YouSaid · the spoken record

Petritsch

lines on the record: 197
first: 2000-05-09
most recent: 2002-03-05
sittings or episodes: 6
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Ambassador Simonovic' pointed out that this job is the ultimate challenge, and I fully agree with him. But we will ultimately be successful. That is also my conviction. I believe that, now that my mandate is drawing to a close, the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is far more promising than it was. That is thanks to the concerted efforts on the part of the international community, in conjunction with the partnership that has been built over the past couple of months. I again urge the Security Council to fully continue to support Bosnia and Herzegovina. I personally urge the Council to give its full support to my successor.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“In this regard, things are on the upswing. I believe we will see a better future for the Croat constituent people in Bosnia and Herzegovina once these decisions have been taken by the HDZ. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you, Mr. President, for your very kind words. I also wish to thank speakers for their kind words about my work and the achievements in more than two and a half years in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I think what is more important, of course, is the Council's continued support; because I am convinced that Bosnia and Herzegovina can indeed become a full-fledged member of the European community of sovereign States, as well as of the international community, of course. That will be the ultimate proof that our work in Bosnia and Herzegovina has not been in vain.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“I had to dismiss the party President, who was also a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the time. I had to put the Hercegovacka Banka, which served as a money-laundering institution for the radicals, under provisional administration. At the same time, I also continued the dialogue with the moderate forces in the Croat community and inside the HDZ. The crisis has been basically over since November. The HDZ has returned to legislative bodies. It is very clear that there is now a split inside the party. The sidelined extremists realize that their time is over. It is also very clear now that this party will have to come up with new leadership. Changes are therefore imminent, thanks to the continued support that the Government in Zagreb is lending to reform and moderation inside the Croat community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Again, I am confining myself to the radical top leadership that has tried to split away from the Constitutional Framework in the course of last year, when it was out-voted by the incoming reform-oriented Government, the Alliance for Change; when it called for a total boycott of Federation institutions; when it established extra-constitutional, illegal institutions; when it called for desertion and 7,000 ethnic Croats left the entity armed forces within days; when they called for a tax boycott - that, in fact, was the gravest crisis since Dayton - and when they also started to boycott the legislative bodies in the Federation and at the State level. Things have changed very considerably since then. I have had to intervene forcefully.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“When I talk about extremism in the HDZ I am basically and exclusively referring to the radical top leadership, not to the great number of decent members of that party who are seriously, and rightly, concerned about the status of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“The reform of the judiciary and that of the civil service, which is still ahead of us, are two very important aspects in fostering civilian security. The reform-oriented, multi-ethnic Government is very much aware of the fact that, in the immediate post-war era, security and, of course, personal safety are of great importance. One of the continued security risks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so to speak, is political and other types of extremism. But again, in this area the change has been quite considerable. That change can also be demonstrated even when it comes to the radical tendencies that prevailed in the course of last year in the HDZ. That is the second question I am trying to answer.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Mr. Petritsch: As the time is already quite far advanced, I would like to just quickly respond to the issues of overall security prior to the elections and to the Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ). With regard to the security situation, I believe Jacques Paul Klein will be able to give the Council more details as to the police and law-enforcement side of the overall situation there. I would like to take this opportunity to stress the fact that, in order to provide for a safe and secure environment, the continued presence of the Stabilization Force (SFOR) is of the utmost importance, both for the upcoming elections as well as for the immediate period thereafter. I also believe that, ultimately, it is up to the local authorities to provide the necessary safety and security for their citizens.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Bosnia and Herzegovina has normalized its relations with its neighbours and now speaks as an equal and respected member of the community of States in South-Eastern Europe. I am proud that I have played a part in bringing this about. When I leave my post in May, Mr. President, I am confident that my distinguished successor and friend, Paddy Ashdown, with your continued support, will further build on the solid foundation we have put in place. He will have the opportunity to finally return Bosnia and Herzegovina to its rightful place - into the hands of its citizens.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“It is being put into effect immediately. In conclusion, Mr. President, let me inform you and the members of this body of my intention to leave my post at the end of May. This is my last presentation to you, but I will send a final report to the Secretary- General at that time. I am convinced that Bosnia and Herzegovina can and will be a viable State if we continue to implement our overall plan with firmness and consistency. It is essential that we do not lose focus at this crucial stage. Forces bent on destruction and division are not yet completely defeated. Yet, the contours of a stable and self-sustainable Bosnia and Herzegovina, based on the Dayton/Paris Accords and firmly on course to Europe, are at last coming into view.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there will be a cabinet-style body of international agency heads, chaired by the High Representative and responsible for cross-cutting policy development, supported by an inter-agency situation group. At the centre, there will be four task forces covering the core strategic areas of economic reform, refugee return, institution-building and the rule of law. Finally, there will be a restructured field presence based on new joint areas of responsibility and the so- called co-location of all key agencies. We have reached the final stage of peace implementation where more must be done with fewer resources, and everything must be prepared for a hand- over to the local authorities. This streamlined model will deliver a leaner, less bureaucratic, international community presence with reduced overall costs.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“With assistance from the international community extended in a spirit of evolving partnership, they have, among other things, passed an election law and prepared Bosnia and Herzegovina for Council of Europe membership. As the circumstances of peace implementation have considerably changed, the international community has adapted its engagement so as to meet new challenges in the most effective way. In the spring of 2001, I was asked by the Foreign Ministers of the European Union and the Contact Group to oversee the streamlining of international civil implementation structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Let me share with you key elements of the final streamlining plan. The Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), of course, remains the overall board of directors, the body to whom I report.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Early in my mandate, I introduced the concept of "ownership", or "odgovornost" as they say in the local languages, to address the dependency syndrome of Bosnia and Herzegovina and to encourage the Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities at all levels to meet their responsibilities. Today, international peace implementation officials face a healthy amount of pride on the part of Bosnia and Herzegovina leaders, civic activists and citizens alike. I see this as proof that they have the genuine will to start owning problems and taking responsibility for their country's future. With the Alliance for Change, a coalition of reform-oriented parties that displaced the nationalist establishment in government at the beginning of 2001, there are finally politicians leading the country who support and defend Bosnia and Herzegovina's statehood.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“In 2000 and 2001 I issued decisions setting aside land for a cemetery and a memorial at Potocari near Srebrenica. A marker stone was formally installed at the site on the sixth anniversary of the massacre on 11 July 2001. The proposal made by the associations of the victims' families to add the nearby so-called Battery Factory site as a location for the memorial is being considered at the moment, and a site assessment of the property is being undertaken, funded by the United States Government. However, I continue to urge these associations to proceed without delay to plan for the burial of the remains that have been exhumed and prepared for interment.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Since the end of 1997, more than 102,000 property claims have resulted in repossession - that is, 41 per cent of all such claims in all of Bosnia and Herzegovina. That rate will hit the 50 per cent mark shortly, thus meeting a key condition of the European Union road map. I believe we can be proud that the corner has at last been turned, but this is not the time to relax our efforts. Adequate funding must be sustained until the return process has been completed. The Srebrenica massacre left a legacy of war more bitter than any other. I welcome the United Nations recovery programme for Srebrenica, which aims to address the extraordinary social and economic problems there. It will underpin the efforts of the international community in the context of the Srebrenica Action Plan to facilitate returns to this area.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“As the rule of law has begun to take hold, the number of returning refugees, throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, has increased dramatically. Last year, more than 92,000 so-called minority returns were recorded, a 36 per cent increase over the corresponding figure for the year 2000, which had been termed a "breakthrough" at the time by the United States-based non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch. If this rate is maintained - and I believe it can be maintained - mass return will be completed within two years. Here I would like to mention the crucial role of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in what I believe is a historic achievement, which just two years ago seemed extremely unlikely.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“I believe that the parties must be given every opportunity to produce "home-grown" solutions, arrived at by Bosnia and Herzegovina leaders for the benefit of the citizens of their country. However, time is of the essence. The current constitutional discussions must produce a successful outcome within days, so that the necessary amendments can be made to the Entity constitutions and the Bosnia and Herzegovina Election Law within the time frame required to hold general elections on schedule in October of this year. These elections will be the first post-war polls organized by the domestic authorities and will introduce a four-year election cycle, which should further enhance the stability of the political system.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“The talks now under way are part of a process through which the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement is evolving into something broader and deeper. This evolution - transcending the limitations of Dayton - is an incremental process, yet truly democratic in nature. It has again highlighted the evolutionary potential of Dayton. The very fact that the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an institution provided for in the Dayton Constitution, has triggered this process indicates that the Dayton system is indeed capable of reforming itself. Even well- intended statements from abroad risk jeopardizing this process which I View as "ownership in the making".”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Indeed, this is a test case of whether Bosnia and Herzegovina will develop into a State committed to human rights and the rule of law, and to the protection of the individual as well as that of Bosnia and Herzegovina's three constituent peoples and the group of the so-called others. The implementation of this decision puts an enormous burden on the still fragile political system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Yet this is a moment when the country must establish internal equilibrium founded on a constructive interdependence of all groups. There is still a widely held view that compromise and consensus are a kind of weakness. We are striving to change this deeply ingrained attitude, an attitude not confined to Bosnia and Herzegovina alone.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Indeed, the Europeanization of Bosnia and Herzegovina - crystallized in the imminent accession of the country to the Council of Europe and in the EU Road Map itemizing steps that Bosnia and Herzegovina must take in order to move closer to eventual European Union membership - is the overarching context for promoting the rule of law and advancing the main agenda of the international community for Bosnia and Herzegovina's recovery. Bosnia and Herzegovina has reached a crucial juncture in its path towards permanent recovery. The main political parties are discussing how to implement the Constitutional Court's decision on the constituency of peoples throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“There is a lack of adequate financing, and courts are often subject to undue external influence. Following a request from the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), last week I presented a reinvigorated programme of judicial reform measures for 2002-2003 to the Political Directors of the Steering Board. This combines a restructuring of the Bosnia and Herzegovina court system and a depoliticized appointment procedure with the introduction of a High Judicial Council. It also encompasses the reform of key laws, including civil and criminal procedure codes. The Council of Europe was invited to work on the details of the strategy in order to develop a system for Bosnia and Herzegovina that is compatible with modern European standards.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“While international efforts in the broad sphere of the rule of law have yielded results, progress in some areas has fallen short of expectations, because there has not yet been a thorough reform of the judiciary. The Judicial System Assessment Programme (J SAP), which had been set up by UNMIBH two years earlier, was terminated in November 2000. As a consequence of JSAP's closure, my Office was tasked to set up the Independent Judicial Commission (IJC). On 14 March last year, I issued the Decision formalizing the establishment of IJC and determining its mandate. However, IJ C reported to me a rather alarming picture: judges and prosecutors, many of whom gained office during or immediately after the war on ethnic or political rather than professional grounds, are often unfit to carry out their duties.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“In the light of a plan proposed by the ICTY Prosecutor last year regarding possible remission of ICTY cases to Bosnia and Herzegovina, my Office is currently engaged in discussions with ICTY and the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs here in New York with a View to cooperating on a consultancy project that will identify the resources that are needed to try more war crimes cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The consultancy will begin shortly. It is being funded by the Governments of the United Kingdom and Sweden, and will entail close cooperation with other United Nations agencies, international organizations and Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Yet the SDS will have to show practical and public support for the ICTY before this kind of statement is greeted with any sort of credence. If approved by the ICTY under the 1996 Rome Agreement, commonly known as the rules of the road procedure, war crimes cases may be tried in Bosnia and Herzegovina courts. I am acutely aware of the sensitivity and importance of such trials, which not only are aimed at bringing perpetrators to justice but also play a key role in the overall reconciliation process.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Let me take this opportunity to thank the SFOR Commander, General John Sylvester, and his soldiers for these courageous undertakings, necessitated by the absence of credible efforts by the Republika Srpska authorities to apprehend and transfer to The Hague indicted war criminals hiding on their territory. The entity of the Republika Srpska must be left in no doubt that as long as it fails to live up to its obligations, it will not receive the full backing of the international community. I remain firmly convinced that unless Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic and other indictees end up in The Hague, people will not be able to turn the page and look to the future. The Serb Democratic Party (SDS), founded by Karadzic, has announced the expulsion of members indicted for war crimes.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“I have duly informed the Secretary-General of this. Policing in Bosnia and Herzegovina will not be fully effective as long as there is a belief that certain individuals are beyond the reach of the law. In this respect, the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and the cooperation given to ICTY by the Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities at the State level and in both entities, is crucial to the country's overall recovery. Just a few days ago, Stabilization Force (SFOR) troops launched operations in eastern Bosnia to arrest Radovan Karadzic.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“The European Union Police Mission (EUPM), supported by the European Union's institution-building programmes, will contribute to peace implementation and to the European Union's overall policy in the region, notably the Stabilization and Association Process. It represents a unique opportunity for the European Union to develop its political engagement with Bosnia and Herzegovina and to support structural reform crucial to the country's Europeanization process. Allow me to express my appreciation to the European Union's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, for the decisive and constructive approach adopted by the European Union in undertaking the EUPM. The European Union's initiative was welcomed and accepted by the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council on 28 February.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“In this respect, the work of the International Police Task Force (IPTF), mandated under the Dayton/Paris Peace Accords to provide the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina with an efficient and impartial police service, has been key to the peace implementation efforts. I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Jacques Paul Klein; the IPTF Commissioner, Vincent Coeurderoy; and the staff at IPTF and the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) for the strenuous efforts they have made in order to carry out this work. On 18 February, the European Union's General Affairs Council announced that the European Union is ready to establish a police mission, which will take over from IPTF from 1 January 2003, as the Secretary- General has already indicated.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“The experience of Bosnia and Herzegovina has shown conclusively that countries cannot recover from war or protracted civil strife simply through material aid or military assistance. They need institutions that work and a culture in which laws are properly debated and universally applied and respected. Today, with regard to Afghanistan, even sceptics accept that institution- building must be at the core of successful intervention. Consolidating the rule of law has underpinned our strategy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, since institution- building, refugee return and economic development can be promoted only in a secure environment of law and order.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Faced with this situation, my strategy was clear. Since arriving in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I have vigorously promoted the creation of an investment- driven, rather than an aid-dependent, market economy; the mass return of refugees to their homes, by rolling back the results of ethnic cleansing; and the consolidation of institutions - legal, political, economic, social, educational and civic - that will sustain a viable democracy long after the international community has ended its extraordinary assistance and involvement in the country's affairs. After ll September, the potentially disastrous consequences of weak and failed States have been burned into our consciousness.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“Mr. Petritsch: When I took up my mandate in Bosnia and Herzegovina in August 1999, Yugoslavia and Croatia were ruled by the same leaders who had brought about the disastrous conflicts of the 1990s. Their proxies still wielded power in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Consequently, refugees saw little hope of returning to their homes. Reform was effectively blocked by wartime politicians, who did nothing to overcome the internal economic divisions and the virtual absence of an adequate legislative framework. State-level institutions had been established, but they were underfunded, understaffed and lacked real power. My predecessors, Carl Bildt and Carlos Westendorp, worked hard to correct this but were severely hampered by an uncompromising political climate inside the country and a lack of cooperation from Zagreb and Belgrade.”
2002-03-05 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4484 (2002) · source
“It will project a refocused and accelerated implementation period for 2002 to 2005; it will pay special attention to justice and home affairs; and it will present options for a follow-up police monitoring mission in due course.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“In regard to the overall restructuring and streamlining process, let me just reiterate what the Steering Board pointed out at last week's meeting concerning the action plan of the international community. This action plan will be very strict, inasmuch as it will include clear benchmarks and an assessment of matching multiyear funding requirements. It will be concrete, because it will identify core requirements and functions for the international community. It will recalibrate its mandates and additional tasks, and streamline its field presence. It will be inclusive, because it will include proposals on structural reforms aimed at the integration of the various international agencies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it will come up with a concrete vision for an end state.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“These transition issues, of course, are very similar in other neighbouring countries, so the regional approach again is something that should come increasingly to the fore. Yesterday I had an excellent meeting - the second in a couple of months - with the Associate Administrator of UNDP in order to discuss UNDP's role in more detail. This is just an example; there are other agencies, of course - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and so on, and European agencies as well, which will in future play a larger role. This is also an indication that Bosnia is normalizing. It is becoming more and more of a normal country, and that is, of course, very welcome.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Regarding restructuring, I should like to point out that the reasons why we have broadened our approach also have to do with the fact that many United Nations agencies are already active in the region and, of course, in Bosnia and Herzegovina as well. We also need to talk to them about what they can take on as their job, because, after the period of streamlining, many of the issues will remain unresolved and will need continued attention. Let me give one example: that is the reason why I invited the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to be part of the streamlining exercise, because I believe that Bosnia and Herzegovina is now in a phase in which UNDP in particular can help a lot when it comes to transition issues.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“That is why I urge the Council to support me in getting the message through to the local authorities that time is running out. There are other issues, there are other countries - neighbouring countries and countries in the region- and other regions that are coming to the fore and that urgently require attention from the international community. Bosnia and Herzegovina is in a much more competitive situation now. Aid used to arrive more or less without any conditions; but that time is over now. Bosnia and Herzegovina now needs to compete with the region and the neighbouring countries for foreign investment. That is the only way forward. That needs to be understood very clearly by the local authorities and needs to be supported unanimously by the international community.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“However, with respect to these same constituent rights to which the Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina has referred, it is a fact that since 11 January, through a decision which I took, the three constituent peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina are constituent throughout the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina. That decision will, hopefully, be supplanted very soon by the constitutional amendments that are now being discussed and which, I hope, will be implemented in the course of the fall season, when politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be back in full swing. Finally, I should like to underline what the representative of the United States said: that we need more than ever to instil a sense of urgency in the local authorities.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Let me turn to some of the other issues that were put forward. Of course, the Kostic genocide case was a landmark decision, so to speak, because for the first time the issue of genocide was included in a verdict. That, of course, is indeed a very remarkable situation and gives the whole process a new quality, ifI may say so. Concerning the return of refugees, there is no breakdown according to ethnic communities, because we are intentionally not doing this kind of ethnic analysis after return. There are returns into areas in which the three constituent peoples constitute a minority that is not a minority as such 7 that is, either the Serb constituent people returning to the Federation, where they constitute a minority; or Croats and Bosniacs returning to Republika Srpska, where they, in turn, are faced with a minority situation.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“As he clearly indicated - and rightly so - it is necessary in order to overcome procrastination and in order to overcome - as it was put by the Ambassador or Norway and echoed in the statement made by the Ambassador of Singapore - this incremental rather than fundamental progress; therefore imposition from time to time is necessary. However, at the same time, the concept of ownership, which I had put forward two years ago, is a necessary one. This indicates that we are looking forward to a more proactive approach on the part of the local authorities, which I think is now increasingly the case. This is what the international community wants to see, and I expect more legislation to be passed by the local authorities. The adoption of the election law is an excellent case in point.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“I turn now to Jamaica's question on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. The Tribunal plays a very important, and lately also a very dynamic and proactive, role in Bosnia and Herzegovina a a very positive one - and I would say that it is important to stress that through the work of the Tribunal, guilt and responsibility are being individualized. It is not the Serbs, it is not the Croats, it is not the Bosniacs who are guilty. It is individuals, and that is a very important part of the work of the Tribunal, which will contribute enormously to an eventual reconciliation process, which is so necessary. With respect to the Russian Federation's concerns regarding the imposition of laws, I fully agree with the Ambassador. That is indeed a big problem when a too- forceful and too-robust approach is used.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in particular, along with my Office, is watching very carefully, and is consulting with the House of Representatives and the local authorities with regard to the content of the law. So I am expecting a positive outcome, an outcome that will be commensurate with European standards for minority rights. Regarding the implementation of the Constitutional Court decisions, the approach taken by the international community was reflected in the June meeting of the political directors of the Steering Board, where it was basically said that what we are expecting is a symmetrical approach in the two entities, both in substance and in principle, to the implementation of those decisions and to the changes in the constitutions of the two entities.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“Mr. Petritsch: Let me start by saying how much I appreciate the continued interest of the Security Council and of its individual members in the affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in particular their interest in my Office and the work that it is trying to do with respect to peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since the hour is late, I should like to respond quickly to some of the questions that were raised. First, the representative of Ukraine asked about the status of national minorities. I can say that there is a draft law on national minorities now before the House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina for discussion.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379Resumption1 (2001) · source
“However, I believe that these are indispensable elements of our mission to help build a viable and truly multi-ethnic State of Bosnia and Herzegovina that can take its rightful place in the European family of States.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“Let me state in this context that I appreciate and welcome the presence of Jacques Paul Klein, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, at this very important meeting. In concluding, I would like to stress the vision that the international community must adhere to in its efforts. Our task is not to work on a mere exit strategy; Bosnia and Herzegovina needs an entry strategy into European structures. Membership in the Council of Europe is a first step. The European Union has further defined the path with its Stabilisation and Association Agreements. In my address to the Council, I have gone into some detail in order to demonstrate the at times complex and technical nature of our engagement in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“The United Nations mandate given to me, the High Representative, under resolution 1256 (1999) obligates me to take an inclusive approach to our streamlining efforts. At the meeting of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council last week, I invited representatives from UNMIBH, UNHCR, the United Nations Development Programme, OSCE and SFOR to present their views. In its communique, the Steering Board has tasked my Office with identifying core requirements and functions for the international community, reviewing tasks, mandates and field presence, and presenting options for a follow- up police monitoring mission. This plan of action will be presented for consideration by the Steering Board at its December 2001 meeting.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“We thus need to develop, in coordination with the entire international community and in consultation with the local Government, a plan that will set the stage for the final phase of peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Let me emphasize the need to focus on the end state, rather than merely on an end date. However, it is imperative that we set benchmarks and develop action plans for our core activities to improve focus and cooperation. Since my last report to the Security Council, my Office has carried out a comprehensive overview of the international community's activities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Office of the High Representative has sought and received proposals from other international agencies.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“In the spring of this year, I was asked by the Foreign Ministers of the Contact Group, as well as by the Foreign Ministers of the European Union, to oversee the streamlining of civil international peace implementation structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina with a view to improving efficiency and coordination. This is especially important in light of our desire to foster local ownership. The present level of international commitment cannot be sustained. Donor fatigue has already led to a strategic reduction in actual and projected aid. Equally important: as long as the international community determines politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina to such a large degree, it will inhibit the mature growth of domestic institutions.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“The Independent Judicial Commission, which I established last December, replacing the United Nations-led Judicial System Assessment Programme, has the task of strengthening the independent judiciary of the country. It aims to reform the appointment process for judges and other court personnel. It is reviewing the qualifications and conduct of all judges and prosecutors, and it is introducing initiatives designed to improve the training offered to personnel throughout the judicial system over the next 18 months. Work is also under way to overhaul the civil service, freeing bureaucracy from political influence and raising its standards. We are pushing for the swift adoption of a civil service law prepared by my Office that will professionalize the state civil service, making merit the main criterion for appointment and promotion.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“It allows the successor States to gain access to their agreed portion of the former Yugoslavia's assets, an important boost - approximately $125 million in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina - to their respective State finances. I would like to express my gratitude to the Secretary-General, who graciously accepted my proposal of being the depository of this agreement. Improving State and entity finances, professionalizing the civil service, promoting the work of independent regulatory agencies, and establishing a modern legal framework: all of this will endow Bosnia and Herzegovina with institutions that can maintain stability and, in due course, take the country into Europe. In the last six months, important progress has been made in developing and strengthening strategic institutions.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“Inasmuch as these and other indictees have been able to find refuge inside and outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, routinely travelling to and from neighbouring countries, I am seeking to promote a regional response to the apprehension of these fugitives. One bright spot in regional cooperation has been the succession agreement signed in Vienna on 29 June by the five former Yugoslav republics. Under my separate mandate for this succession issue, I oversaw and mediated the negotiations and acted as a witness to the signature of the agreement. With this treaty, the first agreement since the end of the old Yugoslavia to be concluded among all five States, the protracted legal dismantling of the old Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia is brought to a close.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“Next week the Republika Srpska National Assembly will decide whether or not to adopt legislation formalizing and facilitating the cooperation of the Republika Srpska with the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Regardless of the outcome, the Republika Srpska has a standing obligation to cooperate with the Tribunal, an obligation that it has failed to honour so far. Passage of the bill, though technically unnecessary, would represent an important acknowledgement on the part of the authorities of the Republika Srpska of the fact that their entity cannot continue as the only holdout in the region against the process of international justice. It is high time the remaining fugitives from justice, beginning with Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, were apprehended and transferred to The Hague.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source