AFTER (UN)CONFIRMED NEWS THAT BRCKO WILL BELONG TO

Brcko to RS! - reactions from the Federation

REPUBLICA SRPSKA

Doubts, Expectations and Threats

Sarajevo, 13 February, 1997 (AIM)

The head arbiter for Brcko, American Roberts Owen, has decided: Brcko will remain in Republica Srpska for a year. This piece of news which still has not been officially published was confirmed only by some correspondents close to the delegation of the Federation B&H in the Arbitration Tribunal for Brcko.

In the news it is also stated that high representative of the international community, Carl Bildt, will nominate his envoy who will be a special supervisor and who will within the period of one year control how the Dayton accords are implemented in Brcko. After one year, the Arbitration Tribunal will decide either that Brcko be a special region under international supervision, or a district, or to be given to the state of B&H, in other words put under control of joint authorities of the Federation and Republica Srpska.

This news was met with doubts and bitterness in Sarajevo. Spokesman of the ruling Party of Democratic Action (SDA) Ismet Grbo did not wish to comment on the news. According to his opinion, the infromation is unofficial, and a session of the Main Board of the SDA is planned for Thursday evening, when results of arbitration concerning Brcko will probably be discussed. The Party for B&H which is closely related to the SDA expressed a similar stance. Despite persistent attemopts, it was impossible to get their reaction.

Advisor of the Chairman of the Presidency of B&H Mirza Hajric stresses that the final decision on Brcko has not reached Sarajevo yet:

"Unfortunately, this is not arbitration which seeks a just solution besed on facts. This is a case of political negotiations which is contrary to out wishes", says Hajric.

He adds that there are several options which are still in the game until final arbitration, but the definite one is still uncertain. Hajric gave this statement early in the afternoon, with the note that at the time "official Washington is just waking up".

Member of the Presidency of the Social Democratic Party of B&H (SDP) Miro Lazovic says:

"For me this piece of news is shocking. Such a decision reveals the entire hypocrisy of the international community concerning reintegration and integrity of B&H. This solution promotes the rule that territories conquered by war, crimes and genocide are acceptable. I expected a compromising solution, that Brcko would be an international protectorate, at least for a certain period of time. Only in that way return of refugees and banished persons could be effectuated, which would enable Brcko to fall to the share of its citizens, and gradually entire B&H to the share of the Bosnians and Herzegovinians."

Lazovic adds that the proposed solution to nominate a supervisor for a year most certainly will not have a positive result, which the examples of Mostar and other places have already shown.

The Union of B&H Social Democrats (UBSD) has also expected a compromise from arbitration concerning Brcko. Its Vice-president, Sejfudin Tokic, stresses a compromise as a realistic expectation. Howver, he is not surprised with the outcome:

"The UBSD has stressed on several occasions that priority in political engagement should not be the size of the territory of the Federation, but affirmation of consistent implementation of the Dayton accords on the whole territory of B&H. The logic according to which Brcko should be 'ours' or 'theirs' is nothing but a clear acceptance of the division of B&H. Brcko is a part of the Serb entity, but Brcko is above all, like Banja Luka, Tuzla, Trebinje, Bijeljina, also an integral part of B&H. We must reaffirm this and without that there are no prospects for a stable peace", says Tokic.

President of the non-parliamentary Liberal Bosniac Organization (LBO) Muhamed Filipovic beleives that Owen's decision means creation of another neuralgic point in B&H which will be a source of new conflicts:

"This decision is unjust and incompatible with stabilization of peace in B&H. It can do nothing but increase confrontations. Nevertheless, it was expected, like all the other decisions of the international community which have not brought solutions, but on the contrary nothing but complications", stresses Filipovic.

He adds that the decision was also influenced by the role of B&H delegation in negotiations in Dayton:

"Our party lightly agreed in Dayton to the arbitration on Brcko", Filipovic says.

A very brief reaction arrives from the Liberal Party (LS) which is also non-parliamentary. Rasim Kadic, President of the Liberals and since recently a minister in the Government of the B&H Federation says:

"We are surprised and very disappointed. At this moment, we are aware that this will cause great negative consequences for the future of B&H, but it is still early to predict what these consequences will be like".

Vice-President of the Muslim Bosniac Organization (MBO) Mujo Kafedzic does not conceal his disappointment either. He marks the decision as "just another in a series of shocks which the international community arranged for B&H and the Bosniac people".

"We knew that Brcko will be allocated to Republica Srpska because mentors of Dayton accords wished for the sake of false and deceitful peace to award aggression and give space for development of RS. If Brcko remains under control of RS for a year, it will forever remain in that entity. The experience from Mostar teaches us that foreign protectors, administrators or whatever you wish to call them, are doing nothing. This decision speaks in favour of division of B&H", says Kafedzic.

Hajrudin Ceric, from the information service of the Islamic Religious Community resolutely denied our information. He says that it is not true, because "it was not published by state agencies, and media can say whatever they please".

The Vrhbosnian Archbishopric, the office of Cardinal Vinko Puljic, dis not wish to comment on the news.

Senka KURTOVIC