JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE 10 September 2002<br /><br />Kevin Sullivan OHR<br /><br />Just one point from the Office of the High Representative, on behalf of the Property Law Implementation Plan agencies.<br /><br />The OHR, UNHCR, OSCE, CRPC and UNMIBH have today released the property law implementation statistics for July. The overall implementation rate of the property laws in Bosnia and Herzegovina has reached 57%, in July. The Republika Srpska reached the 50% benchmark; this means that in most municipalities half or more than half of all claims have been solved.<br /><br />However, strict and accelerated implementation of the property laws is urgently needed in many municipalities and there are details of some of the municipalities, which fall significantly below the statistical average in a press release, which will be available at the end of the press conference.<br /><br />To make the glass full as opposed to half full and to reach the complete implementation rate, these municipalities and the Cantonal and Entity Authorities who should be supporting them, will have to demonstrate that they respect the rule of law.<br /><br />The only other item from the Office of the High Representative this morning is that at 13:00 today, at the Office of the High Representative, the High Representative Paddy Ashdown, will hold a press conference. He will be talking about the 5 October, elections from the prospective of the International Community and of cause you are all invited cordially to attend that event. That is it from the Office of the High Representative.<br /><br />Urdur Gunnarsdottir OSCE<br /><br />Good morning every body.<br /><br />Before you all rush off to the Office of the High Representative at 13:00. I want to remind you that there is a press conference here, immediately following this press conference the ODIHR Election Observation Mission, will be taking the podium. That is all from the OSCE today.<br /><br />Bakir Jalovcic UNHCR<br /><br />UNHCR has no statement, except for the joint one with the other Property Law Implementation Plan Agencies.<br /><br />Alun Roberts UNMIBH<br /><br />Good morning from UNMIBH. Just a couple of points.<br /><br />I want to make a comment from UNMIBH, in regard to the Law on State Information and Protection Agency. The United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina is highly dissatisfied with the continuous delays regarding implementation of the Law on State Information and Protection Agency.<br /><br />According to the law, the Council of Ministers in consultation with the two Entity Governments proposed a list of nominees for the posts of Director and two Deputies for the State Information Protection Agency, the issue is now pending before the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.<br /><br />UNMIBH strongly believes, that delays are no longer acceptable the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, should make the necessary appointments of the Director and two Deputies without any further delay on this issue.<br /><br />The second issue is something that you may want to come back to on questions. We are closely monitoring the police investigation in Prijedor, as to the events that occurred on the night following the celebration activities after the Yugoslav victory in the world basketball championship.<br /><br />As you know, one police officer was injured following a shooting incident in Kozarac this however, followed a group of some twenty or more vehicles from Prijedor, which proceeded as the press now know well, to Kozarac the Bosniak settlement were a large return has taken place. Some of those people in the cars proceed to wreck property and damage several shops and a coffee bar and then dispersed back to Prijedor.<br /><br />The IPTF in Prijedor is informed by the police investigation in regard to the shooting of the police officer. A number of Bosniak persons from Kozarac were temporarily, I use the word carefully, were temporarily detained to assist the police with initial phases of their investigation and then released a few hours later <br /><br />While that has happened UNMIBH also expects the police to proceed in identifying those people responsible for the car convoy, that went to Kozarac some distance away from Prijedor to make their celebrations unruly, in the destruction of property and to investigate both issues equally seriously. The IPTF will closely monitor that investigation.<br /><br />In regard to the street scenes in Banja Luka, that occurred on the night there were several-thousand people in the centre of Banja Luka, most of the activities while emotional and very joyful at the victory. Largely saw no serious damage to property and the police were in attendance in a low key manner, the demonstrations and celebrations ended in after four or five hours without any serious incident in Banja Luka City Centre. That is the main points this morning.<br /><br />Rafik Hodzic ICTY <br /><br />Good morning. No statement from ICTY today.<br /><br />Lieutenant Commander Yves Vanier - SFOR<br /><br />Good morning. I have one point for you today related to the annual rehearsal of DYNAMIC RESPONSE 2002.<br /><br />From 15 to 25 September 2002, six NATO and Partner nations will deploy Strategic Reserve Force (SRF) headquarters and troops to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo to take part in an operational rehearsal, named DYNAMIC RESPONSE 2002.<br /><br />The Netherlands, Romania and Poland will have troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Netherlands will contribute 500 troops, which will be deployed in the Bugonjo area. Romania will be represented by 150 troops in the Mostar and Sarajevo areas and Poland will contribute a Headquarters contingent of 30 troops to assume command duties of the Polish contingent in the area of Doboj.<br /><br />This annual rehearsal, traditionally taking place in September, is an important proof of NATO’s ability to reinforce, on short notice, those forces already present with so-called ‘Over-The-Horizon-Forces’.<br /><br />NATO and Partner nation forces will be involved in real-world Peace Support Operations practising and validating operational concepts and familiarising units with the terrain and the environment. Their presence also sends a clear message of NATO’s and the International Community’s resolve and commitment to maintain peace and stability in the Balkans region.<br /><br />The SRF is a multinational, professional force with a wide range of military capabilities including light and airborne infantry, amphibious, air-mobile, armour, artillery and air attack capabilities. The SRF is designed to be a mobile, versatile force to augment in-theatre forces in order to deal with any military contingency.<br /><br />Units will arrive by air and land routes, arriving in theatre fully mission-capable and logistically self-sustaining. After processing through reception areas, they will be integrated into the command and control structures of Multinational Divisions in SFOR and the Multinational Brigades in KFOR, performing duties with the troops in place in a wide variety of missions, for example manning checkpoints, or conducting routine patrols.<br /><br />As troops deploy to various parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina an increase in vehicular traffic will occur between the 11 and 14 September as military convoys transit between Zenica and Bugonjo and also between Sarajevo and Mostar. This completes my statement.<br /><br />Kevin Sullivan - OHR<br />Thank you very much. Do we have any questions?<br /><br />Questions and Answers<br /><br />Q: Aleksandar Dragicevic AP <br />Alun, do you have any update on the police diplomas? As I remember, it is the deadline today?<br /><br />A: Alun Roberts UNMIBH <br />It is being considered. I will have to come back to you with some further clarification on that issue at the Thursday, press briefing, if you bear with me, we will come back to you on that.<br /><br />Q: Nicholas Hawton BBC <br />Any comment from the International Community, about the fact that a Bosnian company might be supplying weapons or training to the Iraqis?<br /><br />A: Yves Vanier SFOR <br />As far as SFOR is concerned, at this time it would inappropriate to comment on this issue as the Republika Srpska Government and the Republika Srpska Ministry of Defence are investigating the allegations.<br /><br />A: Kevin Sullivan - OHR <br />From the Office of the High Representatives point of view the domestic state machinery exists to ensure, that companies in Bosnia follow international obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina and that applies to companies in both Entities and to the Entity Authorities as well as to the State Authorities. That machinery is now going into action.<br /><br />Q: Nicholas Hawton BBC<br /> Anything from the OSCE?<br /><br />A: Urdur Gunnarsdottir OSCE<br /> I have nothing to add to what Kevin has just said.<br /><br />Q: Nicholas Hawton BBC <br />Does the International Community trust the authorities of the Republika Srpska, to investigate this properly?<br /><br />A: Kevin Sullivan - OHR <br />If you are looking at the question of institutions, the integrity of the institutions themselves is the benchmark and increasingly we see Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions at State and Entity level functioning as they are supposed to and in this case we expect that to happen.<br /><br />Q: Nicholas Hawton BBC<br /> And if it doesn’t?<br /><br />A: Kevin Sullivan - OHR <br />We will cross those bridges when we come to them. That would be a matter of speculation.<br /><br />Q: Nicholas Hawton BBC <br />So, you will be monitoring how their investigation is carried out and whether it is successful or not?<br /><br />A: Kevin Sullivan - OHR <br />These investigations are monitored in any case and that will be the case with this investigation.<br /><br />Kevin Sullivan - OHR<br /> Any other questions? Then I guess we can move onto…<br /><br />Urdur Gunnarsdottir OSCE <br />…To ODIHR, I think we can leave the scene and give our seats to the ODIHR Elections Observation Mission.