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

“Delegations from the Republika Srpska, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and my Office met last month and agreed on the way forward to the conclusion of a future defence annex. In July, the Bosnia and Herzegovina presidency formally applied for the membership of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Partnership for Peace programme of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). This will require a joint military structure that closely coordinates the operations of Federation and Republika Srpska armed forces. This in turn represents a viable long-term military strategy for Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is particularly encouraging that the initiative for this has come from the tripartite presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“On 11 July, a ceremony to mark the sixth anniversary of the massacre at Srebrenica was held without incident. Security was provided by SFOR in cooperation with local police from the Republika Srpska and the International Police Task Force (IPTF). Meanwhile, I am able to report two promising developments regarding the stance the Republika Srpska is taking on military issues. At the end of July, I communicated to the Republika Srpska and Federal Republic of Yugoslavia authorities that the defence annex to the Special Parallel Relations Agreement that they had just signed had no legal effect, as they had failed to consult my Office, as required by this very agreement.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“I laid out the steps that must be taken in order to change this regressive mindset, unfortunately prevalent in the Republika Srpska, and the steps that must be taken to find and punish the culprits in the violence of May and to ensure that such violence is never repeated. In addressing the violence surrounding the mosque ceremonies and the flawed political environment which produced it, I received the forthright support of UNMIBH. The Mission has also been at the forefront of efforts by the international community to ensure that those responsible for the violence of May are identified and prosecuted. Finally, on 18 June, the cornerstone was laid at the Banja Luka mosque site, with the President and Prime Minister of the Republika Srpska in attendance.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“Jacques Paul Klein, I asked Republika Srpska authorities to dismiss immediately several high-ranking police officials who had failed in their professional obligations. I also summoned the Republika Srpska leadership - the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister and relevant ministers - to Sarajevo, where I made it clear to them that if they did not make arrangements for the ceremony to proceed, with complete security and appropriate dignity, and if significant changes were not made in the Republika Srpska's social and political structures, there would be serious consequences for the future of the entity.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“While standing firm against regressive nationalism, my office has made consistent and increasingly successful efforts to reach out to moderate Croat leaders and to respond to the legitimate concerns of the Croat constituent people of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In May, Serb extremists and local thugs attacked local and international participants at the ground- breaking ceremonies for the reconstruction of historic mosques in Trebinje and in Banja Luka, which had been demolished under the wartime regime of the Republika Srpska. One of the participants at the Banja Luka ceremony subsequently died of his injuries. The Republika Srpska authorities conspicuously failed to maintain public security during these well-orchestrated outbreaks of nationalist violence. After consultations with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Mr.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“The bank's provisional administrator has spent the summer examining the books and retrieving thousands and thousands of documents which the former management sought unsuccessfully to erase from computer files. She will shortly report her findings. In March, as a corollary of the self-rule project, thousands of Croat soldiers deserted from the Federation army. By mid-June a majority had re- enlisted. The hard-line Croat politicians, who had exhorted troops to leave the barracks with the promise that their salaries would continue to be paid and even enhanced, were unable to deliver on this promise. With their failure, one of the most serious challenges to the Dayton peace process was overcome.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“As the country's constitutional settlement is modified through consensus and as politicians turn their attention to pressing issues of economic reform, I have acted decisively to quell any recurrence of separatism. On 6 April, I placed the Hercegovacka Bank, the biggest bank in Herzegovina and the second biggest in Bosnia and Herzegovina, under provisional administration after I had been presented with clear indications that the bank was being used to finance illicitly a variety of nationalist projects, including the attempt to launch the so-called Croat self-rule, specifically condemned by the Security Council in its statement of 22 March 2001. The extremely violent reaction by a well-organized mob to the establishment of the provisional administration indicates that we went for the right target.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“By the end of July, both entities' Constitutional Commissions, established by me in January to implement last year's Constitutional Court ruling on the constituency of peoples, had adopted provisional reports on draft amendments to their respective entity Constitutions. These amendments will ensure that no citizen living in either entity will experience inequality because of ethnicity or religion. This autumn will likely see an animated debate over the adoption of these amendments by the respective entity Parliaments. The work of the Constitutional Commissions also demonstrates how the Dayton process can be adapted to meet changing needs. If one day the representatives of the peoples and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina decide that they want to amend the core annex of the Peace Agreement, the Constitution, they can do so.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“The process of return depends on economic and social sustainability * the reopening of shops, factories, schools and so on. As communities recover they become better able to absorb larger numbers of returnees. By applying consistent and focused pressure on recalcitrant authorities, the RRTF has been remarkably successful in boosting the number of people who have been able to go home. Let me take this opportunity to underline that the presence of SFOR on the ground remains a precondition for those efforts to be brought to a successful end. Work has also continued apace to create a political environment that is conducive to return.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“In the first six months of 2001, there were more than 35,000 so-called minority returns, an 85 per cent increase over the same period last year. These figures point to an unstoppable momentum. I View this as a result of activities undertaken by the Reconstruction and Return Task Force (RRTF). The RRTF is the umbrella group of agencies that includes the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Stabilization Force (SFOR), the European Commission, the World Bank, the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) and the OSCE. The Task Force operates under the auspices of the Office of the High Representative, making common and productive use of information, facilities and personnel.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“The Federation recorded solid growth in the first half of 2001, whereas the economy of the Republika Srpska actually contracted in the same period. However, the fact that growth of any sort has been achieved this year, in the face of declining donor aid and a weak growth of the global economy, may be viewed as a promising indication that the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina is beginning to function under its own steam, albeit at a minimal level. The post-war recovery of Bosnia and Herzegovina has depended from the very beginning on the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes. According to Human Rights Watch, a breakthrough in the return process was achieved last year, and this positive trend was maintained during the first half of 2001.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“There is a danger that unless the pace of reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina rapidly increases, it will be left behind and will remain the weak link in the regional chain. Bosnia and Herzegovina's overall economic growth, projected to be around 5 per cent this year, continues to disappoint. According to the World Bank, it would take another six to eight years of annual growth of 6 per cent for Bosnia and Herzegovina to achieve a level of credit worthiness that would be sufficient to finance future development. On the positive side, it has become increasingly apparent that the Alliance parties are beginning to realize that any further delay in instituting real economic reform is not an option. Citizens are impatient, and will not allow their representatives to drag their feet prior to the elections to be held late next year.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“The Communications Regulatory Agency, established by my decision of March 2001, had organized a tender that required the successful bidder to invest up to $200 million in a new, State-wide mobile phone network. The tender had to be abandoned when two of the four foreign companies that had submitted bids pulled out in the final stages, citing uncertainty over the Council of Ministers' attitude towards incoming investors. The failure of the GSM. tender was of course a self-inflicted wound. What Bosnia and Herzegovina needs is the total, immediate and professional commitment of its leaders to long-term economic reform, not short-term political calculation. My Office will seek to encourage that commitment.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“In addition to the shift from war to peace, Bosnia and Herzegovina is engaged in a transition from a communist command-driven economy to a free market; and, indeed, in many cases, the two are intimately interconnected. For example, the old payment bureaux, which we successfully abolished at the beginning of the year, were remnants of the command economy that stifled enterprise and were also being used to finance the nationalist parties that were dominant during the war. Now, a modern commercial banking system is swiftly taking root in the country. However, in the last six months, overall economic progress has, unfortunately, been patchy. August should have seen the selection of a telecommunications company to take up the third mobile phone licence for Bosnia and Herzegovina, a crucial step forward in a strategic economic sector.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“While saluting this pragmatism on the part of Bosnia and Herzegovina politicians in securing passage of the election law, I would also like to commend the efforts of the Mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which played a crucial role in piloting this legislation onto the statute book. As a consequence, I believe that Bosnia's application for membership in the Council of Europe should now be favourably and rapidly considered. Let me turn to another burning issue - the state of the economy. Part of the changing circumstances in Bosnia and Herzegovina involves the evolution of a double transition.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“This legislation had been stalled for years because of chronic parliamentary obstructionism. I had consistently argued in the past that Bosnia and Herzegovina should pass this most basic of laws necessary for a democratic State, prior to being allowed to join the Council of Europe. Over the summer, a majority of deputies decided to support the law on the grounds that, whatever its limitations, it provides the necessary mechanism for holding free and fair elections. Their decision represents what I may describe as principled pragmatism, and it points towards a promising legislative future for Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“The partnership forum is not aimed at replacing existing mechanisms of Government. It will facilitate interaction between the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the one hand, and the international community, on the other. I am now preparing for the inaugural meeting of a civic forum, which will extend informal consultations to intellectuals, business people, media personalities and religious and community leaders. The object of this is to promote active citizenship. Through the civic forum I intend to give the country's recovering civil society a more active role in the public policy discourse. I have already spoken about the ruling coalition's determination to join the European structures. Allow me to draw the Council's attention to the passage of an election law by the State Parliament on 23 August.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“However, it is held together by a common determination to replace the failed nationalist agenda with a raft of policies aimed at creating a modern European State. The new, non-nationalist authorities have asserted themselves, and they demand greater respect and a partnership with the international community. Partnership is a necessary and welcome first step towards ownership. Indeed, I am encouraged to see that the Government is embracing the ownership concept I articulated when I arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina two years ago. I responded to this new mood when I proposed the establishment of what we call a consultative partnership forum. In this forum I have already started to discuss and resolve urgent issues with the Council of Ministers, reflecting the principle of ownership.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“As early as February, my Office had proposed to the Bosnia and Herzegovina House of Representatives that the mandate of the Naturalization Commission, which reviews cases of wartime naturalization, be extended so as to address any irregularities in citizenship granted to foreigners during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I reiterated this request to Prime Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija this week when I discussed with him the urgent need for Bosnia and Herzegovina to establish an anti-terrorism task force in his country. Prime Minister Lagumdzija is the leader of the Alliance for Change, a coalition of non-nationalist parties that formed Governments at the State and Federation level at the beginning of this year. The Alliance groups together political parties that have significant ideological differences.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“CIPS will also create a State-level network operations centre containing a blacklist of internationally wanted persons, as compiled by Interpol. CIPS will deliver a range of additional benefits to Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will introduce a secure identity card which meets International Civil Aviation Organization standards for use as an international travel document. Most importantly, the information technology supporting the CIPS project will increase the confidence of immigration authorities that Bosnian identity documents are well-managed and secure. We hope that this will be a first step towards easing visa restrictions for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina travelling abroad.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“In the absence of secure State identity documents, my Office - the Office of the High Representative - initiated two years ago, in conjunction with the domestic authorities, the so-called common identity protection system, or Citizens Identity Protection System (CIPS), a package of legal and administrative steps which, among other things, will significantly improve Bosnia and Herzegovina's border regime. Under CIPS, Bosnia and Herzegovina will have its first integrated civil registry. Bosnian authorities can then compare the current passport database with the civil registry of valid Bosnian residents and isolate suspicious cases. This represents a tool that will allow Bosnian authorities to address concerns about their ability to deal with the phenomenon of cross-border crime.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“In January 2000, l imposed the State Border Service law, establishing an institution which effectively addresses the wartime legacy of fragmented, porous and unprotected borders, patrolled by local police forces which were often complicit in cross-border crime. Since then, the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) has taken on responsibility for setting up, training and monitoring the State Border Service. The Service currently covers 75 per cent of the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Full deployment is scheduled for the end of September 2002, pending budget allocations.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“In this context, I believe it should be noted that the work which the international community is carrying out in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to strengthen State institutions and establish the rule of law, which was so obviously absent during and immediately after the war, is also contributing to the overall fight against global terrorism. Since I last reported to the Security Council on 22 March, there has been considerable progress in this work, which is predicated on empowering the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and bringing the country ever closer to the European mainstream. At this juncture, let me recapitulate some of the more security-related aspects of our mandate to strengthen the State institutions.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“(spoke in English) I firmly believe that the raison d'etre of this world body - the United Nations - is to work actively against this flawed concept, and I wholeheartedly agree with the Secretary-General's assertion in today's New York Times that the United Nations is uniquely positioned to advance this effort. Having served now for two years as High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, I am deeply convinced that the Dayton peace process demonstrates that the comprehensive engagement of the international community to heal the wounds of conflict in the Balkans is, in fact, working. Bosnia and Herzegovina is still a country with a very delicate religious, cultural and social fabric. However, its post- war society is about to pull together the strength needed for this State to survive.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“This is the fifth time that I have had the honour of addressing the Security Council. Given the tragic events that took place 10 days ago in New York; Washington, DC; and Pennsylvania, one might wonder if perhaps there are not more important questions to be discussed than the implementation of the Dayton-Paris Peace Agreement on Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many have stated, however, that last week's terrorist attacks prove the truth of the idea of an inevitable clash of civilizations. Indeed, many had put forward the same argument during the horrible war that ravaged Bosnia and Herzegovina until about six years ago.”
2001-09-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4379 (2001) · source
“We are working very closely in order to fulfil the last remaining preconditions set forth by the Council of Europe. Incidentally, right now there is a delegation from the Council of Europe travelling in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to make a last assessment of the situation there. As I am coming to a close, let me say how much I appreciate the interest that you have demonstrated in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in my work there. I very much appreciate all the support that was expressed and am looking forward to my next report here with, hopefully, even better results and better information from the ground in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“I can assure you that I will find a way to accommodate the legitimate concerns of the Croat people. I have already established a dialogue with Croat representatives, including moderate HDZ representatives. Only three days after I had to dismiss President Jelavic and three of the Vice Presidents of the HDZ, the two remaining Vice Presidents asked for a meeting, and we actually had a quite constructive first meeting about the issues that concern the Croat community. Again, I am quite confident that we will be able to find a way out. Lastly, the representative of Croatia raised the issue of accession to the Council of Europe. Let me assure you that I am quite confident that Bosnia and Herzegovina will manage to join the Council of Europe in the course of this year.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“I am, however, quite confident that this will change over time. This will change now also with the new Governments in place. I very much appreciate the statement by Sweden on behalf of the European Union. I fully agree and very much appreciate the support of my work in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The European Union naturally is one of the most important partners there. I have already made reference to the last two speakers and would commend the excellent analysis by the representative of Croatia. I believe that the Constitutional Court decision will in fact do the trick for the smallest community, the Croats. The legitimate fears that exist are indeed legitimate, inasmuch as we are looking into how to reach out and how to resolve the issues that are of real concern to the Croat people.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“Let me assure you that when implementing the constitutional commission and the Constitutional Court decision, I took the liberty to include as the fourth group "the others." So, for the first time now, the minorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, be it Ukrainians or Roma or others, have a say in both entities, are represented in the constitutional commissions and will have a say in the future permanent establishment of this body. I can also assure you that economic sanctions against the Croats were never envisioned. We are moving against individuals, as I have indicated time and again, and not against the Croat people. I deeply believe that the majority of the Croats, who are decent people, want to cooperate. But of course, as long as the leadership is such, it is indeed quite difficult.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“Even worse, they were able to legitimize their existence through elections under Dayton. We needed a long time -up until the last elections, almost five years -to get, through the democratic process of elections, the three nationalist parties into some sort of a minority situation. Again, it was already pointed out that it is a very thin majority that exists at the State level and at the Federation level in regard to moderate parties. Nevertheless, for the first time now, we have a realistic opportunity that moderate politics will succeed in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Let me just refer to the President and to Ukraine in regard to the Ukrainian minority in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is the fourth largest group in the country.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“Regarding the elections in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and ripple effects, there were indeed generally very positive effects, because now, for the first time, we have in Belgrade an interlocutor-we have a partner again. But, on the other hand, in the short-run in a way it had some problematic aspects - this very quick move to establish the Agreement on Special Parallel Relations is one such indicator. However, in general I must say that I am quite optimistic that Belgrade, in the medium-term, will become as responsible a partner in the Dayton implementation as Croatia already is. Let me move on to the next question. Colombia asked where the real support for the nationalists comes from. We need to keep in mind that-talking again about the Dayton Accords - the nationalist parties were left in place in Dayton.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“The second and more important one in the long run is the Constitutional Court, and it has already acted. In unison with the Constitutional Court, I have implemented, as an interim measure, the fact that all three constituent peoples are now constituent throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. To again touch upon the Croat side, Croats for the first time are now a constituent people, along with the Bosniacs and of course the Serbs, in Republika Srpska. Since I issued the decision on 11 January, Croats and Bosniacs have the veto right in Republika Srpska. They can oppose and veto any legislation that goes against their vital interest. This is the way forward for Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is the way that I see the improvement - or rather the evolution - of the Dayton Accords.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“I have already spoken about the parties that are now out of power and the fact that Croatia no longer supports the activities of the HDZ. With regard to whether the Dayton Agreement should be modified or rectified, I would like to indicate again that the Dayton Accords will remain the basis for peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I know that the Dayton Accords are not perfect-this has been mentioned here. It is a living document. There are two institutions that can improve the situation. The first is the High Representative as the final authority in the implementation of the Dayton Accords; I am using my powers to the utmost in order to make progress, but that, of course, needs to be within the framework of the Dayton Accords.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“At the same time, I do not think we currently need a Mercedes in Bosnia and Herzegovina; I think a Volkswagen is good enough in order to establish an efficient and very professional State Border Service in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I think I have already answered the first question asked by Singapore. My interpretation is that the Croat rebellion is now really more of a dying gasp than anything else. Nevertheless, we need to be very vigilant when it comes to such issues. Unfortunately, in Bosnia and Herzegovina the idea of the rule of law and fully embracing the Constitution is not very widespread. We need to enforce and reinforce awareness of the rule of law as the basis of every State and community. This idea very much needs to be promoted.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“As the Council knows, I had to impose this law at the beginning of last year after it was put forward in the New York Declaration by the Presidents but, unfortunately, not followed up by the tripartite Presidency. The United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) is now implementing it in a very professional way. I appreciate very much the efforts being made in this regard. However, we also need to keep in mind that the functioning of viable State institutions needs to be seen in the wider context of what a country can afford. I believe we need to see to it that the local budgets are eventually able to finance the State Border Service. We are therefore working very closely with the local authorities to come up with realistic budgetary figures so that the State Border Service will move forward as expected.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“This issue will now be handled at the State level. I also appreciate very much the United Kingdom's support for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, as well as its continued focus on this issue. I consider this to be one of the most basic and important of issues. There is never going to be reconciliation in the area unless justice is done. That is something that we need to keep in mind constantly. The next very important question, which was raised by the representatives of Ireland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, has to do with the State Border Service. I appreciate very much that Ambassador Zivalj has placed so much emphasis on the State Border Service.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“There are many other opportunities and possibilities to be represented, the most important being the Governments of the Federation and the State. They, in turn, also have the greatest responsibility in inviting the Croat community to take part in the political processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Going back to the Special Parallel Relationship Agreement, I think it is also important to point out that I have succeeded in having some of the issues included in that Agreement taken out because they need to be regulated at the State level. I very much encouraged President Kostunica to establish State-to-State relations and to have the pertinent agreements made at the State level, and he promised to do so. For example, the dual citizenship issue was taken out of the Special Parallel Agreement by me.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“By the way, they are excluded in the same manner as are the two other parties in the Republika Srpska, including the Democratic Action Party (SDA). They are excluded from governing or holding the posts of Prime Minister or those of any other minister. That needs to be accepted by parties. This is also something of a novel situation confronting nationalist parties. The HDZ has chosen the path of confrontation, which is naturally not acceptable in a democracy. Of course, there are other reasons why the HDZ feels so much pressure now. As the representative of Croatia has expressed, the new Croatian Government has completely stopped supporting the HDZ politically and financially. We need to continue to support the Croat people, but we need to make it clear to them that they are not represented solely by the HDZ.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“I can assure the Council that the Croats who are now in the Government are all very much appreciative with regard to the idea of a multi- ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina. We now have a Croat Prime Minister in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We have a Croat President in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where most of the Croats live. We have many ministers, of course. We have a Minister for Refugees who is of Croat origin, as well as many more. So the Croats are equally represented in the new, reformed Governments. They are not members of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). This is what a democratic party needs to take into consideration: change is possible in a democracy. This is what the voters decide. That is the real cause of the turmoil in the HDZ; because, for the first time in 10 years, they are excluded from Governments.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“This is because my strategy is a two-pronged one. On the one hand, we need decisive and tough action to be taken on my part because I simply cannot allow the President of a country to breach the Constitution to try to establish illegal institutions. That is something that simply cannot be tolerated. This is an exercise in the establishment of the rule of law, and there cannot be any compromise here. On the other hand, we are trying to reach out wherever possible because the Croat people 4 one of the three constituent peoples - are part and parcel of the idea of a State of Bosnia and Herzegovina. There is no State of Bosnia and Herzegovina without the Croats. But that also has to be recognized by the Bosnian Croat leadership.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“The representative of Croatia rightly addressed the issue of the poor results in returns of Croats to the Republika Srpska. Unfortunately, I must say that a few of the many Croat villages and houses that the international community has restored are still uninhabited because the Croats who lived there simply do not want to go back home. This is for several reasons, all of them probably legitimate ones. Nevertheless, I believe that if the international community reaches out and makes an extra effort, then we can also expect the host countries to make an extra effort to motivate and encourage returns as well. I consider this particularly important in the case of Croats. The next question, from the United Kingdom, had to do with whether there is an outreach effort, so to speak, with regard to the Croats. The answer is, very much so.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“This needs our full support - our full political and economic support and, of course, financial support for those brave returnees who dare to return. The Croat representative here in the Council also raised the question of the regional aspect of refugee returns. I believe this is a very important issue, and that the Stability Pact is working in this regard. I would very much like to encourage Croatia and Yugoslavia to cooperate fully with the Stability Pact. We in the Office of the High Representative are in very close contact with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which is one of the leading, driving forces in the area of refugee returns. However, there is one problem with regard to Croat refugees.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“Naturally, we will only be successful eventually with refugee return if we manage the economic revitalization of the country. It is one thing to return; it is another thing to find a job in the area that has been returned to. It is also a question of education - a question that was raised here, and I very much appreciate that, too. It is a matter of security. Again, SFOR plays a crucial role in this context, and it will need to continue to do so. The questions and problems relating to refugee return are different now. Up until 1999, the question was, "Is there going to be refugee return at all into minority areas, in particular into areas like the Republika Srpska?" Now the question is only, "How fast?".”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“I asked the steering board political directors to go back to their individual capitals and support what I put forward there: continued support for funding demining in Bosnia and Herzegovina - a very important prerequisite for stabilizing and normalizing the country. The United Kingdom also raised a few issues. I have in part already answered some of them. One of the questions related to what more can be done to get the refugees back. That question was also raised by Jamaica. Of course, now, with the new governments, domestic efforts need to be reinforced. For a couple of months, we have had a refugee Ministry at the State level. We have a new Minister there now from a moderate Croat party, and I expect efforts to be redoubled at the domestic level.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“I consider this extremely important, and we will, of course, continue to monitor the negotiations. I have also reserved the right to be the final authority in this context when it comes to the implementation of the Special Parallel Relationship Agreement. Of course, we also attach priority to the early passing of the election law. Again, that is one of the recurring issues. Another issue of specific importance was raised by the representative of Tunisia 4 that of demining. I can assure him that I raised this issue just two days ago during my last steering board meeting at the political director level.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“With regard to the Special Parallel Relationship Agreement, which I have already touched upon and which was also addressed by the United States representative, I can assure him that there is going to be continued international engagement and involvement. I have managed in my talks and negotiations with President Kostunica, first and foremost, to secure that, in the preamble to this Agreement, the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina is mentioned very prominently, so that, by signing on to the Special Parallel Relations Agreement, both the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the entity of the Republika Srpska are also signing up to the idea of the integrity and sovereignty of the State - to the idea that there is a State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and not just two entities.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“Indeed, it is not happening overnight. But the new Government has, I believe, moved decisively closer to embracing my idea of ownership. Again, as I have said, I will, wherever necessary, continue to act very decisively, because I know that time is running out. The patience of the international community is running out, and there are other problems throughout the globe that the Security Council needs to address. With regard to refugee return, a non- governmental organization from the United States - Human Rights Watch - pointed out that last year refugee return in Bosnia and Herzegovina produced a "breakthrough". I am very much appreciative of this report, because it points out the progress that has been made without obfuscating the fact that there are still many, many issues that need to be addressed.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“Of course, in general I must say that I am taking what I would call a dual approach: on the one hand, I am reaching out to try to convince the local leadership to implement what Dayton is asking them to do; and on the other hand, of course, - and if necessary - I will continue to act decisively in order to ensure that the Dayton Accords are being implemented. When it comes to the issue of ownership, it was very helpful when the representative of China pointed out that there is a certain tendency towards dependency. Early on, I called this the "dependency syndrome", which we must be aware of: the local authorities depend too much on the international community. That was the reason why I put forward the concept of ownership, which is basically building awareness. This is a process; it will not happen overnight.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“My office was able to secure a leading role for the Office of the High Representative in the further implementation of, as well as in negotiations in regard to the annexes for, the Special Parallel Relationship Agreement. The representative of the United States described the priorities which I set, and which I have been following since I took on this job one and a half years ago: refugee return, strengthening the State-level institutions and, above all, as the driving force behind them, economic reform. We now realize how important these priorities are; over time, they have even increased in relevance. I believe that we need to continue to follow this three-pronged approach.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source
“As indicated by the presidency of the European Union, I have been asked by the European Union to look into the streamlining of the international presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and, of course, I intend to do so in accordance with my mandate and in close consultation with the steering board. I will, of course, cooperate very closely with the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH) and the OSCE in this. My contacts with Belgrade are, in fact, very close. I very much appreciate what the representative of Yugoslavia said. We have close relations with Belgrade, and we are working together very closely, in particular in conjunction with the Special Parallel Relationship Agreement.”
2001-03-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4303 (2001) · source