INDEPENDENT CONFERENCE FOR PEACE IN EX-YUGOSLAVIA

ZAGREB, July 2 (Hina) - Under the auspices of UNESCO and the State Council of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, the Conference of Independent Persons for Peace in the former Yugoslavia took place in Geneva on June 27-30. A statement, delivered to Hina on Saturday, said that the meeting involved 27 participants from all parts of former Yugoslavia and that it was addressed by UNESCO Director General Federico Mayor, Vice President of the Geneva State Council Olivier Vodoz and personal representative of the UN high commissioner for refugees Francois Fouinat. All the participants agreed that the war in the Balkans must be brought to an end as soon as possible, in keeping with all UN Security Council resolutions, and that all parties involved should be cooperative. The conference stressed that peace was possible only on the following foundations: - unacceptability of the changes of internationally recognized borders by force or dictate; - preservation of the territorial integrity of Bosnia- Herzegovina as a democratic, multinational and multiconfessional state; - non-recognition of violent demographic changes through genocide, ethnic cleansing, so-called "voluntary" resettlement or any other forms of pressure; - annulment of all arbitrary and discriminatory acts and agreements concerning transfer of ownership, based on violence and pressure; - free and safe return of refugees to their homes with property compensation and creation of conditions for free and safe life; - speedy court proceedings against war criminals. Participants also proposed that UNESCO should initiate the trial of those responsible for the destruction of church buildings and cultural monuments. It was agreed that peace was not possible without mutual recognition of all countries which emerged after the collapse of the former Yugoslavia, without the speedy process of succession, without parliamentary democracy and civil, human and minority rights, without restoration of communication between individuals and groups. "It is of particular importance that we support and encourage the continuation of negotiations between representatives of the Republic of Croatia and the Serbs from the areas under the control of the international community with the aim of finding a peaceful and gradual solution in accordance with Security Council decisions, with full respect for human and minority rights both in the areas controlled by the Croatian government and in those controlled by the international community," the statement said. 021810 MET jul 94