BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA / CROATIA: NATO ADMIRAL LEIGHTON SMITH MEETS BOSNIAN SERB REPRESENTATIVE NIKOLA KOLJEVIC

Record ID: 648116

  • Title: BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA / CROATIA: NATO ADMIRAL LEIGHTON SMITH MEETS BOSNIAN SERB REPRESENTATIVE NIKOLA KOLJEVIC
  • Date: 29th December 1995
  • Summary: BANJA LUKA, BOSNIA/ PLOCE, CROATIA (DECEMBER 29, 1995) (RTV/RTV(W) - AVAILABLE ALL) BANJA LUKA (RTV - AVAILABLE ALL) 1. SV IMPLEMENTATION FORCE (IFOR) CARS IN FRONT OF BUILDING (3 SHOTS) 0.11 2. SV MEETING BETWEEN THE HEAD OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION (NATO) MISSION IN BOSNIA, ADMIRAL LEIGHTON SMITH, AND BOSNIAN SERB REPRESENTATIVE NIKOLA KOLJEVIC (5 SHOTS) 0.28 3. SCU LEIGHTON SMITH SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 1.03 4. SV SMITHA AND KOLJEVIC LEAVING MEETING 1.08 PLOCE, CROATIA (RTV(W) (AVAILABLE ALL) 5. LV ITALIAN TRANSPORT SHIP SAN GIORGIO DOCKING (2 SHOTS) 1.22 6. LV SAILORS ON BOARD SHIP 1.28 7. SV/LV SHIP DOOR OPENS/ ITALIAN IFOR SOLDIERS WELCOMED BY FRENCH IFOR OFFICER (3 SHOTS) 1.54 8. SV EQUIPMENT UNLOADED / TRUCKS / HELICOPTERS / SOLDIERS (10 SHOTS) 3.05 SEQUENCE 3 TRANSCRIPT: SMITH: "WELL, THE VICE PRESIDENT AND I DISCUSSED THAT VERY ISSUE AND WHAT I TOLD HIM WAS THAT WE HAVE FORCES THAT ARE DEPORTED THROUGHOUT THE SARAJEVO AREA NOW, THAT ONE OF OUR PRINCIPLE OBJECTIVES IS TO ESTABLISH A SECURE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH NOT ONLY MR BILDT AND HIS ORGANISATIONS CAN WORK TO ASSIST IN THE REBUILDING OF THIS COUNTRY, BUT ALSO IN WHICH THE CITIZENS OF THE COUNTRY CAN FEEL THAT THEY ARE SECURE AND CAN GO ABOUT A LIFE IN A NORMAL WAY. THAT IS AN EVEN-HANDED APPROACH, IT'S EFFECTIVE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY AND THAT IS EVERYONE IN SARAJEVO." Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 13th January 1996 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BANJA LUKA, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA/ PLOCE, CROATIA
  • City:
  • Country: Croatia
  • Reuters ID: LVA12LT36KTG6R5E1JQ8U1IINSUG
  • Story Text: The head of NATO's Bosnian peace mission said on his first visit to the rebel Serb stronghold of Banja Luka on Friday (December 29) that he was "absolutely convinced" Bosnians wanted an end to their 43-month conflict.

    Admiral Leighton Smith told reporters he was encouraged by everything he had seen since the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) took over peace-keeping from the United Nations (U.N.) 10 days ago.

    Smith, commander of the 60,000-strong NATO peace implementation force (IFOR), held more than two hours of talks with Mayor Predrag Radic, and the "Vice President" of the separatist Bosnian Serb assembly, Nikola Koljevic.

    General Michael Jackson, the commander of the British sector -- which includes Banja Luka -- also attended the meeting.

    Koljevic said Smith had promised to guarantee security for Serbs in Sarajevo, who fear for their safety when the areas they occupy come under Moslem-led government control.

    More than 200 Italian IFOR soldiers on Friday arrived at the port of Ploce on the Croatian coast to join the NATO mission in the former Yugoslavia. The troops, from the Italian Bersagilieri (Infantry) were headed for Sarajevo where they will take part in logistical operations. The Italian transport ship San Giorgio carrying the troops also was loaded with 80 heavy vehicles and helicopters for use in and around the Bosnian capital.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register