Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
95ZAGREB2615
1995-07-13 14:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Zagreb
Cable title:  

SREBRENICA UPDATE: BSA TAKES AWAY DRAFT AGE MALES; UNPROFOR SPOKESMAN CRITICIZES THE UNSC

Tags:  HR NOTAG 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 002615 

SIPDIS


USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE

E.O. 12356: DECL: 7/13/00
TAGS:
SUBJECT: SREBRENICA UPDATE: BSA TAKES AWAY DRAFT AGE
MALES; UNPROFOR SPOKESMAN CRITICIZES THE UNSC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ZAGREB 002615

SIPDIS


USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE

E.O. 12356: DECL: 7/13/00
TAGS:
SUBJECT: SREBRENICA UPDATE: BSA TAKES AWAY DRAFT AGE
MALES; UNPROFOR SPOKESMAN CRITICIZES THE UNSC


1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT.

SREBRENICA UPDATE
--------------


2. THE UN REPORTS THAT 26,000 REFUGEES FROM SREBRENICA
ARE STILL BEING TAKEN CARE OF BY THE DUTCH BATTALION IN
POTOCARI, HOWEVER, FOOD IS EXPECTED RUN OUT BEFORE THE END
OF THE DAY. SEVERAL THOUSAND DRAFT AGE MALES ARE REPORTED
TO HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY BY THE BSA FOR QUESTIONING
REGARDING WAR CRIMES CHARGES, BUT THE DESTINATION IS
UNKNOWN (POSSIBLY TO BRATUNAC WHERE UNCONFIRMED REPORTS
INDICATE THAT 48 DUTCH PEACEKEEPERS ARE STILL REING
"DETAINED.") SO FAR, 6,000 DISPLACED PERSONS (DP'S) HAVE
BEEN TAKEN TO KLADANJ IN BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT TERRITORY.
THE BSA IS TAKING REFUGEES BY BUS AS FAR AS 1-2 KILOMETERS
FROM THE BOSNIAN GOVERNMENT LINES AND THEN TELLING THEM TO
WALK THE REST OF THE WAY. UNHCR WILL MOVE THE GROUP AT
KLADANJ TO TUZLA, WHERE 4,000 DP'S ARE LOCATED AT THE
AIRPORT, IN AN AREA THAT IS STILL SURROUNDED BY MINES.
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PAGE 03 ZAGREB 02615 01 OF 02 131336Z
ONE GROUP OF 33 WOUNDED REFUGEES WHO WERE UNABLE TO WALK
TO GOBH LINES TRIED TO TURN BACK TO POTOCARI, BUT WERE
STOPPED AT A BSA CHECKPOINT AND ARE BEING DENIED ACCESS TO
MEDICAL CARE. A UNHCR CONVOY FROM BELGRADE CARRYING FOOD,
WATER, MEDECINE, AND SANITARY SUPPLIES TO POTOCARI IS
BEING DETAINED BY THE BSA.


3. SOURCES AT THE UN AND IOM TOLD US THAT BOSNIAN
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE ALSO IMPEDING ASSISTANCE TO
REFUGEES IN ORDER TO WORSEN THE SITUATION AND FOCUS
INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION. GOBH MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO
HASAN MURATOVIC REPORTEDLY TOOK A HARD LINE WITH UNHCR,
SAYING THAT RESPONSIBILITY FOR CARE OF THE REFUGEES LIES
SOLELY WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. WE WERE TOLD
THAT GOBH AUTHORITIES ARE BLOCKING UNHCR ATTEMPTS TO MOVE
DP'S FROM THE TUZLA AIRPORT INTO 11,000 SPACES IN TOWN AND
IOM REPORTED THAT 40 INJURED DP'S WERE TURNED AWAY FROM
TUZLA HOSPITAL. UN CONTACTS ALSO ACCUSED THE GOBH OF
DELAYING AID CONVOYS.


4. AS OF NOON ON JULY 13, GORAZDE AND ZEPA ARE REPORTED
TO BE CALM. HOWEVER, THE UN STATED THAT THERE IS LITTLE
THAT COULD BE DONE TO KEEP THE ZEPA ENCLAVE FROM BEING
OVERRUN IN CASE OF AN ATTACK. THERE ARE NO CURRENT PLANS
TO REINFORCE THE 70 UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS IN THE TOWN.

--------------

CRITICISM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL
--------------


5. COMMENTING ON THE DRAFT UNSC RESOLUTION ON SREBRENICA,
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PAGE 04 ZAGREB 02615 01 OF 02 131336Z
UN DEPUTY PRESS SPOKESMAN CHRIS GUNNESS SAID THAT
REESTABLISHMENT OF THE SAFE AREA IS NOT LIKELY TO HAPPEN
AS IT WOULD REQUIRE RECONQUERING THE ENCLAVE. THE
SITUATION IN SREBRENICA, HE SAID, SHOWS THAT THE CONCEPT
OF SAFE AREAS IS UNREALISTIC. THIS CRISIS IS ANOTHER
EXAMPLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY PURSUING LOFTY
OBJECTIVES WITHOUT PROVIDING THE UN WITH SUFFICIENT
RESOURCES TO CARRY THEM OUT. WHEN ASKED IF UNPROFOR WILL
PROTECT THE OTHER SAFE AREAS IN CASE OF ATTACK, THE
SPOKESMAN'S OFFICE REPLIED THAT UNPROFOR COULD DO THIS
ONLY IF MEMBER STATES HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL TO PROVIDE
THE MILITARY RESOURCES. REFERRING TO A POSSIBLE ROLE FOR
THE RAPID REACTION FORCE, GUNNESS SAID THAT TROOP
CONTRIBUTORS STILL HAVE NOT INDICATED HOW THIS FORCE IS TO
BE USED.

--------------
GOC TO STATE ITS POSITION
--------------


6. CHARGE AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS HAVE










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NNNNPTQ5597





CONFIDENTIAL PTQ5597

PAGE 01 ZAGREB 02615 02 OF 02 131336Z
ACTION EUR-01

INFO LOG-00 AID-00 AMAD-01 CIAE-00 OASY-00 DOEE-00 SRPP-00
EB-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-08 L-01 ADS-00
NSAE-00 OIC-02 PA-01 PM-00 PRS-01 P-01 SP-00
SSO-00 SS-00 STR-01 TRSE-00 USIE-00 SNIS-00 NISC-01
PMB-00 PRME-01 DRL-09 G-00 /030W
-------------- D91546 131336Z /38
O 131425Z JUL 95
FM AMEMBASSY ZAGREB
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6394
INFO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
SECDEF WASHDC//ISA/ISP//
AMEMBASSY BELGRADE
NATO EU COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY BUDAPEST
USLO SKOPJE
JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-4/J-5//
AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE
HQ JTF PP NAPLES IT//POLAD//
COMSIXTHFLT //N2//
JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//ECJ3/ECJ4/ECJ5/ECPOLAD//
CINCUSNAVEUR LONDON UK//N2/N22//
CINCUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE//J3/J4/J5/POLAD//
CINCUSAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE//DO/LG/XOX/IN/POLAD//
AMCONSUL MUNICH
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PAGE 02 ZAGREB 02615 02 OF 02 131336Z
NSC WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 ZAGREB 002615

SIPDIS


USVIENNA ALSO FOR USDEL OSCE

E.O. 12356: DECL: 7/13/00
TAGS:
SUBJECT: SREBRENICA UPDATE: BSA TAKES AWAY DRAFT AGE
MALES; UNPROFOR SPOKESMAN CRITICIZES THE UNSC

BEEN INVITED TO ATTEND A BREIFING ON THE CROATIAN POSITION
ON THE SITUATION IN SREBRENICA BY FOREIGN MINISTER GRANIC
THE AFTERNOON OF JULY 13. WE EXPECT THE MESSAGE WILL BE
SIMILAR TO THAT EXPRESSED BY CROATIA'S UN AMBASSADOR MARIO
NOBILO IN NEW YORK ON JULY 12, TO THE EFFECT THAT CROATIA
DEPLORES THE OUTCOME IN SREBRENICA AND IS CONCERNED ABOUT
ITS POTENTIAL TO CREATE NEW REFUGEE FLOWS, RUT WILL NOT
TAKE ANY CONCRETE ACTION IN RESPONSE. NOBILO STRESSED,
HOWEVER, THAT ANY SIMILAR LARGE-SCALE OFFENSIVE ACTION
AGAINST THE BIHAC POCKET MIGHT CREATE UP TO 60,000
REFUGEES AND THUS CONSTITUTE A THREAT TO CROATIA'S WELL-
BEING. THEREFORE, THE GOC "MIGHT BE FORCED TO TAKE
MEASURES FOR ENSURING THE STATUS OF BIHAC AS A PROTECTED
AREA IF THAT STATUS WERE THREATENED."

KLEMP




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