Joint Statement

• Country/entity

  Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Yugoslavia (former)
  
• Region

  Europe and Eurasia
  Europe and Eurasia
  
• Agreement name

  Joint Statement
• Date

  21 Oct 1993
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/local conflict ( Balkan Conflicts (1991 - 1995) (1998 - 2001) )
• Stage

  Ceasefire/related
• Conflict nature

  Government/territory
• Peace process

  Bosnia Local peace processes
• Parties

  President of the Croatian Republic of Herceg Bosnia Mate Boban; President of the AP Western Bosnia Fikret Abdic
• Third parties

  -
• Description

  This short statement provides for a ceasefire between the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and the armed forces of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, and announces the cooperation of the the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia and the Croatian Republic of Herceg Bosnia.

• Agreement document

  BA_931021_Joint Statement (Autonomous Province of West Bosnia).pdf | Download PDF

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

  The agreement makes several references to the London Peace Conference and the Geneva Peace Conference. However, the agreement is made between the leader of a newly self-declared autonomous province and a second self-declared republic, and 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
  
• Mediator, facilitator or similar

  No mention of mediator or similar

Local issues

JOINT STATEMENT

President of the Croatian Republic of Herceg Bosnia Mate Boban

and

President of the AP Western Bosnia Fikret Abdic

Accepting the principles of the London conference and taking into consideration provisions for the constitution of the future Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, put forward by, the Geneva Peace Conference;

Respecting the traditional interests of the Croatian and the Muslim peoples;

Convinced of the need for the permanent confidence building between the Croatian and the Muslim peoples and for the implementation of efficient measures thereof;

Respecting the Declaration and the Geneva agreements between the representatives of the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina of 14 September 1993;

WE STATE

1. In the light of the excellent cooperation between the Croats and the Muslims in the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, whose legitimate authorities and predominantly Muslim population have been exposed to attacks by the B&H Army, we are determined to exert efforts on the cessation of all hostilities in the territory of the Union of the Republics and on the establishment of an immediate and lasting cease fire in the territory of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.

To that effect the HVO units for the Bihac region will remain incorporated into the armed forces of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia.

2. Changes in the B&H Presidency by a faction of the Presidency led by Alija Izetbegovic we consider un-constitutional and illegal because a member can be dismissed from the Presidency only if he hands in his resignation or if he has been revoked by his constituency.

That act, which runs contrary to the Geneva agreement and the arrangements for the establishment of friendship and cooperation between the Croats and the Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, brought an end to the last remaining democratically elected institution in B&H.

3. The signatories of this statement are committed to the establishment of the closest possible relations between the Autonomous republic of Western Bosnia and the Croatian Republic Herceg Bosnia, in the Union of the Republics of B&H.

4. By the same token, we are calling on all the parties to strictly respect internationally recognized human rights and freedoms and to ensure unrestricted movement of humanitarian convoys and civilians.

Zagreb, 21 October 1993.

President of the Croatian Republic Herceg Bosnia

Mate Boban

President of the AP Western Bosnia

Fikret Abdic