Declaration

  • Country/entity
    Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Yugoslavia (former)
  • Region
    Europe and Eurasia
    Europe and Eurasia
  • Agreement name
    Declaration
  • Date
    22 Oct 1993
  • Agreement status
    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement
    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level
    Intrastate/local conflict ( Balkan Conflicts (1991 - 1995) (1998 - 2001) )
  • Stage
    Implementation/renegotiation
  • Conflict nature
    Government/territory
  • Peace process
    Bosnia Local peace processes
  • Parties
    PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA Dr Radovan Karadzic; PRESIDENT OF THE AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF WESTERN BOSNIA OF THE REPUBLIC OF BOSNIA Fikret Abdic
  • Third parties
    Witness to the agreement achieved, and assuming the obligation to mediate in the case of difficulties arising in its implementation: PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA Slobodan Milosevic
  • Description
    This short agreement provides for mutual recognition between the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia and Republika Srpska. It also guarantees all fundamental freedoms and human rights, in accordance with the Owen-Stoltenberg Peace Plan.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Informal but persistent process
  • Rationale
    This agreement is one of several between the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia and other self-declared republics, that was conducted without the approval of the Bosnian government and outside of the formal national peace talks, relating to the status of the Bihac region in northwestern Bosnia.
  • Is there a documented link to a national peace process?
    No
  • Link to national process: articulated rationale
    This agreement makes several references to being in accordance with the Owen and Stoltenberg Peace Plan. However, the agreement is made between the leader of a newly self-declared autonomous province and a second self-declared republic, and secondary sources suggest that this was agreed in a process that was conducted in parallel to and contradiction of the national peace process.
  • Name of Locale
    Western Bosnia
  • Nature Of Locale
    Region
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    44.812905, 15.870652
  • Participant type
    Local armed group
    International or transnational actor
  • Mediator, facilitator or similar
    Mediator or similar referred to
    Mediator (references)
    Listed in the agreement as 'Witness to the agreement achieved and assuming the obligation to mediate in the case of difficulties arising in its implementation: President of the Republic of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic'
    Type of mediator/facilitator/similar
    International or transnational actor

Local issues

  • Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

    No specific mention.

  • Grievance List

    No specific mention.

  • Cattle rustling/banditry

    No specific mention.

  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

At the invitation of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic, and motivated by the goal of securing a durable peace between the Serbs and Moslems in the area of former Yugoslav Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the President of the Republic of Srpska, Radovan Karadzic and the President of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia, Fikret Abdic, have met in Belgrade and decided to propose, jointly, and with the involvement of the President of the Republic of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic, the following

DECLARATION

1. The Republic of Srpska recognizes the existence, the will of the people, and the legal authority of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia, one of the three constituent Republics of the Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as defined by the Owen and Stoltenberg Peace Plan.

2. The Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia recognizes the existence, the will of the people, and the legal authority of the Republic of Srpska, one of the three constituent Republics of the Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as defined by the Owen and Stoltenberg Peace Plan.

3. Presidents Radovan Karadzic and Fikret Abdic, in the name of their citizens and Governments, solemnly proclaim the peace, and declare the start of the building of good neighborly [sic] relations and universal cooperation in the fields of politics, economy, traffic and communications, culture, sports, and other fields.

4. Full freedom of movement shall be guaranteed to all citizens of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia through the entire territory of the Republic of Srpska, and to all citizens of the Republic of Srpska through the entire territory of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia, with the official travel or personal identity documents issued by the relevant authorities of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia, or the Republic of Srpska, respectively.

5. The borders between the Republic of Srpska and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia shall be opened at the locations to be determined by the Representatives of the Governments of the Republic of Srpska and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia, within 48 hours of the pronouncement of this Declaration.

The border crossings shall be opened and put in order, on the basis of agreement of both sides, within 7 (seven) days of the pronouncement of this Declaration.

6. All fundamental freedoms and human rights, as provided for by the relevant international legal instruments shall be mutually guaranteed, in accordance with the Owen and Stoltenberg Peace Plan.

7. All persons officially proven to have violated the provisions of international legislation of the conduct of war, shall be prosecuted before the regular Courts of Law of the Republic of Srpska and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia, respectively.

8. The right to return to their hearths, should they desire to do so, shall be recognized to all persons displaced from them by the civil war.

9. Presidents Radovan Karadzic and Fikret Abdic shall appoint a Border Commission with the mandate to demarcate the borders between the Republic of Srpska and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia, within 7 (seven) days.

Here, the most notable task shall be the demarcation of the borders in the area of the town of Krupa on the right bank of river Una.

10. Presidents Radovan Karadzic and Fikret Abdic reaffirm that free passage to all international humanitarian aid convoys shall be facilitated on the entire territories of the Republic of Srpska and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia, with the aim of providing help to all those who may need it.

11. Presidents Radovan Karadzic and Fikret Abdic express their hope that the leadership of the Republic of Bosnia in Sarajevo shall join this Declaration, and emphasize their readiness to start the talks to that effect immediately.

12. Presidents Radovan Karadzic and Fikret Abdic express their gratitude to the President of the Republic of Serbia, Slobodan Milosevic, for the great contribution he has given to the arrangement of the just and durable peace between the Republic of Srpska and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia of the Republic of Bosnia.

In Belgrade, 22 October 1993

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA Dr Radovan Karadzic

PRESIDENT OF THE AUTONOMOUS PROVINCE OF WESTERN BOSNIA OF THE REPUBLIC OF BOSNIA Fikret Abdic

Witness to the agreement achieved, and assuming the obligation to mediate in the case of difficulties arising in its implementation:

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA Slobodan Milosevic