MOSCOW, March 24 (Hina) - The implementation of the Dayton peace agreement, current problems regarding the implementation and priorities in the forthcoming stages of the peace process were the main topics at yesterday's ministerial
conference in Moscow.
MOSCOW, March 24 (Hina) - The implementation of the Dayton peace
agreement, current problems regarding the implementation and
priorities in the forthcoming stages of the peace process were the
main topics at yesterday's ministerial conference in Moscow. #L#
Here is a slightly shortened text of the Final Document
adopted by the conference:
CONTACT GROUP MINISTERIAL MEETING
FINAL DOCUMENT
Moscow, March 23, 1996
"Contact Group Ministers met in Moscow on 23 March to review
the implementation of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in
Bosnia and Herzegovina signed in Paris. They reconfirmed their
commitment to a strict, just and evenhanded approach to the
implementation of the Agreement and underlined the significant
investment the international community had already made to this
end.
On the whole, the implementation is proceeding according to
the timetable established by the Agreement. An important threshold
has been reached with the transfer of territories between the two
entities within the deadline set out in the Agreement. However,
many problems remain which, if left unresolved, will affect the
stability and irreversibility of the peace process.
The peace process is now entering a new stage in which the
primary responsibility will be on the Parties to give substance to
the civilian provisions of the Agreement. The objective of this new
stage is to create a climate of genuine trust and cooperation in
Bosnia and Herzegovina. The objective can only be achieved if the
Parties demonstrate political will and a sense of initiative to
make the peace process a success. The Contact Group Ministers
received reports which indicated that this necessary will was
lacking. They appealed to all Parties to live up to their
responsibilities. This implies both strict compliance with the
Parties' obligations in the Agreement, and their genuine commitment
to reconciliation and to building a common future (....)
The Contact Group States, the Signatories to the Agreement and
the representatives of international organisations today have
reaffirmed their determination to mobilize further their
implementation efforts and to ensure that the Parties comply with
their obligations.
The Ministers have given careful study to the review of
compliance submitted by the High Representative and the IFOR
Commanders. They supported their conclusions and drew the Parties'
attention to the problems in compliance in the following areas:
release of prisoners; implementation of the Constitutional
framework; withdrawal of foreign forces; ensuring freedom of
movement; cooperation with the War Crimes Tribunal; and ensuring
freedom of expression and of the press.
In particular, they agreed that failure to release prisoners
was a serious case of non-compliance.
They regretted that despite the Parties' undertakings, given
at Geneva, that release would take place by 23 March, this had not
happened.
They noted that the obligation to release prisoners was
unconditional and agreed that, unless the prisoners were released,
it would not be possible to confirm the economic reconstruction
pledging conference on the scheduled dates of 12-13 April.
The High Representative will propose other measures to be
taken immediately against any party that fails to comply with this
obligation.
The careful review of specific areas of implementation of the
Agreement leads to the following conclusions.
1. IFOR is fully deployed and operational. A constructive
interaction between the contingents participating from various
countries has been established, offering a good example of
partnership and cooperation in the common interests of NATO and
non-NATO countries.
The IFOR Commander and the High Representative, in his
capacity as overall coordinator for civilian implementation, are
carrying out their duties actively and purposefully. The Contact
Group Ministers gave them their full support (....)
The Contact Group Ministers demanded that the Parties fulfill
their obligation to withdraw immediately all foreign forces.
2. All civilian implementation structures called for in the
Peace Agreement have now been established (....)
For civilian implementation of the Agreement to be successful,
strong support, including financial, should be given to the
activities of the High Representative, the United Nations and OSCE
Missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, UNHCR, ICRC, and other
international organizations operating in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Contact Group Ministers drew the attentions of the
international community to the significant funding requirements of
the implementing agencies. If those requirements are not quickly
met, the realization of the goals of the Peace Agreement will not
be achieved.
3. The Contact Group Ministers deplored recent events in
Sarajevo. Reaffirming their commitment to a multiethnic community
in Bosnia and Herzegovina, they expect all Parties to put into
place additional measures to ensure security, freedom of movement
and conditions for the return of people affected in Sarajevo and
all other transferred areas.
4. The Contact Group Ministers noted in particular that the
Parties have not yet amended the Entities' constitutions to ensure
their conformity with the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina
(....)
5. Success of the Bosnian Federation is crucial to the entire
peace process. Citing the upcoming Bonn anniversary meeting of the
Bosnian Federation, the Contact Group called upon the Parties to
move forward vigorously on measures to strengthen the Federation,
in particular those agreed to in Rome and Geneva.
6. A primary goal of the next phase of implementation is the
preparation and the establishment of the conditions for elections.
In this regard, the Contact Group gave its full support to the work
of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Free, fair and democratic elections, held within the timeframe
set out in the Agreement, will lay the foundation for
representative government and ensure the progressive achievement of
democratic goals throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
To this end, the Parties should:
- strictly abide by the rules and regulations established by
the Provisional Election Commission for elections at the national
and local level.
- remove all obstacles to election campaigning by all
political parties and forces;
- adopt agreed standards concerning the media in order to
assure free and equal access to it for all registered candidates;
- foster the free circulation of information about the
election process
- renounce the exploitation of nationalism, ethnic separation
and hatred in the election campaign;
7. The Contact Group Ministers supported the efforts of the
United Nations to fully deploy the UN International Police Task
Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina by mid-April. It called upon UN
Member States to fulfill their commitments to urgently contribute
qualified officers to the Force.
8. The return of refugees and displaced persons remains an
urgent element in the reestablishment of the political and economic
life in the country. The Contact Group Ministers stressed the need
to facilitate the exercise of the right of return of refugees and
displaced persons as set forth in the Agreement.
9. Ensuring the respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms in Bosnia and Herzegovina is indispensable to a lasting
peace. The activities of all international organisations in this
field should be coordinated fully through the High Representative's
Human Rights Coordination Center.
10. Recalling the Parties' commitment in Geneva, the Contact
Group Ministers stressed the importance of full cooperation by all
parties with the ICRC Working Group on missing persons.
11. The Contact Group Ministers stressed the need for all
Parties to cooperate fully with the War Crimes Tribunal in the
investigation and prosecution of war crimes and other violations of
international humanitarian law.
12. The Contact Group Ministers noted the importance of
resolving outstanding difficulties arising from the demarcation of
the Inter-Entity Boundary Line. The work of the Inter-Entity
Boundary Commission should be completed to ensure smooth
demarcation of all areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
13. The Contact Group Ministers noted the importance of
settling the question of the disputed portion of the Inter-Entity
Boundary Line in the Brcko area. Given the sensitivity of the
matter they requested the Parties to select their arbitrators
without delay.
14. The Contact Group Ministers noted that full implementation
of the agreed Confidence-Building and Arms Control Measures is an
important element of the peace process. In this connection they
called on the Parties to conclude before 6 June 1996 the Agreement
on Arms Control Measures (....)
15. The economic rehabilitation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is
of key importance, as is the need to provide for economic
reconstruction in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Priority
should be given to projects that contribute to the economic
reintegration of the country and facilitate the process of
reconciliation. The Ministers welcomed the resources that have
already been allocated to urgent rehabilitation work.
The Parties have direct responsibility to kick-start the
economy. Ministers expect them to:
- contribute actively to the economic rehabilitation and
reconstruction of their own country, cooperating actively with the
assistance being received from the international community and
facilitating the work of international agencies; in particular
- institute immediately in each municipality an economic
rehabilitation program designed to clear up the destruction created
by war, the restoration of normal services and promote, on a crash
basis, the rebuilding of domestic accommodation, giving priority to
the employment of demobilized members of the Armed Forces.
- cooperate with each other and the international economic
agencies in creating a program of this kind in Sarajevo, the
modalities of which will be discussed very shortly within the Joint
Civilian Commission for Sarajevo (JCCS);
With any necessary technical expertise from the international
agencies, Republika Srpska should arrange for water and electricity
supplies to be reconnected to Gorazde without delay.
16. The Contact Group called attention to the critical
importance of the upcoming April 12-13 Pledging Conference and the
need for all participants to come prepared to fulfill the existing
commitments and to make substantial contributions.
17. The participants agreed that a review of the
implementation by the Parties of their commitments would be
conducted regularly and that a comprehensive assessment of the
results of the first six months of implementation will take place
in Rome on 13-14 June, as agreed to previously.
(hina) rm
241217 MET mar 96