• Country/entity

  Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Yugoslavia (former)
  

• Region

  Europe and Eurasia
  Europe and Eurasia
  

• Agreement name

  Agreed Basic Principles signed on 8 September 1995 at Geneva

• Date

  8 Sep 1995

• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed

• Interim arrangement

  Yes

• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Balkan Conflicts (1991 - 1995) (1998 - 2001) )

• Stage

  Pre-negotiation/process

• Conflict nature

  Government/territory

• Peace process

  Bosnia peace process

• Parties

  H.E. Mr. Muhamed Sacirbey, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina); H.E. Mr. Mate Granic, Foreign Minister of the Republic of Croatia (Croatia); and H.E. Mr. Milan Milutinovic, Foreign Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Yugoslavia)

• Third parties

  Witnessed by: representatives of France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America, and by the European Union Special Negotiator for the Former Yugoslavia

• Description

  This short agreement contains principles as basis for talks on ending the war in Bosnia, which includes principles on state configuration, and the division of the state into two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republica Srpska.

• Agreement document

  BA_950908_AgreedBasicPrinciples.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

Agreed Basic Principles signed on 8 September 1995 at Geneva

Text of principles agreed to Friday at Geneva as the basis for talks on ending the war in Bosnia:

Agreed Basic Principles

1. Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue its legal existence with its present borders and continuing international recognition.

2. Bosnia and Herzegovina will consist of two entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as established by the Washington Agreements, and the Republica Srpska (RS the te).

2.1 The 51:49 parameter ofrritorial proposal of the Contact Group is the basis for a settlement.

This territorial proposal is open for adjustment

by mutual agreement.

2.2 Each entity will continue to exist under its present constitution (amended to accommodate these basic principles).

2.3 Both entities will have the right to establish parallel special relationships with neighbouring countries, consistent with the sovereignty and

territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

2.4 The two entities will enter into reciprocal commitments (a) to hold complete elections under international auspices;

(b) to adopt and adhere to

normal international human rights standards and obligations, including the obligation to allow freedom of movement and enable displaced persons to repossess their homes or receive just compensation;

and (c) to engage in binding arbitration to resolve disputes between them.

3. The entities have agreed in principle to the following:

3.1 The appointment of a Commission for Displaced Persons authorized to enforce (with assistance from international entities) the obligations of both entities to enable displaced persons to repossess their homes or receive just compensation.

3.2 The establishment of a Bosnia and Herzegovina Human Rights Commission, to enforce the entities’ human rights obligations.

The two entities will abide by the Commission’s decisions.

3.3 The establishment of joint Bosnia and Herzegovina public corporations, financed by the two entities, to own and operate transportation and other facilities for the benefit of both entities.

3.4 The appointment of a Commission to Preserve National Monuments.

3.5 The design and implementation of a system of arbitration for the solution of disputes between the two entities.