AGREEMENT BETWEEN INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS AND UBSD

Rapprochement

AIM Tuzla, 16 November, 1996

Independent Social Democrats (NSD) of the Republica Srpska and Union of Bosnia & Herzegovina Social Democrats (UBSD) from the Federation for the purpose of joint election campaign in municipal elections and joint political appearance in both entities will ensure daily connections between leaderships of the parties in Sarajevo and Banja Luka. The joint political appearance will be based on the Dayton Accords, in other words - human rights, return of banished persons, protection of private property, economic cooperation of the two entities and joint appearance in B&H parliament.

For failure to implement the Dayton accords, both opposition parties consider ruling oligarchies in both entities responsible, as well as the international community whose institutions look upon intolerance of nationalistic parties with benevolence.

Members of the delegation of Social Democrats from Banja Luka were: Milorad Dodik, Brano Miljus, Nenad Bastinac, Nikola Kragulj, Brano Dokic, and businessman Braco Trbic, and UBSD from B&H was represented by Selim Beslagic, Sejfudin Tokic and Simo Simic. During their stay in Tuzla, a part of the delegation of the NSD from RS met with a delegation of the Serb Civic Council from Tuzla headed by Miso Bozic. A part of the delegation of NSD from Banja Luka used the occasion of the visit to Tuzla for talks with a few enterprises with which - it is assumed - they agreed about economic cooperation, which will soon result in specific contracts. The enterprises in question are Tuzla chemical industries, salt and coal production... The delegation from Banja Luka also visited the holding company "Sodaso".

Talks about economic cooperation were in the shadow of political topics. Unfortunately, the gathering of the delegations was closed to the public, and there are still no complete information about the contents of the talks and agreements. From a participant in the talks who wishes to remain anonymous, we learnt that the delegation of NSD from Banja Luka had problems with the authorities there because of their political stance. We also managed to learn that the delegations of the two opposition parties would meet every month in Banja Luka and Tuzla. Their intention is to operate jointly in order to promote greater freedom for opposition parties in both entities, greater freedom of independent media. In this sense a high level of agreement was expressed concerning all the issues by both parties, and the basis were the Dayton accords. Not a single crucial question is controversial, especially return of banished persons, human rights, protection of private property, establishment of the state of law, and general democratization of political operation of all legal parties, which at the moment is not a "habit" in the territory of Bosnia & Herzegovina.

For the purpose of breaking up the monopoly of the ruling nationalistic oligarchies both parties agree to form joint lists of candidates in some municipalities, if the OSCE makes it possible. Apart from the elections, both opposition parties announce joint appearance in the parliament of Bosnia & Herzegovina. Concerning issues about which they fail to reach an agreement, they will not vote against each other. It was also agreed that both parties would appear jointly on the international scene, in order to make it clear to the world that in Bosnia & Herzegovina - on the territory of both entities - there were parties and citizens who did not support the ruling nationalistic parties.

"We have talked about all the issues - from activities in parliaments to free movement on the roads. We have agreed about a few projects which should enable rapprochement between the two entities. We have even talked about language, that is about political formulations. On the territory of the Federation the concept of reintegration is a fetish, and in Republica Srpska it is hated. That is why we are using the concept of economic cooperation. That is what it must be like until the citizens get used to it and realize that formulation is less important than deeds. I hope that we will initiate a new way of thinking", said Simo Simic, Vice-President of the UBSD B&H.

Until the next meeting next month in Banja Luka, daily computer links will be established.

V. JAHIC