SARAJEVO, Nov 13 (Hina) - The President of Serbia and Montenegro, Svetozar Marovic, on Thursday offered an apology to all citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina for "all the injustice, evil and killings" that his fellow countrymen had
committed in Bosnia.
SARAJEVO, Nov 13 (Hina) - The President of Serbia and Montenegro,
Svetozar Marovic, on Thursday offered an apology to all citizens of
Bosnia-Herzegovina for "all the injustice, evil and killings" that
his fellow countrymen had committed in Bosnia. #L#
"I would like to extend an apology for all the injustice, evil and
killings that anyone from Serbia-Montenegro inflicted on anyone in
Bosnia-Herzegovina," Marovic told a news conference, held after
Sarajevo's meeting of the joint council for cooperation between the
two countries.
Marovic went on to say that his apology should be treated as a
sincere act marking the start of "a new history" in relations
between Belgrade and Sarajevo.
"We must be brave enough to say that we are prepared to forgive and
carry on," Marovic said.
He added that peoples could not be held responsible for crimes, but
individuals who should be brought to justice.
The chairman of the Bosnian presidency, Dragan Covic, said the
presidency did not have a joint position on Marovic's apology
because they were not acquainted with it on time.
Covic went on to say that he personally accepted Marovic's act and
hoped that it would help improve bilateral cooperation and attempts
to heal the wounds of war.
Asked by reporters whether today's talks revolved around Bosnia's
suit against Belgrade for genocide and aggression before the
International Court of Justice, Marovic and Covic said there had
been no mention of the issue at the talks.
Covic added that the issue should be addressed by legal experts.
Marovic said that the matter should be solved in a manner which
would take into account the future. "We respect different opinions,
but I believe it would be difficult to explain to citizens whom I
represent that somebody see them as a potentially genocidal
people," the president of Serbia-Montenegro added.
The two officials described the bilateral ties as generally very
good.
Foreign ministers Mladen Ivanic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and Goran
Svilanovic of Serbia and Montenegro signed an agreement enabling
citizens of the two countries to cross the border using only
identity cards. The agreement will go into force on January 1 next
year.
The two ministers also signed an agreement on scientific and
technical cooperation.
(hina) ms