Joint Statement

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Country/entity: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Yugoslavia (former)
Region: Europe and Eurasia
Agreement name: Joint Statement
Date: 21 Oct 1993
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/local conflict
Balkan Conflicts (1991 - 1995) (1998 - 2001)
Former Yugoslavia

The disintegration of former Yugoslavia post cold war saw conflicts which became mediated and produced peace agreements in Slovenia (where the brief independence conflict was mediated by the EC Troika in 1991), Croatia (between Croatian and Serb populations 1991-1995), in Bosnia (between Croatian, Serb and Bosniak populations 1992-1995), in Macedonia (where mediation played a key pre-emptive role in preventing large scale conflict in 2001), in Kosovo (between Kosovar Albanians and Serbian population and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), but also between FRY and NATO, 1998-1999), and a conflict in the Presevo Valley (between Albanians in South Serbia and FRY, 2000-2001). The continued fall-out of the disintegration of former Yugoslavia also saw mediated agreement and ultimate dissolution of the Union between Serbia and Montenegro.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

In 1991, after nationalist parties won the first multi-party elections in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a violent process of disintegration commenced. With its mixed population, Bosnia-Herzegovina became the centre of the following civil war that began in 1992 between the newly formed army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (mostly Muslim Bosniacs), and the parastatal forces of self-declared Bosnian Croat (Herzeg-Bosnia) and Bosnian Serb (Republika Srpska) entities within Bosnia-Herzegovina, supported by Croatia and Serbia, with various, often short-lived, coalitions. The General Framework Agreement (Dayton Peace Agreement), signed in 1995, split the country into two ethno-federal entities, the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the Republika Srpska, and included continued peacekeeping and institutional administration by international actors.

Kosovo

The conflict between Serbs and Kosovar Albanians has a long history and always involved territorial disputes as well as ethno-political, cultural and linguistic factors. The most recent phase of the conflict began in November 1997 when the Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA or UCK) began their campaign for the independence of Kosovo from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY – then Serbia and Montenegro). The subsequent war lasted until the NATO intervention, which undertook bombing campaigns of Belgrade and other places in Serbia during spring 1999. The main agreements solving the conflict were internationally driven and, finally, a UNSC resolution imposed a post-conflict arrangement in the wake of what was essentially a NATO military victory. In February 2008, Kosovo’s parliament declared independence, but independence is still internationally disputed.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Bosnia Local peace processes
Parties: President of the Croatian Republic of Herceg Bosnia Mate Boban; President of the AP Western Bosnia Fikret Abdic
Third parties: -
Description: This short statement provides for a ceasefire between the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and the armed forces of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, and announces the cooperation of the the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia and the Croatian Republic of Herceg Bosnia.

Agreement document: BA_931021_Joint Statement (Autonomous Province of West Bosnia).pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: Groups→Racial/ethnic/national group→Rhetorical
Page 1, Untitled Preamble
...Respecting the traditional interests of the Croatian and the Muslim peoples; Convinced of the need for the permanent confidence building between the Croatian and the Muslim peoples and for the implementation of efficient measures thereof;

Page 1, 1.
In the light of the excellent cooperation between the Croats and the Muslims in the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, whose legitimate authorities and predominantly Muslim population have been exposed to attacks by the B&H Army,...

Page 1, 2.
Changes in the B&H Presidency by a faction of the Presidency led by Alija Izetbegovic we consider un-constitutional and illegal because a member can be dismissed from the Presidency only if he hands in his resignation or if he has been revoked by his constituency. That act, which runs contrary to the Geneva agreement and the arrangements for the establishment of friendship and cooperation between the Croats and the Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, brought an end to the last remaining democratically elected institution in B&H.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: Page 1, 3.
The signatories of this statement are committed to the establishment of the closest possible relations between the Autonomous republic of Western Bosnia and the Croatian Republic Herceg Bosnia, in the Union of the Republics of B&H.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: Governance→Constitution→Constitutional reform/making
Page 1, Untitled Preamble
Accepting the principles of the London conference and taking into consideration provisions for the constitution of the future Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, put forward by,the Geneva Peace Conference;

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: Power sharing→Military power sharing→Merger of forces
Page 1, 1.
In the light of the excellent cooperation between the Croats and the Muslims in the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, whose legitimate authorities and predominantly Muslim population have been exposed to· attacks by the B&H Army, we are determined to exert efforts on the cessation of all hostilities in the territory of the Union of the Republics and on the establishment of an immediate and lasting cease fire in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia. To that effect the HVO units for the Bihac region will remain incorporated into the armed forces of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: Page 1, 4.
By the same token, we are calling on all the parties to strictly respect internationally recognized human rights and freedoms and to ensure unrestricted movement of humanitarian
convoys and civilians.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: Page 1, 4.
By the same token, we are calling on all the parties to strictly respect internationally recognized human rights and freedoms and to ensure unrestricted movement of humanitarian
convoys and civilians.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→Ceasefire provision
Page 1, 1.
In the light of the excellent cooperation between the Croats and the Muslims in the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, whose legitimate authorities and predominantly Muslim population have been exposed to· attacks by the B&H Army, we are determined to exert efforts on the cessation of all hostilities in the territory of the Union of the Republics and on the establishment of an immediate and lasting cease fire in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia. To that effect the HVO units for the Bihac region will remain incorporated into the armed forces of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: Page 1, 1.
In the light of the excellent cooperation between the Croats and the Muslims in the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, whose legitimate authorities and predominantly Muslim population have been exposed to· attacks by the B&H Army, we are determined to exert efforts on the cessation of all hostilities in the territory of the Union of the Republics and on the establishment of an immediate and lasting cease fire in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia. To that effect the HVO units for the Bihac region will remain incorporated into the armed forces of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Case Western Reserve University, Kelvin Smith Library
http://digital.case.edu/

JOINT STATEMENT

President of the Croatian Republic of Herceg Bosnia Mate Boban

and

President of the AP Western Bosnia Fikret Abdic

Accepting the principles of the London conference and taking into consideration provisions for the constitution of the future Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, put forward by, the Geneva Peace Conference;

Respecting the traditional interests of the Croatian and the Muslim peoples;

Convinced of the need for the permanent confidence building between the Croatian and the Muslim peoples and for the implementation of efficient measures thereof;

Respecting the Declaration and the Geneva agreements between the representatives of the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina of 14 September 1993;

WE STATE

1. In the light of the excellent cooperation between the Croats and the Muslims in the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, whose legitimate authorities and predominantly Muslim population have been exposed to attacks by the B&H Army, we are determined to exert efforts on the cessation of all hostilities in the territory of the Union of the Republics and on the establishment of an immediate and lasting cease fire in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.

To that effect the HVO units for the Bihac region will remain incorporated into the armed forces of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.

2. Changes in the B&H Presidency by a faction of the Presidency led by Alija Izetbegovic we consider un-constitutional and illegal because a member can be dismissed from the Presidency only if he hands in his resignation or if he has been revoked by his constituency.

That act, which runs contrary to the Geneva agreement and the arrangements for the establishment of friendship and cooperation between the Croats and the Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, brought an end to the last remaining democratically elected institution in B&H.

3. The signatories of this statement are committed to the establishment of the closest possible relations between the Autonomous republic of Western Bosnia and the Croatian Republic Herceg Bosnia, in the Union of the Republics of B&H.

4. By the same token, we are calling on all the parties to strictly respect internationally recognized human rights and freedoms and to ensure unrestricted movement of humanitarian convoys and civilians.

Zagreb, 21 October 1993.

President of the Croatian Republic Herceg Bosnia

Mate Boban

President of the AP Western Bosnia

Fikret Abdic