SARAJEVO, 2 Aug (Hina) - Carlos Westendorp, High Representative for implementation of the Dayton agreement, on Saturday called on all states who have diplomatic relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina not to recognise Bosnia-Herzegovina's
ambassadors and not to maintain contacts with them, thus activating punitive measures envisaged by the Sintra decisions.
SARAJEVO, 2 Aug (Hina) - Carlos Westendorp, High Representative
for implementation of the Dayton agreement, on Saturday called on
all states who have diplomatic relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina
not to recognise Bosnia-Herzegovina's ambassadors and not to
maintain contacts with them, thus activating punitive measures
envisaged by the Sintra decisions. #L#
At a press conference held after his meeting with
representatives of Contact group member-states in Sarajevo on
Saturday, Westendorp said that his proposal was the result of the
fact that parties in Bosnia-Herzegovina had failed to agree
within set deadlines on the allocation of ambassador posts, the
appointment of new and confirmation of incumbent ambassadors.
Since yesterday, ambassadors of Bosnia-Herzegovina are no
longer the legitimate representatives of the country which was
established by the signing of the Dayton agreement, Westendorp
said.
For now, Westendorp has restrained from introducing
additional punitive measures for the failure of three sides to
adopt a law on citizenship and passports.
He explained that he had extended the deadline for the
adoption of the law until Monday, when the Council of Ministers
is to meet again and try to agree on disputable regulations.
Asked what measures could be introduced should the meeting
fail to bring any results, Westendorp said that he was
considering the possibility of not recognising the passports of
those officials who proved to be responsible for the failure to
adopt the disputable law.
It would not be fair to punish ordinary people for the
mistakes those officials were making, he said, adding that the
ban on travel would refer only to some of the country's
politicians.
Westendorp agreed that there was a need for more decisive
measures in restricting and eliminating the influence of war
crime suspects, especially top war crime suspects, whose power
was based on large amounts of money deposited in foreign banks.
Such doubts should be investigated and in case it is proven
true that there are secret accounts, those accounts should be
frozen, he said, adding that the decision on this matter should
be made by the U.N. Security Council.
Commenting on the situation in the Bosnian Serb entity,
Westendorp sad that he had confirmed the support of the
international community for actions taken by the Republika Srpska
President Biljana Plavsic.
Her decision to dissolve Parliament was totally legal and
the only way to solve the current political crisis among the
Bosnian Serbs is to hold new elections. There is simply no other
way, said Westendorp, who met with Plavsic in Banja Luka earlier
today.
(hina) rm
021729 MET aug 97