OHR

The OHR welcomes the first meeting of the Expert Commission on Police Areas,
which took place yesterday, and which was organised fully under the auspices of
the Council of Ministers. The OHR expects that the Commission will be able to
produce a number of proposals for the Party leaders to review before adopting
one when they meet again on 16 May.

The principle, as laid out by the EU, is clear. The territorial breakdown of
police regions must be based on technical and not political requirements. That
means that where there is a technical requirement, police regions must cross the
inter entity border line and cantonal boundaries.

Olli Rehn, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, is today in Brussles meeting a
multi-party delegation from the BiH, FBiH and RS Parliamentary assemblies, to
talk about police restructuring.

The EU has made it clear that any political agreement on police restructuring
has to meet the EU’s three requirements. Commissioner Rehn has on several
occastions stated what the EC expects of this reform. Namely:

• all legislative and budgetary competencies to be
  vested at state level
  
• no political interference in operational policing
  
• competencies must be applied in functional areas, so as to achieve
  technically efficient policing

In order for BiH  to start negotiations on a Stabilisation and
Association Agreement as soon as possible, such agreement must also receive the
support of Entity parliaments before the EC’s Consultative Task Force finalises
its report in June this year

The importance of the European Commission requirements cannot be
overestimated if BiH is to fulfil its EU accession ambitions.

More details of this visit will be available from the European Commission
here in Sarajevo .

The BiH Delegation included: [BiH Parliamentary Assembly] Sefik Dzaferovic,
Vinko Zoric, Nikola Spiric; [RSNA]Dragan Stojicic, Borislav Bojic, Milenko
Mihaljica; [FBiH Parliamentary Assembly]Ivan Madunic, Semsudin Mehmedovic, Nijaz
Skenderagic, Meliha Alic.

OSCE

No statement.

EUPM

No statement.

EUFOR

No statement.

NATO

We are in full agreement that both the Bosnia and Herzegovina and the
Republika Srpska defence authorities need to take decisive action to address the
issues raised by the 16^th April incidents at Manjaca and Bileca
barracks. We will continue to consult with the Office of the High Representative
and the Tri Presidency on this matter.

While we support the actions and proposals announced Friday by the

Bosnia and Herzegovina
Defence Minister, they may be less
than required to ensure that such incidents do not re-occur

The RS defence establishment must prepare properly for such ceremonies and
ensure that they are executed in accordance with the law.

It also needs to take  corrective measures more quickly when problems
arise and hold accountable those senior officials responsible for making sure
that their subordinates follow the law and the orders that are given to
them.

It is vital that responsibility and authority be aligned. This episode
highlights the current disjuncture between the responsibilities of the state
defence structures with the legal authority of the entities to control and
discipline subordinate elements in the defence establishment.