B4-0495 and 0499/96

Resolution on the situation in former Yugoslavia

The European Parliament,

- recalling its previous resolutions on the situation in the former Yugoslavia,

A. noting that a failure of the Muslim-Croat Federation would put the entire peace agreement in jeopardy,

B. concerned that freedom of movement is still not implemented, as people are detained at random and checkpoints continue to exist, and that conditions for the safe return of refugees are still not guaranteed,

C. gravely concerned by the International War Crimes Tribunal's difficulties in carrying out its work, and alarmed by the positions that war criminals like Mladic and Karadzic are still holding,

D. concerned that in 1989 Kosovo's federal constitutional status was taken away and as a result the human rights situation and living conditions have worsened considerably,

E. concerned especially at the situation as regards discrimination in employment, education, access to medical services, the lack of freedom of the media as well as discrimination within the judicial system,

F. underlining the indispensable role of NGOs in building up a civil society in all states of the former Yugoslavia,

1. Calls on the signatories of the Dayton accord to show that they did indeed sign the accord in good faith, and to take decisive steps towards implementing both the spirit and the letter of the accord and the follow-up agreements in Rome and Geneva;

2. Calls on the Council to put pressure on President Tudjman to do everything in his power to contribute to the reunification of Mostar and secure the future of the Muslim-Croat Federation;

3. Urges all signatories to the Dayton accord to cooperate closely with the International War Crimes Tribunal, so that those guilty of war crimes can be convicted and the rest of the populations freed of collective guilt and given a chance to concentrate on reconciliation;

4. Calls on all those states which have undertaken to support the Tribunal to honour their financial undertakings without delay;

5. Calls on all those states which promised to make up the international civilian police force to stand by their commitments without delay;

6. Calls on IFOR to promote the free movement of people, notably in disregarding checkpoints;

7. Welcomes the accord between the FRY and FYROM, as it should help to defuse tensions in the region;

8. Insists that Belgrade must begin negotiations with Kosovo's elected representatives, before the EU normalises its diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia and lifts any remaining economic sanctions;

9. Regrets the premature diplomatic recognition of the FRY by some Member States;

10. Calls on the Council and the Commission to take the initiative of holding an international conference dealing specifically with Kosovo;

11. Requests the Commission to open an office in Kosovo;

12. Welcomes the conclusions of the last Donors' Conference in Brussels on 12-13 April 1996;

13. Supports the practice of sanctions and encourages a wider use of them when provisions made in the Dayton accord are ignored;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Governments of Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and FYROM, the High Representative, the European Union's representative in Mostar and the President of the Kosovo Parliament in exile.