OHR

Schwarz-Schilling inGermany

The High Representative and EU Special Representative Christian
Schwarz-Schilling is in

Germany

on a
short visit in advance of next week’s meeting of the Peace Implementation
Council.

Mr Schwarz-Schilling is currently attending the party conference of the
Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the party of which he is a member, in
Dresden.

This evening, the High Representative and EU Special Representative will be
participating in a meeting of the CDU’s foreign relations task force in
Berlin .

Tomorrow morning, together with Joachim Rucker, the Special Representative of
the UN Secretary General in Kosovo, he will addressing the Foreign Relations
Committee of the Bundestag on the current situation in the Balkans.

In his address, the High Representative and EU Special Representative will be
outlining the key themes for next week’s PIC meeting that will be taking place
in
Brussels
on Wednesday and
Thursday.

PIC Meeting

The next meeting of the Peace Implementation Council will take place in

Brussels
on the 6 and 7 of December,
where coalition formation will be high on the agenda.

All the leaders of political parties represented in the new BiH House of
Representatives have been invited to attend, together with the current Prime
Minister, Adnan Terzic.

In many countries it often takes time to form coalitions. However, the
situation does not remain static; it is in the leaders’ interest therefore to
put in place a functioning and effective government as soon as possible.

Clearly some of these leaders will be working directly with the PIC so
developing a good working relationship is important.

This is also the last meeting of the PIC before February when the PIC will
review its decision to close the OHR in June 2007. The PIC will be seeking
indications of political readiness from leaders to push ahead with reform across
the board.

EUFOR

Harvesting a Safer Future

Following the assistance of the BiH public, further unlicensed weapons have
been removed from local communities this week for safe disposal.  Recovered
as part of the Harvest Campaign in the towns of Sokolac and Vogoska, run jointly
by the Civil Protection Agency, Local Police and EUFOR, 41 small-caliber
weapons, 394 hand grenades and 42,000 rounds of ammunition have been safely
disposed of during a four day period.

Recent weeks have demonstrated to all of us the terrible and tragic
consequences these materials can reap in local communities when they are found
by children.  From the 29^th of November to the 2^nd of
December, BiH authorities in conjunction with the Local Police and EUFOR, will
conduct further harvest operations in the towns of Ilidza and Bileca.  We
invite all citizens to offer us their assistance in removing these
life-threatening hazards from their communities.  EUFOR personnel will
operate collection points and call on local homes in these towns to collect
surplus un-licenced weapons and munitions. 

EUFOR welcome the trust and support of the individuals that assist the local
authorities in this matter and recognize such actions reflect the growing
confidence citizens place in the safe and secure environment.  Anyone with
information on the location of un-licensed weapons or munitions should notify
their local police or the Civilian Protection Agency.

ICTY

Good morning on behalf of the ICTY.

This morning the ICTY Appeals Chamber confirmed that Blagoje Simić was
criminally responsible for persecution of non-Serb civilians committed in
Bosanski Šamac in 1992 and 1993. Simić was president of the Municipal Assembly
and the Crisis Staff in Bosanski Šamac.

The Appeals Chamber sentenced Simić for aiding and abetting persecution in
the form of the unlawful arrests and detention of non-Serb civilians,
confinement of non-Serb prisoners in inhumane conditions, forced labour by
Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Muslims, and forced displacement of non-Serb
civilians.

With a dissent by one of the judges, the Appeals Chamber reduced Simic’s
sentence from 17 years to 15 years after it had adopted several counts of the
Defence appeal.

The Appeals Chamber cancelled finding that Simić was a participant in the
joint criminal enterprise, because it argued that due to formal neglects of the
indictment the trial against appellant would be unfair from the reason that only
in the end of the Prosecution case Simic was informed that he was charged with
participation in the joint criminal enterprise.

The Appeals Chamber also set aside Simić’s conviction for persecution for
cruel and inhumane treatment including beatings and torture.

The Appeals Chamber adopted these findings by majority, with two judges
dissenting.

It this case it was established that on
17 April 1992 ,
paramilitary forces and the Serbian police took over this municipality by force
and set up the “Crisis Staff of the

Serbian
Municipality

of Bosanski Šamac”. The Crisis Staff was subsequently re-named the “War
Presidency” and was established as the highest civilian authority in the

municipality of

Bosanski
Šamac. Non-Serb civilians
were persecuted after the municipality had been taken over.

I have here copies of the press releases regarding this judgment as well as
the summary of Appeals judgment read by the presiding judge in the courtroom.

For all of you who are interested in we can provide by e-mail the photographs
of Blagoje Simić from today’s pronouncing of judgement.

I also have copies of the recent press releases regarding dismissal of the
prosecution’s request for the review of appeals judgement in the case of Tihomir
Blaškić and press releases regarding assignment of a defence counsel to Vojislav
Šešelj.

Once again I remind you that the Appeals Chamber judgement in the case
against Stanislav Galić will be rendered on Thursday at 16:00.

This is all from me for today. Thanks for your attention.