadline to remove siege guns from Sarajevo and the emboldened Bosnian government demanded the surrender of a Serb stronghold.
Bosnian Serbs have until 10 p.m. (2000 GMT) to complete withdrawal of heavy weapons from a 20-km (12.5-mile) exclusion zone around the capital or face a new wave of NATO air strikes.
In Sarajevo, U.N. spokesman Chris Gunness said that the Bosnian Serbs had made a commitment to comply with the deadline. The movement seen on Tuesday was substantial and gave credence to that commitment.
U.N. Protection Force (UNPROFOR) spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Vernon said the Serb withdrawal was proceeding under U.N.
observation.
He said the Serbs had removed significant amounts of weapons and that U.N. officials would tour with Serbs to see if there any weapons remaining.
In separate incidents underlining the fragility of peace efforts, Serb forces fired two missiles at a NATO plane near Sarajevo early on Wednesday, and Bosnian army troops fired four mortar bombs in the city, drawing strong U.N. condemnation.
Bosnian Serb Army (BSA) officers told reporters on Tuesday (September 19) they had instructions to pull back heavy weapons from a 20 kilometres (12 mile) exclusion zone around Sarajevo but made no pretence that they supported the pullback.
BSA officers overseeing a weapons convoy heading from Sarajevo through Serb-held Semizovac, some 10 km (6 miles) northwest of the city, said that they obeyed orders but that they did not respect the agreement.
Serb authorities organised the tour to show they were abiding by the ultimatum but there was no way to confirm that the guns were taken out of the exclusion zone.
A group of journalists who were escorted to the Semizovac, Krupac and Han Derventa areas saw artillery, mortars and tanks being driven away from Sarajevo.
Serb officers said BSA troops would stay in Serb suburbs and villages around Sarajevo after the weapons had left.
Reporters saw two tanks, ten 82mm mortars, ten 122mm mortars and several artillery pieces heading away from Sarajevo. The guns were coming from the Serb-held suburbs of Vogosca, Ilijas, Ilidza, BSA officers said.
Bosnian Serb authorities also took journalists to a crossroads near Krupac hill, southeast of Sarajevo, to see another convoy of heavy weapons driving away from the city.
Reporters saw 11 120mm mortars and five 82mm mortars pass by driving towards Trnovo, eight km (five miles) from the edge of the exclusion zone.
The threat of new air strikes and political pressure from Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic has forced the Bosnian Serbs to pull back their big guns.
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