Sarajevo Joint Declaration

• Country/entity

  Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Yugoslavia (former)
  
• Region

  Europe and Eurasia
  Europe and Eurasia
  
• Agreement name

  Sarajevo Joint Declaration
• Date

  12 Nov 1993
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Interstate/intrastate conflict(s) ( Balkan Conflicts (1991 - 1995) (1998 - 2001) )
• Stage

  Implementation/renegotiation
• Conflict nature

  Government/territory
• Peace process

  Bosnia peace process
• Parties

  H.E. HARIS Silajdzic Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina; H.E. MATE Granic Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia
• Third parties

  Witnessed by H.E. Hikmet CETIN Minister for Foreign Affairs of The Republic of Turkey
• Description

  This short agreement contains implementation modalities for the principles of statements signed by the Presidents of Croatia and Bosnia, Franjo Tudjman and Alija Izetbegovic, regarding military conflict between the HVO and Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, free passage of humanitarian aid, and to continue dialogue to solve issues between Croats and Bosniacs.

• Agreement document

  BA_931112_Sarajevo Joint Declaration.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

SARAJEVO JOINT DECLARATION

Sarajevo, 12 November 19935

During their meeting in Sarajevo on 12 November 1993, the Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Haris Silajdzic, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Mate Granic, in their capacity as Presidential Trustees following the Geneva Declaration of 14 September 1993, in the presence and with active participation of HE.

Mr. Hikmet Cetin, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, have extensively discussed the present political and military situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During the talks, special emphasis was put on the recent flare-up of fighting between the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina and HVO forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the central Bosnia area in particular, and the urgent necessity to end all hostilities and military activities.

The three sides have also extensively discussed the necessity to revise the peace process in order to bring about an immediate, comprehensive and durable solution to the crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, in particular in the light of the tragic deterioration of humanitarian conditions.

They have agreed that the basic principles of the Geneva peace agreement joint declaration signed by Presidents Franjo Tudjman and Alija Izetbegovic, as well as their statement from Vienna, represent a basis for comprehensive solution to the relations between the two parties aimed at reaching final agreement on the crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In this context particular attention was paid to the latest peace initiatives.

In this respect they have agreed that every political effort must be exerted on the bilateral and multilateral levels to end further deterioration of relations between the Bosnian Croats and Bosniacs in order to create a positive framework for the restoration of the peace process.

In order to implement these principles, Mr. Haris Silajdzic and Mr. Mate Granic, in their capacity as Presidential Trustees, and with the active participation of Mr. Hikmet Cetin, have agreed on the following:

1. To prepare and organize an urgent meeting of the highest political and militaryleadership of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina and HVO, not later than within five to seven days, in order to reach a comprehensive agreement on all military issues relating to the establishment of the cease-fire and final cessation of all hostilities and military activities.

It was agreed that, during the preparations for this meeting, both sides would strictly refrain from all military activities.

2. The immediate assurances and guarantees for free and unhindered passage of humanitarian aid convoys to all parties and areas shall be given by the respective highest authorities.

For the purposes of the realization of the above-mentioned, the parties have agreed on the following:

(a) To appeal jointly to the United Nations Security Council, the European Community and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to provide for the free passage of humanitarian convoys by all means, including the use of force;

(b) To open immediately a humanitarian aid corridor on the route Ploce - Metkovic - Capljina - Mostar -Jablanica - Tarcin - Kiseljak - Visoko;

(c) To use the Kamenska - Tomislavgrad - Gornji Vakuf - Novi Travnik – Travnik -Zenica corridor until the above-mentioned corridor is available;

(d) To organize immediately two convoys for the Central Bosnia area, i.e., one for Nova Bila and the other for Maglaj;

(e) To establish a Joint Commission, with the mandate to coordinate all activities relating to humanitarian convoys and to cooperate with the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and other humanitarian agencies;

(f) To coordinate their activities in order to provide for the repair of energy supply systems.

3. To continue to revive the activities of previously established joint working groups for the release of all detainees, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and other international agencies.

4. All other remaining controversial political, military, territorial and other issues between the Bosnian Croats and the Bosniacs shall be resolved only through political means and without the use of force and a special mechanism for the coordination of all activities regarding the protection of rights and interests of the two peoples shall be established with the good offices of Turkey and other countries.

5. The sides shall continue their working dialogue on ministerial and other levels on all open questions with a view to bringing about a solution to Croat-Bosniac relations and preparations for the reactivation of the peace process.

Mr. Haris Silajdzic and Mr. Mate Granic have expressed jointly their great appreciation and gratitude to the Republic of Turkey and to Minister Hikmet Cetin personally for the most valuable and continuous political assistance and humanitarian support to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in search of a lasting solution to the crisis in the region.

(Signed) H.E. HARIS Silajdzic

Prime Minister of the Government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Signed) H.E. MATE Granic Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia

Witnessed by:

(Signed) H.E. Hikmet CETIN

Minister for Foreign Affairs of The Republic of Turkey