February 12, 1996
Web posted at: 10:45 a.m EST (1545 GMT)
SARAJEVO (CNN) -- Richard Holbrooke, the top U.S. mediator for Bosnian affairs, announced new "rules of the road" Monday in the pursuit of suspected war criminals in Bosnia.
"As a result of this announcement by the government of Bosnia-Herzegovina, we feel that a better understanding -- what we would call 'the rules of the road'-- is now under affect," Holbrooke said in Sarajevo. (153K AIFF sound or 153K WAV sound)
Under the agreement, Bosnia's central government will submit a list of suspected war criminals to the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal for screening, Holbrooke said.
The international tribunal will review that list and upon the tribunal's approval, those people will be liable to arrest. Only those people approved for detention by the tribunal could be apprehended by the government.
The agreement was forged after a meeting with Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic and Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, Holbrooke said.
The U.S. assistant secretary of state was in Sarajevo during the second round of talks trying to ease tensions in the area while keeping the Dayton peace accord intact. He met with Izetbegovic in Sarajevo Sunday before leaving for the Serbian capital of Belgrade.
Holbrooke said he was "gratified" by the agreement.
"We believe this step . . . should show the world that both Milosevic and Izebegovic are still fully committed to the Dayton peace accord," he said.
Monday's agreement preserves both freedom of movement and the commitment to prosecute war crimes, two key provisions of the peace accord that Holbrooke brokered in November to bring an end to the Bosnian war.
"There was an ambiguity in the Dayton agreement, and we believe this goes a long way in clearing it up," Holbrooke said.
Foreign Minister Muhammed Sacirbey (213K AIFF sound or 213K WAV sound) and human rights expert John Shattuck (179K AIFF sound or 179K WAV sound) said the negotiating team had two priorities -- "justice and freedom of movement" which are "consistent and core elements" of the peace agreement.
The need for the new rules arose after Bosnian government authorities detained at least 10 Bosnian Serbs in recent weeks on suspicion of war crimes. As a result, Bosnian Serbs pulled back from the Dayton peace process.
Four of the Serbs who were detained have been released. The others remain in custody, including a general and a colonel.
Shattuck visited the two yesterday to make sure they are being treated well. According to Holbrooke, one of the prisoners has seen his wife and the other may see his wife today. (170K AIFF sound or 170K WAV sound)
"If the tribunal has no further interest in the other four prisoners, then they too will be released immediately," Holbrooke said.
Holbrooke will travel to Paris Wednesday for talks with Foreign Minister Herve de Charette.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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