From: U15231@uicvm.uic.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.bosna-herzgvna
Subject: RFI News, Paris, Oct.7
Date: 8 Oct 92 17:31:17 GMT
Article-I.D.: uicvm.92282.123117U15231
Organization: University of Illinois at Chicago

Subject:    RFI-News_Wednesday
Reply-To: saiti@math.msu.edu
Organization: BOSNET (Bosnian Electronic Network)

Contribution by: Lamija_Tanovic

	RFI News - Paris, Wednesday, October 7, 1992.

	The U.N. formed the committee for investigation of the war crimes
  in ex-Yugoslavia.
	After the Serbian Forces took Bosanski Brod they destroyed the bridge
  on Sava river, which was the only remaining bridge to join Bosnia and Croatia.

	We had a live report from Sarajevo today by Mr. Dzevad Sabljakovic.
  He asked two questions: Is Bosanski Brod occupied or abandoned? Is Alija
  Izetnegovic betrayed by Cosic-Tudjman agreement? Is Bosanski Brod traded
  for Prevlaka? It is widely accepted that Mr. Alija Izetbegovic is an honest
  man but a naive politician.
	The negotiations about the demilitarization of Sarajevo  are during
  the heaviest bombardment of the city. The destroyed city is dying without
  water.



	Interview with Mr. Alija Izetbegovic, the President of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina. (The interview was conducted by Jasna Samic)
	The first question was about the mujahedins fighting in Bosnia.
	Mr. Izetbegovic responded that we do not need mujahedins, and that
  we had enough Bosnian young men who need weapon.

   Q: Is it true that HVO (Croatian Forces in Bosnia) are holding the
  arm-shipments?
   A: There are some difficulties in the transport of arm-shipments, which
  are not the consequences of the politics of the Croatian Government, but
  the attitude of the local authorities. We have the right to defend ourselves,
  this right is as old as mankind.

   Q: What are the results of Geneva Peace Talks?
   A: We have always been for negotiations, for political solution, not for a
  military option. But now, we are in the position to fight for our survival.
  So, if we have to, we will persist on the military option.

   Q: But we have no weapon?
   A: We think that the embargo would be waived soon, and even if embargo stays
  we will not comply with the embargo. We have a right to do that.

   Q: Serbs justified their aggression on Croatia by the fear of growing
  Fascism in Croatia. The aggression on Bosnia an Herzegovina is justified by
  the fear of growing Islamic Fundamentalism.
   A: If anybody wanted an Islamic State in Bosnia that were Serbs. They
  insisted on out forming some kind of an Islamic State in Bosnia, on so
  called Muslim's territory. From the very first day when we came in power we
  have been insisting on democracy, free market, not on ethnic divisions.
  There were 7 Muslims, 6 Serbs , and 6 Croatians in the Government. We used
  2+2+2 formula for the Presidency. The same formula as our delegation in
  Geneva. This delegation represent five political parties in Bosnian
  Parliament. We had a special body in our Parliament, which is called Ethnic
  Groups Body, and which has the right of veto on each decision which can
  possibly endanger any ethnic group. Unfortunately, now we have to fight for
  our rights, to protect ourselves, otherwise our Bosnia would die.

   Q: We can hear the claims that in this conflict each side is equally
  responsible?!
   A: We do not have the concentration camps. We have not put the innocent
  civilians into the prison. We have 700 prisoners. Each one has some criminal
  charges against him, like: arm-smuggling or snyper shooting, which are proved.
  Most of those prisoners are exchanged for the prisoners in Trnopolje, who
  are mostly civilians. Our prisons was seen by the U.N. Committee for the Human
  Rights, and they did not have any objections.
   Q: You made a pact with Croatia President Mr. Franjo Tudjman again, even
  though there are some accusations like that You want a unitary state.
   A: I do not know if Mr. Tudjman accused me, but those who are accusing me
  are either ill-informed or they have their own concept, they want to apply
  in Bosnia. We even suggested a high degree of autonomy in Bosnia. Only the
  national defense, foreign affairs, problem of human rights an currency would
  be at the level of the state.

	Translated by Naim Saiti
Xref: sparky soc.culture.bosna-herzgvna:323 soc.culture.yugoslavia:9122