Agreement between the JNA and the Representatives of Ilok

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Country/entity: Croatia
Yugoslavia (former)
Region: Europe and Eurasia
Agreement name: Agreement between the JNA and the Representatives of Ilok
Date: 14 Oct 1991
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: Croatia negotiation process
Parties: Military Commands of the unit JNA (illegible) which is represented by Major General Dragoljub Aranđelović; the authorised representatives of the towns of Ilok, Šarengrad, (illegible) that are represented by Ivan Mrkšić, the mayor of Ilok; Mate Brletic, the commander of the police department in Ilok, Stipan Kraljević; the president of the commission for negotiations and others (illegible)
Third parties: With the presence of the representatives of the Mission of the European Community Hugh Cunningham and Petr Kypr
Description: This provides for a ceasefire whilst citizens of Ilok and Sarengrad leave the area, subject to handing over their weapons to the JNA. The JNA commits to ensuring the safety of the refugee convoy, and of citizens who choose to stay.

Agreement document: HR_911014_Agreement between the JNA and representatives of Ilok.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Local agreement properties

Process type: Isolated example
Rationale: The local government actors were only taking part in signing this agreement, and no others. There was no suggestion of involvement of the Croatian government, and the fighting itself ceased in the area of Ilok after most of the citizens and Croatian forces left in the convoy agreed to in the document.
Is there a documented link to a national peace process?: No
Link to national process: articulated rationale: This agreement was not part of any other negotiation process in Croatia, as it was signed by local government officials and the area in question was under JNA control after the agreement was implemented. There was no evidence of link to negotiations that the Croatian government was part of and the European Community monitors were not engaged in other such negotiations, stating later that their role was to observe the process rather than mediate.
Name of Locale: Ilok
Nature of Locale: City
GPS Lat/Long (DD): 45.220000, 19.370000
Participant type: Central state actor
Local state actor
International or transnational actor
Mediator, facilitator or similar: Mediator or similar referred to
Mediator (references): Presence of the representatives of the Mission of the European Community Hugh Cunningham and Petr Kypr [name illegible on document, but found in ICTY testimony, see references]
Type of mediator/facilitator/similar: International or transnational actor

Local issues

Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture): No specific mention.
Grievance List: No specific mention.
Cattle rustling/banditry: No specific mention.
Social cover: No specific mention.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE JNA AND REPRESENTATIVES OF ILOK 14 OCTOBER 1991

Military Commands of the unit JNA (illegible) which is represented by Major General Dragoljub Aranđelović and the authorised representatives of the towns of Ilok, Šarengrad, (illegible) that are represented by Ivan Mrkšić, the mayor of Ilok, Mate (illegible), the commander of the police department in Ilok, Stipan Kraljević, the president of the commission for negotiations and others(illegible), with the presence of the representatives

of the Mission of the European Community Hugh Cunningham and Petr (illegible), on 14th October 1991 in Šid have signed:

AGREEMENT

Article 1

On the basis of the requests of the citizens of Ilok, (illegible) and Šarengrad, and after the completion of the referendum, it is made possible for all the citizens of this inhabited places and also for the refugees that found themselves in these places, to move out with the members of their family if they want to.

Article 2

It is the obligation of all citizens to, before they move out and immediately before forming a convoy, hand over their weapons and (illegible), in front of the bridge “25 Maj” in the house-workshop if Ivan Zec.

The objects will be handed over to the unit of JNA, stationed on the bridge “25 Maj” in the presence of the officials from the Ministry of the Interior in Ilok and the members of the Mission of the European Community.

Article 3

The Ministry of the Interior and the units of the Territorial defence are obliged to immediately begin removing all mine-explosive and other obstacles that were set in the above mentioned inhabited places and to finish these actions until 17th October 1991 at 07.00hrs.

Article 4

During the preparations for moving out, and at the period of moving out, both sides, the signatories of the agreement, are bound to secure the absolute peace, that is, to place the ban on all actions and opening fire.

Article 5

At the moment of moving out of citizens from the above mentioned places, and before the forming of a convoy, the members of JNA with the presence of the officials from the Ministry of the Interior and the members of the Mission of EC will make an inspection (raid) of all the objects, if that would be needed.

Article 6

The members of JNA bind themselves to secure the personal and property safety of the citizens that are staying in the inhabited places, together with the other property of the citizens that lived in these places.

Article 7

The members of JNA and those from the Ministry of the Interior from Ilok will secure the safety of the convoy on its way.

The officials from the Ministry of the Interior from Ilok (about 60 of them) who possess official weapons are to keep it with themselves.

Article 8

The time of the departure of the convoy is 17th October 1991.

at 1300hrs in front of the bridge “25 Maj” and it will be going from:

Ilok – Principovac – Šid – Adaševci – Lipovac.

From Lipovac on, the Ministry of the Interior of Croatia will take over the security of the convoy.

Article 9

Before the departure of the convoy, the officials of the Military police together with the officials of the Ministry of the Interior will make a detailed inspection of the vehicles and the persons embarking in those vehicles, in order to prevent the loading and transporting weapons, munitions and other explosive devices.

Article 10

Citizens, who are rightfully suspected to have done some criminal deed, cannot leave the above mentioned places, or embark in a vehicle.

All representatives, that is, members of the National Guard must leave the above mentioned places and go with the convoy if they have not done any criminal deed, and they will be guaranteed safety, the same as the other citizens.

THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TOWN OF ILOK

THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YUGOSLAV FEDERAL ARMY