Meeting of Army Commanders (Military Implementation of COHA)

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Country/entity: Bosnia and Herzegovina
Yugoslavia (former)
Region: Europe and Eurasia
Agreement name: Meeting of Army Commanders (Military Implementation of COHA)
Date: 11 Jan 1995
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Balkan Conflicts (1991 - 1995) (1998 - 2001)
Former Yugoslavia

The disintegration of former Yugoslavia post cold war saw conflicts which became mediated and produced peace agreements in Slovenia (where the brief independence conflict was mediated by the EC Troika in 1991), Croatia (between Croatian and Serb populations 1991-1995), in Bosnia (between Croatian, Serb and Bosniak populations 1992-1995), in Macedonia (where mediation played a key pre-emptive role in preventing large scale conflict in 2001), in Kosovo (between Kosovar Albanians and Serbian population and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), but also between FRY and NATO, 1998-1999), and a conflict in the Presevo Valley (between Albanians in South Serbia and FRY, 2000-2001). The continued fall-out of the disintegration of former Yugoslavia also saw mediated agreement and ultimate dissolution of the Union between Serbia and Montenegro.

Bosnia-Herzegovina

In 1991, after nationalist parties won the first multi-party elections in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a violent process of disintegration commenced. With its mixed population, Bosnia-Herzegovina became the centre of the following civil war that began in 1992 between the newly formed army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (mostly Muslim Bosniacs), and the parastatal forces of self-declared Bosnian Croat (Herzeg-Bosnia) and Bosnian Serb (Republika Srpska) entities within Bosnia-Herzegovina, supported by Croatia and Serbia, with various, often short-lived, coalitions. The General Framework Agreement (Dayton Peace Agreement), signed in 1995, split the country into two ethno-federal entities, the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the Republika Srpska, and included continued peacekeeping and institutional administration by international actors.

Kosovo

The conflict between Serbs and Kosovar Albanians has a long history and always involved territorial disputes as well as ethno-political, cultural and linguistic factors. The most recent phase of the conflict began in November 1997 when the Albanian Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA or UCK) began their campaign for the independence of Kosovo from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY – then Serbia and Montenegro). The subsequent war lasted until the NATO intervention, which undertook bombing campaigns of Belgrade and other places in Serbia during spring 1999. The main agreements solving the conflict were internationally driven and, finally, a UNSC resolution imposed a post-conflict arrangement in the wake of what was essentially a NATO military victory. In February 2008, Kosovo’s parliament declared independence, but independence is still internationally disputed.
Stage: Ceasefire/related
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Bosnia peace process
Parties: Rasim Delic; Ratko Mladic; Tihomir Blaskic
Third parties: Witnessed by Michael Rose, UNPROFOR
Description: This agreement provides for implementation of the Complete Cessation of Hostilities, and other outstanding military matters from previous agreements, including redefining the line of contact, future meetings on detainee exchanges and medical evacuations, and withdrawal of foreign troops.

Agreement document: BA_950111_Meeting of Army Comanders.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(e) It was agreed that the following separate meetings should be convened on 12 January 1995...iii. Meeting, to be chaired by ICRC, on the exchange of detainees, bodies and information on persons not accounted for.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: Rights related issues→Media and communication→Media roles
Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(a) It was agreed that the sides shall desist from the use of language which undermines the agreement on complete cessation of hostilities and shall, in general, refrain from the use of provocative language in the mass media.
Mobility/access: Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(d) UNPROFOR shall prepare a draft agreement on full freedom of movement with the sides by 18 January 1995.

Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(e) It was agreed that the following separate meetings should be convened on 12 January 1995. i. Meeting at 1030, to be chaired by UNPROFOR, on modalities for the implementation of the agreement of 17 March 1994, with the intention of opening the routes for civilian and humanitarian traffic as soon as possible, and not later than 14 January 1995. ii. Meeting, to be chaired by UNHCR, on medical evacuation.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→General commitments
Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(b) It was agreed that meetings of the Regional Joint Commissions shall take place, as agreed, on the level of commanders or central Joint commission, on the contact line.

Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(c) It was agreed that the existing contact line shall be defined by UNPROFOR in agreement with the parties, and that maps so defined shall be agreed by 31 January 1995. With respect to the line of contact around the city of Sarajevo, there should be a return to the line as of 9 February 1994.

Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(f) Following the withdrawal of forces from• the demilitarized zone of Iqman and Bjelasnica to the lines in accordance with the agreement of 14 August 1993, there shall be a joint inspection by 14 January 1995.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: Page 2, 2. FUTURE ACTIONS
(c) There will be a Regional Joint Commission meeting on 14 January 1995 in the area of Bihac to facilitate the implementation the agreements of 23 December 1994 and 31 December 1994, and, in particular, the withdrawal of any foreign troops present, and to establish observation posts.

Page 2, 2. FUTURE ACTIONS
(d) There will be a Regional Joint Commission meeting on 14 January 1995 in the area of Livno and Kupres, to facilitate the implementation of the agreement of 23 December 1994 and 31 December 1994 and, in particular, the withdrawal of any foreign troops present, and to establish observation posts.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(e) It was agreed that the following separate meetings should be convened on 12 January 1995...iii. Meeting, to be chaired by ICRC, on the exchange of detainees, bodies and information on persons not accounted for.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(e) It was agreed that the following separate meetings should be convened on 12 January 1995...iii. Meeting, to be chaired by ICRC, on the exchange of detainees, bodies and information on persons not accounted for.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: Witnessed by Michael Rose, UNPROFOR
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(c) It was agreed that the existing contact line shall be defined by UNPROFOR in agreement with the parties, and that maps so defined shall be agreed by 31 January 1995. With respect to the line of contact around the city of Sarajevo, there should be a return to the line as of 9 February 1994.

Page 1, 1. DECISIONS TAKEN
(d) UNPROFOR shall prepare a draft agreement on full freedom of movement with the sides by 18 January 1995.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: ICTY Court Records, Karadzic trial exhibit P00873
http://icr.icty.org/

MEETING OF ARMY COMMANDERS

Sarajevo airport, 11 January 1995

1. DECISIONS TAKEN

(a) It was agreed that the sides shall desist from the use of language which undermines the agreement on complete cessation of hostilities and shall, in general, refrain from the use of provocative language in the mass media.

(b) It was agreed that meetings of the Regional Joint Commissions shall take place, as agreed, on the level of commanders or central Joint commission, on the contact line.

(c) It was agreed that the existing contact line shall be defined by UNPROFOR in agreement with the parties, and that maps so defined shall be agreed by 31 January 1995.

With respect to the line of contact around the city of Sarajevo, there should be a return to the line as of 9 February 1994.

(d) UNPROFOR shall prepare a draft agreement on full freedom of movement with the sides by 18 January 1995.

(e) It was agreed that the following separate meetings should be convened on 12 January 1995.

i. Meeting at 1030, to be chaired by UNPROFOR, on modalities for the implementation of the agreement of 17 March 1994, with the intention of opening the routes for civilian and humanitarian traffic as soon as possible, and not later than 14 January 1995.

ii. Meeting, to be chaired by UNHCR, on medical evacuation.

iii. Meeting, to be chaired by ICRC, on the exchange of detainees, bodies and information on persons not accounted for.

(f) Following the withdrawal of forces from· the demilitarized zone of Iqman and Bjelasnica to the lines in accordance with the agreement of 14 August 1993, there shall be a joint inspection by 14 January 1995.

2. FUTURE ACTIONS

(a) The sides shall reaffirm their commitment to the full implementation and compliance with the agreements of 23 December 1994 and 31 December 1994 with a view to achieving a lasting peace settlement before the expiration of these agreements.

(b) The map marking crossing points along the contact line observation posts will be considered at the Central Commission on 19 January 1995.

(c) There will be a Regional Joint Commission meeting on 14 January 1995 in the area of Bihac to facilitate the implementation the agreements of 23 December 1994 and 31 December 1994, and, in particular, the withdrawal of any foreign troops present, and to establish observation posts.

(d) There will be a Regional Joint Commission meeting on 14 January 1995 in the area of Livno and Kupres, to facilitate the implementation of the agreement of 23 December 1994 and 31 December 1994 and, in particular, the withdrawal of any foreign troops present, and to establish observation posts.

3. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

It was agreed that the next meeting of the Central Joint Commission will take place on 19 January 1994 at 1200 hours at Sarajevo airport, at the Chief of Staff level.

Rasim Delic

Ratko Mladic

Tihomir Blaskic