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JANUARY

5 January - The negotiations between Haris Silajdzic, Prime Minister of the Bosnian Muslim government and Mate Granic, Vice Prime Minister of Croatia, were completed in Vienna. As announced in their joint statement the two parties agreed on the cease-fire in Central Bosnia and cessation of all military activities between the Muslim and Croatian forces in Bosnia- Herzegovina.

10 January - The negotiations between Franjo Tudjman, President of Croatia and Alija Izetbegovic, leader of the Bosnian Muslims were completed in Bonn. They discussed the peace plan for Bosnia proposed by President Tudjman. The Muslim part rejected the plan. They only agreed on the immediate cessation of combats between the Croats and Muslims in Central Bosnia.

11 January - The two day session of the leaders of 16 NATO member countries was completed in Brussels. In the part of the adopted final communique dealing with Bosnia, it is stated, among other things: "On the basis of the authorization given by the UN Security Council and in accordance with the decisions made by NATO on 2 and 9 August 1993, we confirm our readiness to take air strikes in order to prevent strangulation of Sarajevo, safe zones and other endangered areas in Bosnia- Herzegovina".

The UN Security Council appointed British General Michael Rose commander of UNPROFOR for the former Bosnia- Herzegovina. He would replace Belgian General Fransis Brikmond at this office.

17 January - At its session in Bjeljina the Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted a new platform for negotiations with the Croatian and Muslim parts in Geneva. It is stated, among other things, that "since the Muslim part rejected the proposal for the settlement of the crisis in the way that it should be offered one third of the territory of the former Bosnia- Herzegovina (33,3 per cent) Republika Srpska makes decision to revoke the offer." "Republika Srpska shall take part in the peace process, but it shall demand equal treatment, this implying that the international community should lift the sanctions and stop threatening the Serbs".

18- 19 January - The peace negotiations on the settlement of the crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina resumed in Geneva. They were participated by Presidents of Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia, Slobodan Milosevic, Momir Bulatovic and Franjo Tudjman, respectively, Alija Izetbegovic, leader of the Bosnian Muslims, Radovan Karadzic, President of Republika Srpska, Haris Silajdzic, prime minister of the Bosnian pro- Muslim government and Mile Akmadzic, leader of the delegation of the Bosnian Croats. There were several bilateral talks between some of the delegations, but no progress was made and the negotiations were broke off.

After having separate talks in Geneva between the delegations of FR Yugoslavia and Croatia which were also participated by Slobodan Milosevic, President of Serbia, Momir Bulatovic, President of Montenegro and Franjo Tudjman, President of Croatia, Vladislav Jovanovic and Mate Granic, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two states, signed the Joint statement on the process of normalizations of relations between FR Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia and opening of diplomatic missions of the two states in Belgrade and Zagreb.

Republika Srpska and the Croatian community of Herzeg- Bosnia signed in Geneva the Joint statement on establishment of lasting peace and official relations between those two republics. The statement was signed by Nikola Koljevic, Vice President of RS and Mile Akmadzic, leader of the delegation of the Bosnian Croats.

21 January - Deputies of the Russian Duma, lower house of the federal parliament of the Russian Federation, adopted the document requiring that Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian Federation and Viktor Chernomydin, Prime Minister, should take all necessary measures in order to officially request the UN Security Council to lift the sanctions imposed against FR Yugoslavia. 280 deputies voted for this document while two votes were against its adoption.

23 January - The second ballot was held for the President of the Republic of Srpska Krajina. 205,550 voters went to the polls or 70 per cent of the total number of registered voters. Milan Martic was elected President, who won 104.234 votes or 50,22 per cent; Milan Babic, the second- place candidate won 97.377 votes or 46,91 per cent. At the first ballot for the President of the Republic which was held on 19 December 1993 no candidate won the necessary majority of over 50 per cent votes of those who went to the polls.

24 January - In FR Yugoslavia the new economic programme "The Reconstruction of the Monetary System and Strategy of the Economic Revival of Yugoslavia" became effective. It had been worked out by around 70 experts headed by Prof. Dragoslav Avramovic. The basic targets of the programme were to crack down the hyperinflation and reconstruct the monetary system. The new, internally convertible dinar was established; the exchange rate between the dinar and Deutsche Mark was fixed at 1:1.

British general Michael Rose replaced Belgian general Fransis Brikmond as a new commander of the UNPROFOR for Bosnia- Herzegovina.

27 January - The meeting between Zeljko Simic, the Vice- President of the government of FR Yugoslavia and Mate Granic, Vice- President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia, took place in Geneva. They issued a joint communique stating that both of the parties had taken all necessary measures for the purpose of opening official offices of the two governments in their countries. The two parties also agreed on setting up the joint commission that would deal with the problems of missing persons, refugees and humanitarian issues.

29 January - Boutros Boutros Ghali, UN Secretary General, authorized Yasushi Akashi, his special envoy and aide of the UNPROFOR for the former Yugoslavia, to ask, if necessary, the support of the NATO air force in the operation of opening the Tuzla airport and paths to Srebrenica and Zepa.

31 January - The Supreme Command of the Army of Republika Srpska made decision on the general mobilization of all population fit for the military service or work. They should be organized in combat or working units, and some special women units would also be formed "for the purpose of completening the war successfully and achieving economic revival of the country".

FEBRUARY

4 February - The UN Security Council adopted the Presidential statement giving an ultimatum to Croatia to withdraw its regular military units from Bosnia within two week period. In case Croatia ignored the ultimatum, "it would face serious consequences", it was said.

The explosion of a mortar shell fired at the Sarajevo suburbs Dobrinja caused death of nine people who stood in a queue for distribution of humanitarian assistance.

5 February - The explosion of a mortar shell fired at the Sarajevo market Markale caused death of 68 people, while almost 200 were wounded. Alija Izetbegovic, leader of the Bosnian Muslims, accused the Bosnian Serbs for the attack; general Manojlo Milovanovic, chief of staff of the Army of Republika Srpska, rejected the accusation that the Serbian part was responsible for this incident and demanded forming of a mixed expert group that would investigate the case.

6 February - Michael Rose, commander of the UNPROFOR for Bosnia- Herzegovina stated that, after making analysis of the crater the UNPROFOR experts were unable to say which part had fired the shell at the Sarajevo market Markale. Yasushi Akashi, special envoy of the UN Secretary General said "we have some doubts, but we are still not certain" which part had fired the shell.

Boutros Boutros Ghali, UN Secretary General asked Manfred Woerner, NATO Secretary General, "to ensure as soon as possible the decision of NAC authorizing the commander of the southern wing of NATO to, when requested by the UN, take air raids on the artillery and mortar positions of those responsible for the attacks on the civilian targets in this town".

Slobodan Milosevic, President of the Republic of Serbia expressed his bitterness condemning the crime committed in Sarajevo and expecting that the persons responsible for it would be brought to justice.

The Serbian- Muslim negotiations on the cease-fire for the area of Sarajevo conducted at the Sarajevo airport were interrupted.

7 February - At the meeting in Brussels ministers of foreign affairs of the European Union agreed to authorize, if necessary, use of NATO air force for the purpose of destroying the forces laying siege to Sarajevo.

Andrey Kozirev, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia said that the air raids in Bosnia could be authorized, at the proposal of the Security Council, only by UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali. In his opinion they could be taken only against the part obstructing shipment of humanitarian relief or jeopardizing security of the UNFPROFOR members.

9 February - At the meeting in Sarajevo the military representatives of the Serbs and Muslims agreed on cease-fire to be effective on 10 February at noon. It was also agreed that the Serbian and Muslim artillery would be put under control of the UNPROFOR. Immediately after the cease-fire had gone into effect the Serbian part would also withdraw its artillery laying siege to Sarajevo.

The North Atlantic Council decided in Brussels to authorize the use of air force of this organization on the positions of the Serbian part unless within 10 day period it withdrew all its heavy weapons at the distance of at least 20 kilometers from Sarajevo.

At the press conference in the White House Bill Clinton, President of the USA, said that NATO was ready to respond by taking air raids against those responsible for jeopardizing security of the safe zones. The air raids would not be taken if the Serbian forces withdrew from their positions around Sarajevo.

10 February - Grigory Karasin, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, expressed the official position of his government saying that Russia was absolutely against the ultimatum the NATO members had given to the Serbs, threatening to take air raids against them. He also said that Russia would demand that the session of the UN Security Council should be immediately held with the aim of discussing the urgent problems in Bosnia.

11 February - General Michael Rose, commander of the UN forces in Bosnia, said that the cease-fire in the Sarajevo area was observed "within reasonable limits" and that the Army of Republika Srpska started to withdraw its heavy weapons around Sarajevo.

The federal government appointed Veljko Knezevic head of the Office of the Government of FR Yugoslavia in Zagreb.

Zoran Lilic, President of FR Yugoslavia sent a telegram to Boutros Boutros Ghali, UN Secretary General, expressing his concern for the inappropriateness of the NAC decision to search the resolution of the crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina by issuing ultimatums and using military force; the peace could be achieved only by negotiations of the warring parties on equal footing.

12 February - After three day talks the latest round of negotiations on Bosnia was completed in Geneva and no progress was made. It was concluded that the conference should be resumed in late February or early March.

The official negotiations between the delegations of FR Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia took place in Zagreb. Zeljko Simic and Mate Granic, heads of the delegations were satisfied with the expressed openness and tolerance as well as with the initial results achieved at the negotiations.

15 February - The UN Security Council completed its two day debate on Bosnia. It was participated by representatives of 57 UN member countries. With more or less reserves almost all participants in the discussion supported the NAC decision on the possible bombardment of the Serbian forces deployed around Sarajevo; only the representatives of China, Greece and FR Yugoslavia were against such decision. No conclusions or official positions were presented by the Security Council at the session.

Radoje Kontic, Prime Minister of the Yugoslav federal government, commenced a series of diplomatic meetings in New York with the UN high officials.

16 February - The UN five member commission stated in Zagreb that there was no sufficient proof to determine the part responsible for firing the shell at the Sarajevo market Markale on 5 February; "the shell could be fired by any of the parts" (the Serbian and Muslim) it is stated in the report of the commission.

Andreas Papandreu, Greek Prime Minister said Greece would impose blockade on all the trade the FYR of Macedonia carried through the Thesaloniki harbour and close its consulate in Skopje for "Skopje keeps on provoking the Greek part" and "applies the irredentist principles".

17 February - Vitaly Churkin, special Russian envoy met in Belgrade with Slobodan Milosevic, President of the Republic of Serbia, and in Pale with Radovan Karadzic, President of Republika Srpska. He delivered them a letter of Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian Federation. After his talks with Radovan Karadzic, Vitaly Churkin said that the Bosnian Serbs agreed to withdraw their heavy weapons from Sarajevo within the fixed time limit. It was also stated that 400 Russian soldiers, members of the UNPROFOR, would be sent to the area of Sarajevo.

21 February - After the ultimatum given to the Serbian and Muslim parts had expired Yasushi Akashi, UN special envoy for the former Yugoslavia, said that "a considerable withdrawal and regrouping of heavy weapons in Sarajevo and around was evident" and "in this stage the use of NATO air forces is not necessary". In this way a direct danger of the use of NATO air forces in the Sarajevo war zone was eliminated.

23 February - Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian Federation invited Bill Clinton, President of the USA, as well as leaders of France, Great Britain and Germany, to hold a summit for the purpose of finding the most optimal solution to stop the war in the former Yugoslavia. The representative of the White House assessed that the proposal made by President Yeltsin "is inappropriate for the time being".

24 February - Through mediation of Slobodan Milosevic, President of Serbia, Radovan Karadzic, President of Republika Srpska and Fikret Abdic, President of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia, signed in Belgrade the agreement guaranteeing to keep the peace along all borders between Republika Srpska and the AP of Western Bosnia.

26 February - On the initiative of the USA, negotiations commenced in New York between Haris Silajdzic, Prime Minister of the Muslim government in Bosnia- Herzegovina, Mate Granic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Croatia and Kresimir Zubak, representative of the Bosnian Croats. The three parties discussed the creation of a future common state to be composed of the Bosnian Muslims and Croats.

27 February - Near Banjaluka two NATO fighters shot down four aircrafts "Seagull" in the no- fly zone in Bosnia- Herzegovina. The spokesman of UN Secretary General said in New York that they "do not know whose aircrafts those were".

MARCH

1 March - After the talks which took place in Moscow Radovan Karadzic, President of Republika Srpska and Andrey Kozirev, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that agreement was reached on opening the airport in Tuzla for shipment of humanitarian relief. Russian observers would take control of the airport.

2 March - After four day negotiations in Washington a preliminary agreement was signed on joining the Croatian and Muslim territories in Bosnia- Herzegovina into a federation that would be composed of ethnic cantons and would have a common central government. The agreement was signed by Haris Silajdzic, Prime Minister of the Muslim government in Bosnia- Herzegovina, Mate Granic, Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Kresimir Zubak, representative of the Bosnian Croats. In a separate document Silajdzic and Granic confirmed their principal agreement on forming an economic and financial confederation between this common state and the Republic of Croatia. This federation could also be joined by the Bosnian Serbs as a separate unit.

4 March - After two week debates the UN Security Council adopted the Resolution 900 on Sarajevo and the situation in Bosnia. Among other things it was required to consider the needs and make a plan for normalization of life in Sarajevo; the warring parties were required to ensure free movement of civilians in and out of the town; UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali was requested to consider the possibilities and modalities for applying the similar protection for Maglaj, Vitez and Mostar.

The Muslim- Croat negotiations commenced in Vienna on the system of the future common federation of the Bosnian Muslims and Croats in the former republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina.

7 March - The UN peace keeping forces started with taking control over the airport in Tuzla by deploying their troops around it.

13 March - After ten day negotiations in Vienna the representatives of the Bosnian Croats and Muslims reached agreement on the draft Constitution of the future Croatian- Muslim federation in Bosnia. The negotiations on fixing the boundaries of cantons within the federation were not completed.

18 March - At the solemn ceremony in the White House in Washington the Agreement on creation of the federation of the Bosnian Croats and Muslims and the Declaration on the principles of establishing possible confederal relations between the new federation and the Republic of Croatia was signed. The American President Bill Clinton and other officials were present at the ceremony. The Agreement was signed by Haris Silajdzic, Prime Minister of the Bosnian Muslim government and Kresimir Zubak, representative of the Bosnian Croats, and the Declaration was signed by Franjo Tudjman, President of Croatia and Alija Izetbegovic, leader of the Bosnian Muslims. As provided by the Agreement there was also an open possibility for Republika Srpska to join the federation.

19 March - Boutros Boutros Ghali, UN Secretary General made a report on the activities of the UN in resolving the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, on the results achieved by the UNPROFOR, on the situation in the critical areas in the former Yugoslavia, as well as on the perspectives of the peace processes and future activities of the UN on this territory. It was said that up to that moment the Security Council had adopted 54 resolutions and 39 Presidential statements on the Yugoslav conflict, and that costs for the peace keeping forces amounted to a billion and six hundred million dollars. During this operation 924 UN soldiers had been shot, of whom 79 got killed.

22 March - The negotiations commenced in the Russian Embassy in Zagreb between the representatives of the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Srpska Krajina. The meeting was chaired by ambassador Kai Aide, representative of the UN, and ambassador Gerd Arens, representative of the EU. Also were present Vitaly Churkin, special envoy of the President of Russia and Peter Gulbright, American ambassador in Croatia. They discussed a cease-fire and separation of the warring parties. The negotiations were interrupted on 23 March so that both of the parties could make consultations over the draft agreement and they would be resumed on 29 March.

UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali decided to accept the offer of Turkey and he would propose the Security Council to approve joining of 2,700 Turkish soldiers to the UNPROFOR in Bosnia.

23 March - The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of FR Yugoslavia issued a statement saying that on 18 March the Government of FR Yugoslavia submitted a claim to the International Court of Justice to take legal proceedings against the NATO member countries for the flagrant violation of the Article 2, paragraph 4 and Article 52, paragraph 1 of the UN Charter. This concerned the NAC decision made on 9 February to take air raids on the Serbian positions around Sarajevo should the heavy weapons of the Army of Republika Srpska was not withdrawn at least 20 kilometers from Sarajevo.

24 March - The session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska took place in Pale and deputies unanimously adopted the platform for future acting of the delegation of Republika Srpska at the peace negotiations on resolving the crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina. Among other things it was said that the process of negotiations should embrace the following stages: conclusion of peace and freezing of all military activities; demilitarization and final fixing of borders between the Croatian- Muslim federation and Republika Srpska; recognition of sovereignty and independence of Republika Srpska; negotiations on mutual relations between those states, considering the possibilities for establishing various kinds of relations between the newly created states and former Yugoslav republics.

25 March - Responding to the decision of the UN Secretary General to accept the offer of Turkey to send its soldiers to the former Republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement. Among other things it was said that "not only that this decision is not in the interest of pacification of the situation on this territory, but it could directly make the conflicts flare up".

26 March - Concerning the statement claim the Government of FR Yugoslavia submitted against the NATO member countries on 18 March the International Court of Justice in The Hague stated that pursuant to the present Statute the Court could not take legal proceedings against them since the statement was based on the unilateral claim of one country.

26- 27 March - The ministerial meeting of the twelve European Union member countries took place in Janina (Greece). The ministers discussed the French plan on the European stability, on the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, Middle East, South Africa, relations between the EU and Ukraine, etc. The ministers hailed the commitment of the USA and Russia in resolving the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, but they agreed that the EU plan on Bosnia- Herzegovina should be a basis for the future activities of the EU within the joint actions of the USA, Russia and the EU in resolving the crisis in Bosnia and the former Yugoslavia.

29- 30 March - After two day negotiations in the Russian Embassy in Zagreb between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Srpska Krajina, heads of the delegations of Croatia, Hrvoje Sarinic, and of RS Krajina Dusan Radic signed the agreement on a cessation of fire and all armed hostilities. As witnesses the agreements was also signed by the representatives of the peace conference on the former Yugoslavia ambassadors Gerd Arens and Kai Aide, as well as the commander of the UN peace keeping forces in the former Yugoslavia general Bertrand de Lapprele. As provided by the agreement, containing 9 items, the cease-fire should be fully observed and it would be effective on 4 April at 9 a.m. All units at the front lines should be separated by 8 April at 9 a.m. The heavy weapons should be withdrawn and some crossings along the front lines should also be opened. The role of the UN forces should be to supervise that the cease-fire and agreement was observed.

31 March - The UN Security Council adopted the Resolution 908. The Resolution contained the analysis of the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, assessment of the role of the UN and several specific decisions on the further activities of the UNPROFOR in Croatia, Bosnia- Herzegovina and the FYR Macedonia. The decisions were made to extend the mandate of the UNPROFOR for the next six months upto 30 September 1994 and to send there additional 3,500 soldiers (instead of 8,500 as was proposed in the draft Resolution).

APRIL

4 April - The agreement on cessation of fire and all armed hostilities signed in Zagreb on 30 March between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Srpska Krajina became effective at 9 a.m.

Radoje Kontic, Prime Minister of the Federal Government of FR Yugoslavia received Zvonimir Markovic who submitted a letter of credence of the Government of the Republic of Croatia accrediting him the Chief of the Office of the Republic of Croatia in FR Yugoslavia.

5 April - Ivo Sanader, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia received Veljko Knezevic who submitted a copy of the letter of credence of the Federal Government of FR Yugoslavia accrediting him the Chief of the Office of FR Yugoslavia in the Republic of Croatia. The original of the letter of credence would be submitted to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia "at the time convenient for the protocol and commitments of the host country".

7 April - The UN Security Council adopted a Presidential statement on Bosnia condemning the violence and terror, including the ethnyic cleansing, in Banjaluka and Prijedor. It warned the warring parties not to take provocative actions in and around the safe zones and severely condemned the Serbian forces for their attacks on Gorazde. The UN Security Council demanded that the Resolutions 824 and 826 on the status of safe zones should be observed and that the Serbian part should immediately stop its attacks on the safe zone of Gorazde.

8 April - The explosion of the ammunition dump in Duboki Jarak near Zagreb caused death of five people while 19 were wounded.

10 April - After consultations with UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali, Yasushi Akashi, head of the UNPROFOR Civilian Administration in the former Yugoslavia, approved the request of the commander of the UNPROFOR for Bosnia- Herzegovina General Michael Rose for NATO air raids on the Serbian forces around Gorazde. This was done in order to prevent advancing of the Serbian forces and provide "close air support to the UNPROFOR in Gorazde". Two NATO aircrafts (from the American contingent) carried out the attack and bombarded the Serbian forces in the region of Preljuca and Goli vrh, 12 km on the south- west of Gorazde.

11 April - Three NATO aircrafts made another attack on the Serbian positions near Gorazde.

The Federal Government of FR Yugoslavia most vigorously condemned the decision of the United Nations on engagement of the NATO air forces in the territory of Republika Srpska in the region of Gorazde. It assessed this act as a direct involvement in the civil war in the former Bosnia- Herzegovina on the Muslim side, it was said in the statement of the Federal Ministry of Information issued after the extraordinary session of the Federal Government.

President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received Vitaly Churkin, special envoy of President of Russia Boris Yeltsin. They discussed the latest developments in Bosnia- Herzegovina after the air raids of the NATO forces. President Milosevic pointed out that after the bombardment of the Serbian positions around Gorazde the objective position of the international community in the crisis on the territory of the former Bosnia- Herzegovina became a disillusion. Vitaly Churkin said that Russia had not been consulted before the attack was carried out.

Vitaly Churkin met in Pale with the President of Republika Srpska Radovan Karadzic in his effort to find the ways for political solution of the crisis in Gorazde.

President of the USA Bill Clinton said that the attack of the American aircrafts on the region around Gorazde was carried out after the repeated request of the commander of the UNPROFOR for Bosnia- Herzegovina and it was fully in accordance with the corresponding resolutions of the United Nations.

President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin had a telephone conversation with President of the USA Bill Clinton. President Yeltsin warned that the actions such as the bombardment of the Serbian forces around Gorazde must be in accordance with the decisions adopted by the UN bodies, while Russia and the USA should hold consultations on such actions.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia expressed regret for the fact that "the information on the bombardment was given at the last moment" and requested that all parties - the Muslims, Serbs and the world community - should show the greatest possible restraint.

12 April - The Government of Republika Srpska expressed "embitterness for the actual involvement of the UN in the civil war in the former Bosnia- Herzegovina on the Muslim side". The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RS would "separately inform Russia, Germany, China, Japan and India on the aggression of the NATO, that is UN" and ask those states to condemn the aggression and give support to the peace processes, it was said in the statement issued by the Ministry of Information of Republika Srpska.

President of Republika Srpska Radovan Karadzic and commander of the general staff of the Army of Republika Srpska general Ratko Mladic visited the front lines around Gorazde. President Karadzic condemned the attack of the NATO forces on the Serbian positions and assessed "the act of bombardment as a fall of the United Nations". General Mladic said that the order was given to "shoot down all aircrafts firing at us".

The Federal Ministry of Information of FR Yugoslavia stated that the accreditations of the correspondents of the French agency AFP and the American TV network CNN would be revoked. Those measures would be also taken against other correspondents of foreign media "who wage a crazed media war against Yugoslavia from its territory".

13 April - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic separately received Yasushi Akashi, head of the Civilian Mission of the UNPROFOR in the former Yugoslavia, and Vitaly Churkin, special envoy of President of Russia Boris Yeltsin. They discussed the latest developments in the former Bosnia- Herzegovina.

The State Duma of the Federal Parliament of the Russian Federation adopted a statement "condemning the unilateral and violent actions of the NATO in Bosnia- Herzegovina". The State Duma requested that "the session of the UN Security Council should be immediately convened in order to consider the situation after the NATO had got military involved in the conflict in Bosnia- Herzegovina". 262 deputies voted for the statement, two were against, while there were two abstentions.

14 April - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received Co- Chairmen of the Conference on the former Yugoslavia Thorvald Stoltenberg and David Owen. They discussed the initiatives and ideas for cessation of combats in Bosnia- Herzegovina and creation of conditions for resumption of the peace processes.

For the third time in the last 24 hours President Milosevic received Vitaly Churkin. They discussed the ways for reaching agreement on cessation of hostilities throughout Bosnia- Herzegovina.

16 April - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Andrey Kozirev. They focused their attention on the latest developments in Bosnia- Herzegovina as well as on trying to find the ways for reaching agreement between the warring parties.

18 April - After the talks with Yasushi Akashi the leadership of the Serbs in Bosnia decided that the Serbian forces should withdraw from their positions around Gorazde at the distance of 3 km and they should accept deployment of the UN forces in this area.

On his return to Moscow after nine day efforts to mediate in pacifying the situation in Gorazde Vitaly Churkin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia said that "it is time for Russia to break off all talks with the Serbs in Bosnia", and that "when Russia is concerned the Serbs in Bosnia should realize that they should have to deal with a great state and not with a banana republic". Discontent for the fact that "the Serbs showed no willingness or sincerity to reach agreement" Churkin also said that the blame was on "a small group of Serbs from Bosnia who got sick of the war madness".

19 April - Boris Yeltsin, President of the Russian Federation invited the Serbs in Bosnia to meet the commitments they had undertaken as proposed by Russia, "to stop attacking Gorazde, and to withdraw to a distance from this town". President Yeltsin confirmed that he had made a proposal on holding a summit between Russia, the USA, European Union and UN in order to find the ways for stopping the bloodshed in Bosnia- Herzegovina.

20 April - At its meeting in Brussels the NATO Council accepted the request of UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali to approve the use of air force for "the protection of safe zones in Bosnia".

After his consultations with Presidents of Russia and France, Boris Yeltsin and Francois Miterand, respectively, President of the USA Bill Clinton made public the American action plan in Bosnia. The plan embraced three basic elements: the support to a wider use of the NATO air forces for the protection of safe zones in Bosnia- Herzegovina, the initiative for tightening the sanctions against FR Yugoslavia or their more rigorous application, and the support to sending new peace keeping forces to Bosnia.

At their press conference in Zagreb Josip Manolic and Stipe Mesic, the Presidents of both of the Houses of the Assembly of the Republic of Croatia and until recently members of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union, said that they were discontent with the policy of President Franjo Tudjman. They accused him for "the attempts to divide Bosnia as well as for establishing his personal dictatorship and the rule of force in Croatia". For these reasons they intended to establish a new party - Croatian Independent Democrats.

The cabinet of Radovan Karadzic, President of Republika Srpska stated that "the Serbian part pronounces peace in Gorazde unilaterally". "The cease-fire at the Gorazde front is immediately in effect" and the UN troops would get in Gorazde.

21 April - UN Security Council adopted Resolution 913 demanding immediate withdrawal of forces of Bosnian Serbs from the safe zone of Gorazde and ending of all provocative actions of all sides in and around the safe zone.

22 April - The NATO Council made a demand to the Serbian forces in Bosnia to stop their attacks on Gorazde by 24 April at 02.01 by the local time, as well as to withdraw their forces at the distance of 3 km from the centre of the town and to enable the members of the UNPROFOR, humanitarian convoys and medical workers to freely get in Gorazde. In case they did not meet any of these demands the NATO southern command was authorized to, in cooperation with the UN, take air raids on the heavy artillery and other military target of the Bosnian Serbs at the radius of 20 km from the centre of Gorazde. NATO also invited the government of Bosnia- Herzegovina not to take any offensive military actions from the inside of the safe zone of Gorazde.

The agreement on overcoming the crisis in Gorazde was reached in Belgrade between the representatives of the UN and Republika Srpska. Slobodan Milosevic, President of the Republic of Serbia was also present at this meeting. The agreement envisaged: immediate and full cease-fire in and around Gorazde, withdrawal of the Serbian forces and deployment of the UNPROFOR battalion in the area 3 km from the centre of Gorazde, and additionally, immediately after, withdrawal or placing under the UNPROFOR control the Serbian heavy weapons in the area 20 km from the centre of Gorazde, guarantees for safe urgent medical evacuation from Gorazde, full freedom of movement for all personnel of the UNPROFOR and humanitarian organizations, immediate initiation of negotiations on all military issues and intensification of efforts towards achieving a comprehensive political solutions that would be acceptable for all parties. The agreement was signed by Yasushi Akashi, on behalf of the UN and Radovan Karadzic, on behalf of Republika Srpska.

24 April - One hour after the ultimatum given to the Bosnian Serbs had expired, special UN aide for the former Yugoslavia Yasushi Akashi said in Zagreb that he had not authorized air raids on the Serbian forces around Gorazde since the Serbs had met the demands that had been made. Commander of the UNPROFOR for the former Yugoslavia, Bertrand de Lapprelle also said in Zagreb that the forces of the Bosnian Serbs observed the truce and that they had withdrawn at the distance of 3 km from the centre of Gorazde.

The talks took place in London between the high diplomatic representatives of the USA (Warren Christopher), Russia (Vitaly Churkin), Great Britain (Douglas Hurd) and France (Alain Juppe) with the purpose of reviving the process of searching a comprehensive peace solution for the crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina. They decided to establish a so- called contact group, to be consisted of representatives from the USA, Russia, the European Union and United Nations. The group would coordinate diplomatic actions and try to build a common peace platform for the crisis in Bosnia.

27 April - In their joint statement given at the seat of the UN in New York by special UN aide for the former Yugoslavia Yasushi Akashi and the representatives of the NATO it was said that based on the reports of the military observers the withdrawal or placing of the Serbian weapons under the control of the UNPROFOR had been completed. Therefore there was no immediate danger of the NATO air strikes on the Serbian positions. The withdrawal was carried out in accordance with the corresponding UN resolutions on safe zones and the agreement that had been made on 22 April in Belgrade between the representatives of the UN and Republika Srpska.

MAY

1 May - After a split in the ruling Croatian Democratic Union, it was established in Zagreb a new party - The Croatian Independent Democrats. In the presence of 190 founders Stipe Mesic was elected President of the party, and Josip Manolic, Slavko Degoricija, friar Tomislav Duka, Perica Juric and Dragutin Hlad Vice- Presidents.

11 May - Five days talks were completed in Vienna between the representatives of the Bosnian Croats and Muslims on establishment and organization of the future Croatian- Muslim Federation in the territory of the former Republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina. They adopted the following agreements - on appointment of President of the Federation, Prime Minister and ministers, on establishment of eight cantons (four Muslim, two Croatian and two mixed ones), on external borders of the Federation, that is on fixing the borders with the Serbs (as agreed the Federation should take 58 per cent territories of the former Republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina). The agreements they had reached should be approved by the Constituent Assembly of the future Federation.

12 May - The Senate of the American Congress adopted the amendment to the Law on Defense demanding lifting of the arms embargo for the Muslims in Bosnia- Herzegovina. With 50 votes "for" and 49 "against" the Senate adopted two versions of the amendment: the first one demands that President Clinton should unilaterally lift the arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council for the whole territory of the former Yugoslavia, and the second previously to demand "the allies and United Nations" to lift the embargo. According to the legal procedure the House of Representatives should agree with the adopted texts of the proposed amendments. Afterwards they should also be approved by President Clinton.

13 May - Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the USA, Russia, Great Britain, France, and Belgium, Greece and Germany (as representatives of the European Union) met in Geneva and adopted the Declaration on the common platform for resolving the conflicts in Bosnia. The warring parties were required to make agreement on cessation of hostilities and cease-fire for the period of four month, and to unconditionally make efforts for reaching a political agreement. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs accepted the proposal of the EU on division of Bosnia- Herzegovina to two units, of which 51 per cent of the territory of this former Yugoslav republic would belong to the Croatian- Muslim Federation while 49 per cent would belong to the Serbs. At the same time the Ministers supported any agreement "preserving Bosnia- Herzegovina as an union within its internationally recognized borders".

14 May - Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II arrived to Belgrade for a five day visit to the Serbian Orthodox Church and Patriarch Pavle.

16 May - The joint General staff of the Croatian- Muslim Army officially announced in Sarajevo the beginning of its operation. Its task is "to form unified armed forces in the transitional period of establishment of the Federation".

17 May - Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II, Serbian Patriarch Pavle and Cardinal of Zagreb Franjo Kuharic met at the Sarajevo airport. After three hour talks they signed a Joint Declaration for Peace. Head of the Islamic community for Bosnia- Herzegovina Reis Ul Ulema Mustafa Ceric did not wish to meet with the Russian Patriarch since "the Russian Orthodox Church has not condemned the aggression on Bosnia- Herzegovina".

20 May - UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali submitted to the Security Council a regular report on Bosnia saying, among other things, that the situation in Gorazde was still very tense and the danger that the combats could be resumed had not yet been averted. The Security Council was requested to keep on making efforts for the purpose of ceasing hostilities in the territory of Bosnia- Herzegovina for at least four months in order to reach a political solution of the crisis within that period.

23 May - Leader of the Bosnian Muslims Alija Izetbegovic said that the proposals on division of Bosnia- Herzegovina at a ratio of 51:49 and the proposal of the international mediators on cessation of hostilities in the territory of Bosnia- Herzegovina for a four month period were not acceptable for the Muslim part. At the same time Prime Minister of the Bosnian Muslim Government Haris Silajdzic said that his government could consider the division of Bosnia- Herzegovina on two parts of which the one belonging to the Croatian- Muslim Federation would take 51 per cent and the one belonging to the Serbs would take 49 per cent of the territory.

23- 24 May - At the session of the Assembly of the Republic of Croatia the Presidents of the House of Representatives Stipe Mesic and of the House of Districts Josip Manolic were acquitted of their duties. The deputies elected Nedeljko Mihanovic the new President of the House of Representatives and Katica Ivanisevic the President of the House of Districts. On the first day of session the deputies of Croatian Democratic Union voted against the proposal of the opposition to appoint Josip Manolic the Vice President of the House of Districts, although the ruling CDU had previously agreed with the opposition parties to accept the candidate nominated by the opposition. For that reason the deputies from the opposition parties decided not to attend the session of both of the Houses of the parliament.

The two day conference on business cooperation in the Balkans and South- Eastern Europe took place in Athens. The conference was participated by representatives from Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, FR Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Moldavia, as well as representatives from Russia and the European Union.

25 May - At his regular press conference at the seat of the UN in New York UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali said that easing and lifting of the sanctions against FR Yugoslavia could be considered when the agreement on peace in Bosnia- Herzegovina was made.

25- 26 May - The preliminary talks between the representatives of the so- called contact group and the Croatian- Muslim Federation and Bosnian Serbs took place in Tolloire, France. They discussed the plan on division of the territory of Bosnia- Herzegovina and maps fixing boundaries between Croatian- Muslim Federation and Republika Srpska. There were no official statements on the results of the talks; it was only said that the talks would be resumed in about ten days.

26 May - After the debate on the crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina that took several days, the UN Security Council adopted a Presidential statement based on the report submitted by UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali. Among other things it was pointed out that there was an urgent need for finding a political solution for the conflict in Bosnia- Herzegovina; the warring parties were required to immediately and unconditionally enter into negotiations; Yasushi Akashi, personal envoy of the UN Secretary General, was authorized to get himself directly committed on achieving that goal.

At the press conference in Washington the spokesman of the Department of State Mike McCurry said all warring parties were responsible for the continuation of combats and that "no one in particular is to blame for the lack of progress in peace negotiations".

28 May - Yasushi Akashi, special aide of the UN Secretary General for the former Yugoslavia invited all three parties in the Bosnian conflict to meet in Geneva on 2 and 3 June and conduct talks on a general cessation of hostilities. Co- Chairmen of the Conference on the Former Yugoslavia David Owen and Thorvald Stoltenberg were also invited as well as special envoys of Russia and the USA, Vitaly Churkin and Charles Redmann, respectively. Apart from Yasushi Akashi UNPROFOR commanders Betrand de Lapprele and Michael Rose should also take part in the talks.

31 May - The Conference of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Non- Alligned Movement member countries was opened in Cairo. Apart from the ministers of 108 member countries the representatives of Croatia, Slovenia, "legal (Muslim) government of Bosnia- Herzegovina", Greece, Bulgaria, of some newly created states of the former USSR and some West European countries also participated in the Conference as guests or observers. FR Yugoslavia had not its representatives in the Conference since Egypt, the host, had not send it the invitation for participation in the Conference.

The Constitutional Assembly of the Croatian- Muslim Federation took place in Sarajevo. Kresimir Zubak, the Croat, was elected President of the Federation, Ejup Ganic, the Muslim, was elected Vice President, while Haris Silajdzic, the Muslim, was elected Prime Minister. The establishment of the Croatian- Muslim Federation did not bring about abolition of the present institutions of Republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina (Alija Izetbegovic would keep on being its President); the Croatian Republic of Herzeg- Bosnia was neither abolished.

JUNE

1 June - The two day session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska was finished in Pale. The Assembly discussed the 1994 economic policy, the report of the Ministry of Defense, reorganization of the Army of Republika Srpska and the platform of the Serbian part for the forthcoming negotiations in Geneva on resolving the crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina.

2 June - All invited parties and persons except the Muslim delegation came to the negotiations on a general cessation of hostilities in Bosnia- Herzegovina. The negotiations had been convened by special envoy of the UN Secretary General Yasushi Akashi and they should take place on 2 June in Geneva. In its explanation the Muslim part stated that the Serbian part had not fulfilled the condition to withdraw all its soldiers from the safe zone at the distance of 3 km from Gorazde. Therefore, the beginning of the negotiations was rescheduled.

5 June - UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali arrived to Geneva with the aim of helping overcome the delay in negotiations on a general cessation of hostilities in Bosnia- Herzegovina.

6 June - After several day delay the negotiations started in Geneva on a general cessation of hostilities in Bosnia- Herzegovina since the UNPROFOR officials confirmed that all Serbian forces had withdrawn at the distance of 3 km from Gorazde.

At the press conference in New York Fred Ekhard, UN spokesman for peace keeping operations, said that 90 members of the UNPROFOR had been killed and 1 014 had been wounded in the former Yugoslavia.

7 June - In his statement made at the Congress of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Yugoslavia, which took place in Novi Sad, President of FR Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic, warning that the strategy of getting Serbia and Yugoslavia involved in the war would not be achieved, said: "Millions of Yugoslav citizens cannot be hostages of any leader, either from FRY, Republika Srpska or the Republic of Srpska Krajina. No one has given them such right and this war must end...Our people is truly for peace as it has always been. Therefore it rightfully expects that the peace negotiations will be successful and refuses to accept the option of dragging out and sabotaging them endlessly".

After several delays President of the Republic of Croatia Franjo Tudjman and President of the Republic of Slovenia met in Zagreb. They discussed "the open problems of borders, property- rights issues and other problems burdening the relations between the two states".

8 June - The negotiations on a general cessation of hostilities between the warring parties in Bosnia- Herzegovina were finished in Geneva and the agreement on a month cessation of hostilities was signed "as a first step towards achieving a global cessation of hostilities throughout Bosnia- Herzegovina". The warring parties accepted "not to take any offensive military operations or any other provocative actions in one month period, from 10 June 1994 at 12.00 by the local time". It was also agreed that "all prisoners should be immediately and fully set free, including prisoners of war, and that all available information on missing persons should be exchanged".

9 June - The representatives of the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Srpska Krajina agreed to resume negotiations on normalization of their relations on 16 and 17 June at Plitvice.

The House of Representatives of the American Congress adopted the amendment to the Law on Defense, requiring that President Bill Clinton should unilaterally lift the arms embargo for the Bosnian Muslims. 244 members of the House voted for this proposal while 178 were against. The other amendment requiring that the arms embargo should be lifted but only with the agreement of the United Nations and the NATO allies, was rejected with 242 votes against and 181 for. President Bill Clinton should finally agree with implementation of these decisions.

10 June - The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia expected that the truce, signed in Geneva by the representatives of the warring parties in Bosnia- Herzegovina, would be a first step towards achieving a lasting peace, it was said in the statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The forthcoming one month period had to be used in the most optimal way for finding a final, just and lasting solution for the crisis in Bosnia- Herzegovina.

14 June - After his meeting in Moscow with President of Republika Srpska Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Andrey Kozirev said that "the Bosnian Serbs could count on the most decisive and firmest support of Russia if they accept the plan of the international community on peaceful settlement of the problem in Bosnia- Herzegovina". In that case "Russia will demand lifting of the sanctions against Belgrade to a rate appropriate to consolidation of the peace". If they do not accept the plan the Bosnian Serbs "could expect nothing good", he said.

16 June - The Swiss government did not grant the entrance visa to President of FR Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic. President Lilic was supposed to participate in the international conference of the Forum Cran Montana to which he had been invited by the organizer of the conference. In protest against such decision the other members of the Yugoslav delegation would neither take part in the conference.

The negotiations between the representatives of the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Srpska Krajina on normalization of their relations, scheduled for 16 and 17 June at Plitvice, were canceled since the Croatian delegation had not arrived to Plitvice. In its explanation the Croatian part stated that the leadership from Krajina had not permitted five Croatian journalists to report from the meeting but only two (the same number of two journalists from the RSK had been permitted to report from the negotiations that had taken place in March 1994 in Zagreb).

21 June - The census commenced in the Republic of Macedonia and it would be conducted till 5 July. The last census had been taken in May 1991, six months before this former Yugoslav republic had proclaimed its independence.

27- 28 June - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Antonio Martino went on a peace mission to Sarajevo, Zagreb and Belgrade. He met there with the leading figures from Bosnia- Herzegovina, Croatia and FR Yugoslavia endeavouring to give his contribution to resolving the crisis in the former Yugoslavia, and particularly in Bosnia- Herzegovina.

29 June - The so- called contact group, consisted of the representatives from Russia, the USA and European Union, completed its work on the project of constitutional arrangements and maps of territorial division of Bosnia- Herzegovina. The proposals of the contact group should firstly be accepted on 5 July in Geneva by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the USA, and the European Union countries which had their representatives in the contact group. After that the peace plan would be presented to the warring parties in Bosnia- Herzegovina. They should come out for or against it before it had been presented at the summit of the Group of 7 most industrialized countries + Russia which would take place in Naples on 9 and 10 July. The details of the peace plan were not made public.

JULY

1 July - In his first reaction to the Peace Plan for Bosnia- Herzegovina made by the Contact Group for Bosnia President of the Republic of Srpska said that the proposed maps "are humiliating since they break the territorial continuity of the Republic of Srpska and make absolutely impossible survival of the Serbs in the former Bosnia- Herzegovina...In spite of that fact the Serbian part will study the maps and assess whether they could be taken as a satisfactory basis for continuation of the peace process or they are put in the form of an ultimatum."

2 July - The blockade commenced of the UN peace forces check points placed between the Republic of Croatia and Republic of Srpska Krajina. The blockade was organized by the Union of Forced Displaced Persons of Croatia. Citizens of Croatia, of whom most of them were refugees, took part in the blockade demanding that they should be enabled to return to the so- called UNPAs and "that Croatia should peacefully re- establish its power over the occupied territories" (the Republic of Srpska Krajina).

5 July - At their meeting in Geneva Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the so- called Contact Group (the USA, Russia, Great Britain, France and Germany) accepted the proposal of the Peace Plan for Bosnia- Herzegovina made by the experts of the Contact Group on 29 June 1994. The Ministers agreed with the proposed maps of territorial settlement in BH. It implied the principle that 51 per cent of the territories should belong to the Croatian- Muslim Federation and 49 per cent to the Republic of Srpska, while Bosnia- Herzegovina would remain a single state within its internationally recognized borders. The Ministers also agreed on the measures that should be taken in case the warring parties accepted or rejected the Plan. The proposal of the Contact Group was submitted to the warring parties so that they could declare themselves for or against the Plan within a two week period.

The Episcopal Conference of the Serbian Orthodox Church which took place in Belgrade forwarded the Message to the Serbian people and the world public. As was said in the Message the Serbian Orthodox Church "supports peace with all its heart, but it should be a just and in that way a lasting peace". "The world politicians and leaders of the powerful countries of Europe, America and the world" were appealed "not to impose solutions and decisions by force...that could only be a source of additional injustice and unrest". The Conference also appealed "that the Serbian people (in Bosnia- Herzegovina) should be enabled to achieve its elementary right to make decision on its fate through its Assembly and elected representatives in the Republic of Srpska and to express at a free referendum its human and national will on its fate and living space."

6 July - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received in Belgrade Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Andrey Kozirev. They discussed the proposed Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia.

10 July - At the summit of the heads of states and governments of the seven most industrialized countries of the world and Russia, which took place in Naples, a full support was given to the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia and the warring parties were invited to accept it. It was also warned that the participants of the summit would support implementation of the measures that had been presented to the warring parties in case they accepted or rejected the Plan.

11 July - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received in Belgrade Co- Chairmen of the Conference on the Former Yugoslavia Thorvald Stoltenberg and David Owen. They discussed the issues related to the future course in the peace process in Bosnia- Herzegovina.

12 July - Representatives of the Croatian- Muslim Federation and the Republic of Srpska made a verbal commitment to accept the request of the UN to extend for another month the truce in Bosnia- Herzegovina they had agreed on 8 June in Geneva.

12- 13 July - Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Great Britain and France Douglas Hurd and Alain Juppe, respectively, visited Zagreb, Sarajevo, Pale and Belgrade where they met with the Presidents Franjo Tudjman, Alija Izetbegovic, Radovan Karadzic and Slobodan Milosevic. In this "last chance mission" the two ministers made effort to convince all concerned parties that the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia should be accepted.

18 July - At the joint session of the Assembly of Bosnia- Herzegovina (Muslim deputies) and the Assembly of the Croatian- Muslim Federation, which took place in Sarajevo, a decision was made to accept the Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia on territorial settlement in BH.

18- 19 July - After two day discussion that was closed to the public the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska adopted the Declaration for Peace at its session which took place in Pale. The Declaration was a response to the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia. Its contents was not made public but would be submitted to the Contact Group in Geneva in a sealed envelope.

20 July - Representatives of the Croatian- Muslim Federation and the Republic of Srpska submitted in Geneva to the representatives of the Contact Group for Bosnia their official responses to the Peace Plan proposed by this group. The contents of the response made by the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, which was submitted to the Contact Group in an envelope, was not made public on that occasion.

21 July - The Declaration of the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska adopted on 19 July at the session which had taken place in Pale was made public. As it was said in the Declaration "the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska was not able to make decision on the Peace Plan proposed by the Contact Group for the following reasons: a) The Assembly of the Republic of Srpska has not been acquainted with all elements of the Peace Plan (constitutional arrangements, agreement on cessation of hostilities, the issue of Sarajevo, access to the sea for the Republic of Srpska, agreement on implementation of the Peace Plan, agreement on lifting of the sanctions imposed against the Serbian people) and b) it is necessary to continue the work on the proposed map". It was also said in the Declaration that the Assembly authorized its delegation to proceed with negotiations and the proposal of the Contact Group on territorial settlement could serve, to a considerable extent, as a basis for further negotiations. After those negotiations had been finished the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska would make decision on the complete Peace Plan.

25 July - In his letter to the Security Council UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali proposed that the UNPROFOR should be withdrawn from the former Yugoslavia and replaced by the NATO or combined military forces particularly set up for this purpose. In his explanation Ghali pointed out that, since the Contact Group had taken the leading negotiating role in resolving the problems in the former Yugoslavia, it was natural that it would implement its decisions by committing its own forces, and second, the UNPROFOR and United Nations had no power, people or means necessary for implementing the decisions proposed in the Peace Plan or imposing it by force.

The meeting of the representatives of the five countries of the Contact Group was finished in Moscow. The Contact Group discussed the situation that had arisen after the warring parties in BH had given their responses to the Peace Plan for Bosnia. The only information that was made public was that the talks would be resumed in Geneva.

26 July - Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation Pavel Grachev and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vitaly Churkin met separately in Belgrade with President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic, and President of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Karadzic and commander of the Army of RS General Ratko Mladic. The talks were conducted on resolving the Bosnian crisis and special attention was devoted to the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia. The Russian delegation presented the participants in the talks the opinion of President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin concerning the peace process in BH.

27 July - UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali forwarded a letter to the Security Council proposing that "The Security Council should take necessary actions and invite the Government of the Republic of Croatia to fulfill its obligations and lift the blockade imposed against the UNPROFOR at the check points in the UNPAs."

28 July - At the extraordinary session of the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska, which took place in Pale, the Peace Plan of the Contact Group was considered once again and, apart from the Declaration of 19 July 1994, the Exposition was also adopted as its integral part. Among other things, it was said in the Exposition that "the National Assembly, sticking out for the adopted Declaration, does not reject the active participation of the Contact Group for resumption of the negotiations, counting that through those negotiations the international community would ensure the following: a) further adjustment of the map to the vital interests of the Serbian people, b) territorial division settlement for the town and region of Sarajevo, c) access to the sea for the Republic of Srpska, d) achievement of the right of the people to self- determination, including the possibility of establishing state ties with neighbouring countries, e) agreement on cessation of hostilities, implementation of the Plan and lifting of the sanctions". It was also said in the Exposition that "in case the international community demands in the form of an ultimatum that any part of the Peace Plan or it as a whole should be accepted the Speaker of the National Assembly is obliged to schedule a referendum, which could be controlled by international observers". The National Assembly also sent letters to President of the Russian Federation Boris Yeltsin and President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic explaining the decision on adoption of the Exposition as an integral part of the Declaration.

30 July - At their meeting in Geneva Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the so- called Contact Group for Bosnia (the USA, Russia, Great Britain, France and Germany) considered the responses of the warring parties in BH to the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia. In a communique issued after the meeting it was said that the Ministers welcomed the decision of the Croatian- Muslim Federation to accept the Plan and regretted for the decision of the Serbian part not to accept the Plan on the territorial settlement in BH. The Ministers agreed to propose to the UN Security Council deepening of the sanctions imposed against FR Yugoslavia, application of more severe regime and enlargement of the safe zones, and a decisive action against those who violated the agreement on cease-fire in Bosnia. In case the Serbian part responded positively the Contact Group would submit to the Security Council a draft resolution on gradual lifting of the sanctions against FR Yugoslavia, but if otherwise lifting of the arms embargo for the Muslims could become unavoidable. The Republic of Srpska was given a chance to reconsider its decision on rejecting the Peace Plan.

Regarding the Ministerial meeting of the Contact Group that had just been finished in Geneva President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic made a statement for the Belgrade newspapers "Politika". President Milosevic invited the leadership of the Republic of Srpska to opt for peace and accept the proposal of the international community, enabling in this way resumption of the peace process. He said that the proposal of the Contact Group was not in all aspects just for the Serbian side but it was not against it. In his opinion the proposal was an unavoidable compromise and peace was more just than war. The President was convinced that life and reason must prevail over death and endless destruction. Milosevic pointed to the fact that the Republic of Srpska had been created, and that it should be legitimized as proposed by the international community; it also pointed out that, according to the Plan, its territory was half as big of the territory of the former BH, and the proposed boundaries were not definite since the Plan gave the warring parties a free hand to negotiate and reach agreement on changing them. Pointing to the fact that "significance of this decision is far- reaching not only for the Serbs and other nations and all people western from the Drina but also for all citizens of FR Yugoslavia and future generations in this area", President Milosevic stressed that "no one has the right to reject peace on behalf of the Serbian people".

President of the Republic of Montenegro Momir Bulatovic said in Herceg- Novi that he regretted for the fact "that for the time being the leadership (of the Republic of Srpska) has not sufficiently taken into consideration the arguments unanimously supported by the representatives of FRY, the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro" regarding the proposal of the Contact Group for Bosnia. "The Plan of the Contact Group is a painful political compromise which has been made up not so much on the basis of the realities in the field but as a result of the great changes in the balance of power at the global world level". Appealing to the leadership of the Republic of Srpska to accept the Plan President Bulatovic expressed his conviction that "it is impossible to achieve national goals if only taking into consideration the assessment of elements which for the time being are held within the decisions of the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska and its state leadership".

31 July - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received in Belgrade Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Andrey Kozirev and his associates. As Minister Kozirev said Russia would give guarantees that after the Plan of the Contact Group had been accepted all sanctions imposed against FR Yugoslavia would be lifted at the moment the Army of the Republic of Srpska withdrew within the agreed boundaries. The future boundaries between the Republic of Srpska and Croatian- Muslim Federation would be guaranteed by the international community and the Republic of Srpska would have the same right to establish a confederation with FR Yugoslavia as the Croatian- Muslim Federation would have the right to form a confederation with Croatia. The participants in the talks jointly concluded that the peace process should be resumed and successfully completed with the aim of making a comprehensive plan that would involve solutions to all key issues related to the crisis in this area.

President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic in his statement said that "for the present internal and external circumstances it is our common conclusion that peace has no alternative". He also said that "the offered Plan (of the Contact Group) is an honourable compromise" and that "the real sense of our common position is that at this, without doubt, crucial moment of the Bosnian- Herzegovinian crisis the Plan of the international community should be accepted because we consider it the only way enabling resumption of the peace process".

The Federal Government considered the situation that had arisen after the Ministerial meeting of the Contact Group in Geneva. As it was said in the statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Information, the Federal Government "persistently pursuing its constructive and peaceful policy and giving an incontestable support to the legitimate struggle of the Serbian people in the former BH, assesses in the affirmative the proposal of the Contact Group of 5 July 1994". Recognizing that the proposal of the Contact Group could not be taken as fully unbiased the Federal Government pointed to its positive aspects. It also said that the proposal actually involved either determination for a compromise peace or escalation of the war which would bring tightening of the sanctions against the Serbian people and FR Yugoslavia. Saying that the proposal of the Contact Group provided a framework that could serve as a basis for continuation of the struggle by peaceful means the Federal Government invited the leadership of the Republic of Srpska to "demonstrate its proven determination for peace and continuation of the peace process by taking a more unambiguous position on the current proposal of the Contact Group" and "accept the Peace Plan".

Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Mirko Marjanovic said that "The Government of the Republic of Serbia fully supports the views and assessments presented by President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic which relate to the decision of the Ministerial meeting in Geneva on resolving the crisis in the territory of the former BH". "Taking as a starting- point the fact that peace has no alternative the Government of the Republic of Serbia is of the opinion that citizens and the leadership of the Republic of Srpska should respond in the affirmative to the proposal and say YES, and then afterwards try to resolve the open questions in future negotiations". Therefore, as it was said at the end of the statement given by Prime Minister Mirko Marjanovic, the Government of the Republic of Serbia "invites the Serbian people and leadership of the Republic of Srpska to accept the proposal of the international community and enables resumption of the peace process".

AUGUST

1 August - The Cabinet of President of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Karadzic published the statement forwarded to the Contact Group saying that in the light of the fact that the Geneva communique had left an open door for further attempts directed towards achieving a peaceful settlement of the Bosnian crisis "the Republic of Srpska expresses its wish to immediately resume negotiations with the Contact Group on some aspects of the proposed map so as to reach agreement on the territorial settlement that would be fully acceptable for the Serbian part". "After making some indispensable changes on the map and reaching agreement on detailed constitutional arrangements that will guarantee sovereignty of the Republic of Srpska, the Serbs shall be ready to accept the Plan", it was said at the end of the statement.

2 August - Regarding the statement of the leadership of the Republic of Srpska of 1 August the Government of the Republic of Serbia forwarded a letter to "the leadership of the Republic of Srpska (Assembly, President and Government)" hailing "their willingness to accept the Peace Plan", but also expressing surprise and concern for the fact "that two questions that have already been clarified are raised again" (indispensability to make changes on the map and guarantees for sovereignty of the Republic of Srpska). The Government also said in the letter: "If at this moment, when the peace is offered you usurp for yourself the right to decide on the fate of FR Yugoslavia, it will become impossible to maintain our relations in the future...In case you miss the chance to accept peace you will commit the greatest treason of the Serbian national interests which has ever occurred. Therefore stop raising questions that have already been clarified. You have no right to wait. Make decision to accept the Plan. The interests of the state and people make it necessary", it was said at the end of the letter.

3 August - At its extraordinary session which took place in Pale the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska made decision on holding a referendum "at which the people of the Republic of Srpska will make a final decision on the Peace Plan of the international Contact Group". In the explanation of the decision it was said that "the Assembly sticks to the Declaration which had been forwarded to the Contact Group before the Ministerial meeting (of the countries of the Contact Group) in Geneva". The referendum would take place on 27 and 28 August, and the session of the Assembly of RS was scheduled for 31 August. The Assembly also initiated a proposal for unification of the Republic of Srpska Krajina and Republic of Srpska with Serbia and Montenegro. The Assembly also responded to the letter of the Government of the Republic of Serbia forwarded on 2 August. In its response the Assembly rejected the accusations presented in the letter and particularly condemned the manner in which it had been written.

4 August - Concerning the decisions of the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska at its extraordinary session the Government of FR Yugoslavia issued the following statement: "By rejecting peace the leadership of the Republic of Srpska has committed the most serious act against FR Yugoslavia, the Serbian and Montenegrin people and all citizens living in these areas. For that reason the Federal Government has made the following decision: to break off the political and economic relations with the Republic of Srpska; to ban the stay in the territory of FR Yugoslavia for members of the leadership of the Republic of Srpska (Assembly, Presidency, Government); to close from the present day the border of FR Yugoslavia for all transports except those carrying food, clothes and medical supplies".

President of FR Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic stated: "By making such decision by the leadership in Pale our trust has been abused, our solidarity has been thrown away and by scheduling the alleged referendum our sacrifices have been annulled with one stroke of the pen. The whole Serbian people has been placed in the international quarantine...Our people truly support peace and it rightfully expects that the international negotiations will be successfully ended. For that reason the option of dragging out and sabotaging them endlessly cannot not be accepted by our people".

President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic said: "The decision of the leadership in Pale is the most serious decision directed against the interests of citizens of the very Republic of Srpska, and also against the whole Serbian people and citizens of FR Yugoslavia...They reject peace at the moment when the Republic of Srpska has been recognized and its territory is half as big as the territory of the former BH, and when, if accepting peace, the sanctions will be lifted to those without whom they could not exist at all. They scheduled a referendum to evade responsibility by laying it at the door of citizens and people...They have usurped the right to make decision on the fate of eleven million citizens of FR Yugoslavia...Number of times they have given us reasons to break off all ties with them since they have never kept their word...Therefore we have to break off all relations and cooperation with such leadership."

President of the Republic of Montenegro Momir Bulatovic said: "The decision of the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska to actually reject the Peace Plan of the Contact Group is a senseless political act...If the logic of those who make decision does not change immediately a disaster threatens to the Serbian people and the former BH, and it is even more serious since it should actually not occur at all...Our further sacrifices would be senseless since we would in that way help those who have actually opted for continuation of the war...Therefore, we, with all our heart support the decision of the Federal Government on freezing the relations with the Republic of Srpska. I hope that the international community, and particularly the Security Council, will fairly interpret our decision to contribute to the policy of peace."

As reported by the news agency Iskra at its session at Plitvice the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska Krajina had supported, with two abstentions, the decisions of the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska concerning the Peace Plan of the Contact Group and the initiative for unification of all Serbian lands. As it was stated afterwards those decisions were subsequently revoked by the Assembly.

5 August - Members of the Croatian delegation for negotiations with the Republic of Srpska Krajina Hrvoje Sarinic and Ivica Pasalic met in Knin with the Prime Minister of RS Krajina Borislav Mikelic and Minister of Foreign Affairs Milan Babic. The two delegations discussed the preparations for resumption of the economic negotiations between RS Krajina and the Republic of Croatia.

The NATO air forces made an attack on the positions of the Bosnian Serbs around Sarajevo. This was done as a response to the Bosnian Serbs who had taken several artillery weapons from a storage near Ilidza, controlled by the UNPROFOR and who, as it was said, had also opened fire on an UN helicopter. The Speaker of the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska Momcilo Krajisnik expressed his regret for the incident and ordered that all weapons should be brought back to the storage.

8 August - The debate was postponed at the Security Council on the draft resolutions which had previously been submitted in case of accepting or rejecting the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia. The reason for that were the new circumstances which arose after FR Yugoslavia had decided to break off the political and economic relations with the Republic of Srpska.

8- 9 August - At its extraordinary session the Assembly of Montenegro discussed the latest situation in BH. After the introductory statement submitted by President of the Republic Momir Bulatovic and the debate during which deputies from various political parties presented different views on this matter, conclusions were adopted by majority of votes. The Assembly supported the positions of the leaderships of FR Yugoslavia, Montenegro and Serbia on the Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia as well as the measures which were being taken in that regard. Assessing that the proposed Plan, although not being an optimal one, made it possible to stop the war and peacefully settle the other vital issues of the Serbian people in Bosnia, the Assembly of the Republic of Montenegro appealed to the leadership and Assembly of the Republic of Srpska to "change their position and accept the Peace Plan which had been offered".

9 August - The session of the Supreme Defence Council of Yugoslavia took place in Belgrade. It considered the latest military and political developments in resolving the crisis in BH. The Council assessed that the Yugoslav Army effectively implemented the decisions of the Supreme Defence Council and fully supported the determination for peaceful settlement of the conflict.

10 August - Representative of the State Department Mike McCurry said that the sanctions against FR Yugoslavia could be eased if the USA was made sure that the leadership of Yugoslavia seriously carried out the measures of closing the border to the Bosnian Serbs (the Republic of Srpska).

11 August - Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Grigory Karasin said that Russia considered it "at least illogical and counterproductive if the sanctions against FR Yugoslavia keep on being implemented" and that "Russia intends to do all it can to get them lifted, bearing in mind the politically wise and courageous position which has taken by the leadership in Belgrade".

President of the USA Bill Clinton informed the Congress that he would demand from the Security Council to lift the arms embargo for the Muslim government in Bosnia if till 15 October the Bosnian Serbs did not change their decision to reject the Peace Plan of the Contact Group.

The Security Council adopted a Presidential statement assessing that the blockade imposed in UNPAs by citizens of Croatia against the UNPROFOR was impermissible as well as the similar actions directed towards thwarting of the peace keeping forces which were performed by representatives of the Croatian government. The Security Council demanded that the Croatian government should strictly observe the achieved agreements and stop the actions performed so far.

12- 13 August - Thorvald Stoltenberg, acting as a personal envoy of the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali, met in Belgrade with President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic, and in Pale with the leadership of the Republic of Srpska. This mission was aimed at making the Serbian part accept the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia. After the meeting in Pale President of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Karadzic said that "the maps in the present form cannot be accepted either by the leadership or Assembly, and the people will reject them at the forthcoming referendum".

14 August - Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Pavle received in Belgrade Thorvald Stoltenberg, personal envoy of the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali.

French Prime Minister Eduard Baladir said that lifting of the arms embargo for the Bosnian Muslim would make the war in BH start again and in that case France would withdraw its forces which were within the UNPROFOR.

16 August - Special envoy of the UN Secretary General Thorvald Stoltenberg submitted a report to the Security Council on the talks he had conducted with President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic and President of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Karadzic.

17 August - The Security Council considered the situation in Bosnia. It did not express its views on the situation that had recently arisen and such discussion was postponed for "some other occasion".

Representatives of the Union of Forced Displaced Persons of Croatia stated that the blockade of the UN peace keeping forces at the check points in the UNPAs had been lifted. In case their demands to return "to the occupied areas" were not met by mid- September they threatened to organize a new "total blockade of the UN peace keeping forces in Croatia."

20 August - In his interview to the Belgrade newspapers "Politika" President of FR Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic supported again the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia since it "brings peace". Condemning the leadership of the Republic of Srpska for rejecting the Plan President Lilic said that the Serbs in Bosnia should be protected from their own leaders who "plunge into a new war". In his opinion "the strategy of enlarging the territory and losing the people is insane" and "we have supported the defence war in BH because it has been justified"...but "now we cannot support the war of conquest policy...the policy which is suicidal and directly opposite to the interests of the whole Serbian and Montenigrin people and all citizens of FR Yugoslavia".

21 August - The Muslim forces loyal to Alija Izetbegovic took Velika Kladusa, breaking down the resistance of the Muslim forces of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia and its President Fikret Abdic. About 60.000 refugees from Western Bosnia, of whom most of them were Muslims, crossed over to the territory of the Republic of Srpska Krajina. The authorities in the Republic of Croatia did not permit the refugees to cross over to the territory of Croatia.

After the talks with the leadership of the Republic of Srpska Krajina in Knin President of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Karadzic said that "one should not urge unification of the Republic of Srpska with the Republic of Srpska Krajina because Croatia could take it as reason to attack RS Krajina".

24 August - During his several day visit to Russia Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Mirko Marjanovic met with Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Viktor Chernomydin. Prime Minister Chernomydin said that Russia would intercede in favour of lifting of the sanctions against FR Yugoslavia. Two agreements were signed on economic cooperation between Russia and Serbia and they would come into effect after lifting of the sanctions imposed against FR Yugoslavia.

25- 26 August - At the request of 84 deputies, being members of three opposition parties (the Serbian Radical Party, Serbian Renewal Movement and Democratic Party of Serbia), the extraordinary session of the National Assembly of Serbia took place. The topic of discussion was the Bosnian crisis. After the two day debate, during which deputies expressed their different views on the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia and the measures of blockade at the border with the Republic of Srpska, four documents were submitted for adoption: by the Government of the Republic of Serbia, the Democratic Party, deputies of the DEPOS group and deputies of the Serbian Renewal Movement and Civil Alliance. Protesting against the decision of the Speaker Dragan Tomic to put to the voting the proposal of the Declaration of the Government of Serbia before the debate was finished, all deputies from the opposition parties, except two from the Civil Alliance, left the session. Out of 130 deputies still present at the session 128 voted for adoption of the Declaration on the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for the Former Yugoslav Republic of BH submitted by the Government, while two were against. The Declaration, containing eleven items, supported, among other things, the proposal of the international community on reaching a peaceful settlement of the crisis and invited citizens and the leadership of the Republic of Srpska to accept the proposed Plan. A just peace could only be achieved by accepting the offered Plan and resuming the peace process, it was said in the Declaration. The Serbian people had achieved its equality and attained the aim to establish its state whose borders would be guaranteed by the international community. The Republic of Srpska was guaranteed the right to immediately establish confederal relations with FR Yugoslavia. At the end of the Declaration the United Nations were invited to immediately start lifting of the sanctions imposed against Serbia and Montenegro. After the Declaration had been adopted the extraordinary session of the Assembly of Serbia was interrupted.

27 August - French Minister of Defence Francois Leotar warned the USA that lifting of the arms embargo for the Bosnian Muslims would put the UN forces in Bosnia in a very delicate position. In his opinion such decision would be "a tremendous failure" and would mean "an open war" which might spread to the Balkans.

27- 28 August - The referendum took place in the Republic of Srpska at which citizens voted on the following question: "Do you accept the maps on territorial settlement in the former BH proposed by the international Contact Group?" According to the data presented by the RS Referendum Commission 785.923 voters or 90,86 per cent of the registered citizens went to the polls; 3,59 per cent of those who went to the polls voted for the maps, 96,05 per cent were against, while there was 0,36 per cent of invalid voting papers.

28- 29 August - Visiting Belgrade, Sarajevo and Zagreb Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Andrey Kozirev met with Presidents Slobodan Milosevic, Alija Izetbegovic and Franjo Tudjman, respectively. Among other things, the aim of these visits was to set forth the Russian views on resolving the crisis in the former Yugoslavia and BH in particular.

30 August - In his statement given to the Sarajevo newspapers "Oslobodjenje" leader of the Bosnian Muslims Alija Izetbegovic said that a balance had been achieved between the Muslim and Serbian military forces. In his opinion the Muslims needed more arms but "procurement of additional weapons should not necessarily proceed from lifting of the arms embargo"...since it would "cause numerous problems of other kind."

SEPTEMBER

1 September - Addressing in Paris the French ambassadors in the world, President of France Francois Mitterand said that France would remain faithful to the idea that the Bosnian war should only be politically settled and therefore it resolutely opposed to lifting of the arms embargo for the Bosnian Muslims since this would bring about spreading of a more violent war not only in BH but also across its borders.

2 September - In its Presidential statement the UN Security Council condemned the ethnic cleansing "wherever and by whoever has it been committed" and expressed a special concern "for the continuing reports on ethnic cleansing committed by the Bosnian Serbs in the area of Bijeljina. The Council demanded that such practice should be immediately stopped as well as the violations of international humanitarian law for which the persons who had committed them would be individually responsible.

At its session in Pale the Assembly of the Republic of Srpska adopted the report of the Central Referendum Commission. At the referendum which had taken place from 27- 28 August the proposal of maps on territorial settlement in BH was rejected. President of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Karadzic said that the Serbian part was ready to participate "in all negotiations", but the maps "should be more correct". The Assembly also adopted a programme of measures and tasks to be taken and carried out in new circumstances, which would be adjusted "to a possible establishment of state of war and its intensification".

3 September - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Andrey Kozirev said in Moscow that his country would withdraw its units from the former Yugoslavia if the arms embargo was lifted for the Bosnian Muslims or if large- scale operations started again.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Margareta af Uglas said in Zodertagle that Sweden would withdraw its soldiers from the UN peace keeping forces in Bosnia if France and Great Britain did that so.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice Prime Minister of Croatia Mate Granic said in Zagreb that Croatia welcomed the Milosevic's acceptance of the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia, but in his opinion it was "not much and enough for he has to finally take a stand towards the occupied areas in Croatia". Normalization of relations between Croatia and FR Yugoslavia, he said, was one of the goals of the Croatian foreign policy but a prerequisite for achieving this was that the two states should recognize each other within their internationally recognized borders. In return Croatia was willing to discuss the quality of local self- rule for the Serbs in the UNPAs (the Republic of Srpska Krajina) as well as all other issues which were guaranteed by the Constitutional law on the rights of minorities and ethnic communities.

6- 7 September - At the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the countries of the so- called Contact Group (Russia, the USA, Great Britain, France and Germany) the participants agreed to propose to the UN Security Council easing of the sanctions against FR Yugoslavia after the Yugoslav Government had made decision to break off the political and economic relations with the Republic of Srpska. They would also propose imposing of sanctions against the Republic of Srpska for its refusal to accept the Peace Plan of the Contact Group for Bosnia.

7 September - Head of the Roman Catholic Church pope John Paul II, addressing believers at the St. Peter's Square in Vatican, said that he was determined to visit Sarajevo in the near future. The visit to Sarajevo, which had formerly been planned during his visit to Croatia, was canceled for "the lack of guarantees for the security of the Holy Father and people who would come to hear him".

10- 11 September - During his two day visit to Zagreb head of the Roman Catholic Church pope John Paul II said a mass in the Cathedral, addressed believers at the Zagreb hippodrome and met with President of Croatia Franjo Tudjman. In addressing believers pope John Paul II said that the Holy See would continuously plead for overcoming of the present tensions and achieving of justice and peace throughout the Balkans. Pointing to the closeness and alikeness of the peoples in this area as well as to the ties between them, which had been interwoven for centuries, the pope stressed that "the future of the peoples in the Balkan peninsula lies in their cooperation and solidarity " and that "no one must avoid the road of unity and peace".

13 September - At their meeting in Geneva the experts of the Contact Group for Bosnia and Secretariat of the Conference on the Former Yugoslavia adopted the proposal on setting up a civilian humanitarian mission to be sent to the border between FR Yugoslavia and the Republic of Srpska, whose aim would be to verify the contents of convoys from FR Yugoslavia carrying food and medical supplies to the Republic of Srpska. The proposal was a response to the refusal of FR Yugoslavia to accept military observers at the above mentioned border who would exert control of the embargo imposed against the Republic of Srpska.

14 September - At their meeting in Zagreb, which was also participated by Presidents Franjo Tudjman and Alija Izetbegovic, representatives of the Bosnian Croats and Muslims reached agreement on setting up a joint army, on creation of joint cantons and communes and opening of roads. This was a step forward towards establishing the Croatian- Muslim Federation in the territory of the former BH. At the same time the two parties reached agreement on "some confederal elements in relations between the Federation and Croatia".

16 September - At its meeting in Prague the Committee of High Officials of the CSCE adopted a document on the situation in the former Yugoslavia. The Committee welcomed the efforts of the Contact Group directed towards reaching a political settlement of the conflict in BH. It "assesses as positive a different approach of Belgrade to the Plan of the Contact Group, what should be acknowledged" and demanded that the Serbs in Bosnia should accept the Plan, warning that, if otherwise, they would face a total international isolation and the UN would impose sanctions against them. The Committee called for "urgent resumption of the negotiations between the Croatian government and Serbs in the UNPAs for the purpose of reaching a settlement that would lead to reintegration of the UNPAs into the political, economic and constitutional system of Croatia". The Committee also "condemns the continuing repression in Kosovo and Sandzak and the current tensions in Vojvodina" and pointed out the need "for urgent and unconditional return of the so- called long- lasting missions in Yugoslavia".

The Contact Group for Bosnia submitted to the UN Security Council proposals of resolutions on easing of the sanctions against FR Yugoslavia and tightening of the present and introducing of some new measures of economic blockade against the Republic of Srpska. It proposed opening of the Belgrade and Podgorica airports for international air traffic and lifting of the sanctions in sports and culture.

19 September - UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali conveyed to the Security Council the report submitted by Co- Chairmen of the Conference on the Former Yugoslavia Stoltenberg and Owen. It was said in the report that the civilian humanitarian mission which had been sent, by agreement of the Yugoslav government, to the border between FR Yugoslavia and BH, started to work. According to the first impressions the members of the mission had gained "judging by all facts the Federal Yugoslav Government takes all necessary measures and the border between FRY (Serbia and Montenegro) and Bosnia- Herzegovina has been efficiently closed".

21 September - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic had talks in Belgrade with representatives of the Contact Group for Bosnia. The representatives of the Group confirmed that the Peace Plan for Bosnia offered international security guarantees for the boundaries to be established by the Plan. There was also an agreement that the Republic of Srpska should achieve the same right to establish ties with FR Yugoslavia as the Croatian- Muslim Federation had the right to link up with the Republic of Croatia. The members of the Contact Group also confirmed that the proposed Plan was a basis of the peace process and in elaborating it it would be possible to make some territorial changes if the two parties reach a bilateral agreement.

24 September - UN Security Council adopted three resolutions: on ethnic cleansing in Bosnia (941), on tightening sanctions on Bosnian Serbs (942), and on easing a few sanctions against FR Yugoslavia (943). In Resolution 941 the Security Council "strongly condemns all violations of international humanitarian law, including in particular the unacceptable practice of 'ethnic cleansing' perpetrated in Banja Luka, Bijeljina and other areas of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina under control of Bosnian Serb forces, and reaffirms that those who have committed or have ordered the commission of such acts will be held individually responsible in respect of such acts", and "demands that the Bosnian Serb authorities immediately cease their campaign of 'ethnic cleansing'".

In Resolution 942 the Security Council "strongly condemns the Bosnian Serb party for their refusal to accept the proposed territorial settlement (in BH) and demands that that party accept this settlement unconditionally and in full". The Security Council decides "that states shall prevent economic activities carried on within their territories by any entity, wherever incorporated or constituted, which is owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by any person in, or resident in, or any entity, including any commercial, industrial or public utility undertaking, in those areas of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina under the control of Bosnian Serb Forces". Only humanitarian goods are exempted, but they must be physically inspected and certified by international sanctions monitors or national authorities. The Council also decides to freeze all funds or other financial assets or resources of any entity in those areas under the control of Bosnian Serb forces, and prohibits all commercial riverine traffic from entering ports in these areas except when authorized by the Council' sanctions committee. The Council "calls upon states to desist from any political talks with leadership of Bosnian Serb Party as long as that party has not accepted the proposed settlement in full".

In Resolution 943 the Security Council, welcomes "the decision by the authorities of the FR Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) to close the international border between FR Yugoslavia and Republic of BH with respects to all goods except foodstuffs, medical supplies and clothing for essential humanitarian needs". The Council then decides that the restrictions imposed by resolution 757 and 820 and other relevant resolutions "with respect to all civilian passenger flights to and from Belgrade airport carrying only passengers and personal effects and no cargo unless authorized under the procedures of the sanctions committee"; restrictions "with respect to the ferry service between Bar in FRY and Bari in Italy"; and imposed measures "concerning participation in sporting events and cultural exchanges" shall be "suspended for an initial period of 100 days" following the receipt by the Security Council of a report from the secretary general that the Co- Chairman of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia have certified that the authorities of the FRY are effectively implementing their decision to close the border between FRY and BH. The Security Council also decided that if at any time the Secretary General reports that the authorities of FRY are not effectively implementing their decision to close the border, the suspension of those measures should be terminate on the fifth working day following that report, unless the Council decides to the contrary.

The House of Representatives of the Assembly of the Republic of Croatia adopted a resolution on conditions to be fulfilled for extension of the mandate of the UNPROFOR for the following three and a half months. Extension of their mandate would be accepted if the following conditions were fulfilled: "disarmament and disbandment of all armed groups on the occupied areas of the Republic of Croatia; ensuring of safe return to all forced displaced persons; ensuring of protection and safe life to all persons who before the Serbian aggression had lived in the presently occupied areas of the Republic of Croatia; ensuring that the Republic of Croatia could immediately take power over the so- called pink zones, and afterwards over all, presently occupied areas in the Republic of Croatia; ensuring of an efficient control of the internationally recognized borders between Croatia and Serbia, and between Croatia and the part of BH controlled by paramilitary formations of the Bosnian Serbs". Those conditions should be fulfilled by 10 January 1995. If they were not fulfilled by that time "the Assembly of the Republic of Croatia shall regard as definitely completed the mandate of the UNPROFOR in the territory of the Republic of Croatia".

26 September - During the meeting in New York between President of the USA Bill Clinton and leader of the Bosnian Muslims Alija Izetbegovic agreement was reached (as formally proposed by Alija Izetbegovic) that a possible lifting of the arms embargo for the Bosnian Muslims should be postponed for a period of four to six months.

27 September - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received Co- Chairmen of the Conference on the Former Yugoslavia Thorvald Stoltenberg and David Owen. They discussed all aspects of the Yugoslav crisis and particularly the issues which referred to ending of the war in BH, relations between FR Yugoslavia and the Republic of Croatia and the situation in the Republic of Srpska Krajina. Bo Pelnas, Coordinator of the UN humanitarian mission in Yugoslavia, also participated in the talks. After the talks Co- Chairmen Stoltenberg and Owen and Coordinator of the peace mission Pelnas visited the border between FR Yugoslavia and BH. The purpose of their visit was to inspect implementation of the decision on closing the border, which would be included in the report to be submitted to the UN Security Council.

30 September - The UN Security Council adopted the Resolution No. 947 extending the mandate of the UNPROFOR for another six months - till 31 March 1995. On the basis of the report to be submitted by the Secretary General the Security Council would, not later than 20 January 1995, consider again implementation of the Vance Plan, "taking into account the position of the Croatian Government".

OCTOBER

4 October - UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali submitted a report to the Security Council, stating that the government of FR Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) fulfills the undertaken obligations on sealing of border between FR Yugoslavia and parts of the Republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina under the control of the Bosnian Serbs. This has created conditions for the Security Council resolution 943 on partial lifting of sanctions against FR Yugoslavia to come into effect.

5 October - 24 hours after the receipt of the report of the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali, Resolution 943 on partial lifting of sanctions against FR Yugoslavia automatically came into force at 5 AM, Yugoslav time. It was decided by that Resolution that the restrictions imposed by Resolution 757 and 820 and other relevant resolutions "with respect to all civilian passenger flights to and from Belgrade airport carrying only passengers and personal effects and no cargo unless authorized under the procedures of the sanctions committee"; restrictions "with respect to the ferry service between Bar in FRY and Bari in Italy"; and imposed measures "concerning participation in sporting events and cultural exchanges" shall be "suspended for an initial period of 100 days".

After 28 months of ban on international flights, the first passenger plane of the Aeroflot Airlines landed from Moscow at 5:05 PM. One of the passengers on this flight was Vitaly Churkin, former Russian deputy- minister for foreign affairs.

Serbia's President Slobodan Milosevic received in Belgrade Vitaly Churkin, special envoy of the Russian President Yeltsin. Their discussion focused on current developments in the peace process in the territory of the former Yugoslavia and outlooks for its successful continuation and conclusion. They agreed on the importance of the decision of the international community on partial lifting of sanctions against FR Yugoslavia as the safest way toward peace in the region.

6 October - President of FR Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic received in Belgrade Vitaly Churkin. President Lilic thanked Churkin for his personal contribution to peace negotiations for the solution to the crisis in the territory of ex- Yugoslavia.

President of the Republic of Montenegro Momir Bulatovic received in Budva Vitaly Churkin. During the talks they expressed their satisfaction over successful and constructive cooperation during the past course of solution to the crisis in the former Yugoslavia.

14 October - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received in Belgrade Thorvald Stoltenberg and David Owen, Co- Chairmen of the Peace Conference on the Former Yugoslavia. Discussion referred to current issues of political solving of the crisis in the territory of ex- Yugoslavia. The need to speed up the process of lifting of sanctions against FR Yugoslavia in the interest of the progress of the peace process was particularly stressed.

President of the Republic of Croatia Franjo Tudjman stated at the regular press conference in Zagreb: "The framework for the solution of the problem of occupied areas in Croatia (Republic of Srpska Krajina) are provided in the Constitution and Constitutional Law on the Rights of Minorities. Any federation, let alone confederation is out of question. Solutions can be sought only within the autonomy of counties which had predominant Serb population according to 1991 census, and nothing more than that."

16 October - Presidential and the first ballot of parliamentary elections held in Macedonia. Out of the total of 1,360,729 registered voters, 1,058,130 or 77.7% went to the polls. According to official data, published five days after the elections, Kiro Gligorov was reelected President, after winning 52.4% of registered voters, i.e. 67.4% of those who cast their votes. The other candidate, Ljubisa Georgijevski, won 14.5% of the total electorate, i.e. 18.8% of those who showed at the polls. The second ballot of parliamentary elections is scheduled for 30 October.

27 October - Negotiations between the delegations of the Republic of Croatia and of the Republic of Srpska Krajina, held in Zagreb under the chairmanship of Thorvald Stoltenberg and David Owen, Co- Chairmen of the Peace Conference on the Former Yugoslavia. Delegations were led by Hrvoje Sarinic, special advisor for national security to the President of Croatia and Borislav Mikelic, President of the RSK Government. They engaged in general discussion on normalization of economic relations between the two sides. They scheduled the next meeting for 3 November.

Representatives of the United Nations and NATO at the meeting in New York agreed on the use of NATO air force in Bosnia- Herzegovina. According to the agreement, decisions on air strikes and selection of targets in conformity with relevant Security Council decisions will continue to be taken jointly by military authorities of the UN and NATO. Only general rather than tactical warnings about the strikes will be given in the future; attacks on three to four targets will be allowed, and will be undertaken by the NATO in coordination with UNPROFOR.

30 October - In the second round of elections for the Sobranje (Macedonian parliament) 53.1% of registered voters went to the polls. The ruling coalition Alliance for Macedonia won 89 out of 120 seats, of which the Socialdemocratic Party of Macedonia 57, Liberal Party 27 and Socialist Party 5. The main parties of the united opposition - VMRO- DPMNE and Democratic Party of Macedonia - boycotted the second ballot because of alleged irregularities in the presidential and the first round of parliamentary elections held on 16 October. These two parties demanded scheduling of new elections.

NOVEMBER

1 November - Newly appointed special envoy of the President of Russia for the former Yugoslavia Alexander Zotov held separate talks in Belgrade with the President of FR Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic and President of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic, and in Podgorica with the President of Montenegro Momir Bulatovic.

3 November - Negotiations on normalization of economic relations between the Republic of Croatia and Republic of Srpska Krajina continued in Knin. Some approaching of views was accomplished during the negotiations, but no concrete agreements have been signed. Delegations agreed to continue their negotiations on 15 November.

Committee on Foreign Affairs and Security of the European Parliament adopted in Brussels a resolution in which new mitigation of sanctions on Serbia and Montenegro is made conditional on "recognition (by FR Yugoslavia) of Bosnia- Herzegovina in its borders".

4 November - Vladislav Jovanovic and Mate Granic, foreign ministers of FR Yugoslavia and Republic of Croatia, met in Zagreb. They discussed possibilities for normalization of relations between the two states. Two sides presented their views and agreed that the two ministers meet in Belgrade next week. Franjo Tudjman, President of Croatia, received minister Jovanovic.

8 November - The first trial before the International Tribunal for Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia started in The Hague. Charges were brought against two Bosnian Serbs: Dusan Tadic was charged of multiple murders of Muslims in Omarska detention camp, and Dragan Nikolic of robbery, torture and murder of Muslims in the Susica detention camp.

10 November - Dragoslav Avramovic and France Arhar, governors of national banks of FR Yugoslavia and Slovenia, met in Budapest and talked about monetary situation in two countries and controversial issues that hamper the development of mutual payment, trade and other economic relations.

11 November - Pursuant to order issued by the US President Bill Clinton, US forces will no longer participate in the enforcement of the embargo on arms import for Bosnian Muslims. American ships are therefore withdrawing from the naval blockade in the Adriatic Sea where they participated in the control and prevention of illegal arms supply to warring parties in the Bosnian conflict. NATO forces will continue to implement UN Security Council resolutions on the embargo on arms imports.

The Government of the Republic of Croatia decided to postpone the announced continuation of talks in Belgrade between foreign ministers Vladislav Jovanovic and Mate Granic on normalization of relations between FR Yugoslavia and Republic of Croatia.

13 November - In the Presidential statement the UN Security Council expressed concern over increased military activities in the protected area around Bihac. The Council resolutely demanded from all parties to refrain from hostilities.

Results of the population census in Macedonia, started on 21 June 1994, announced in Skopje. According to the state census commission, Republic of Macedonia has 1,925,000 inhabitants, of which 1,288,00 (66.9%) Macedonians, 434,000 (22.5%) Albanians, 74,000 (3.84%) Turks, 44,000 (2.28%) Gypsies, 39,300 (2.04%) Serbs, 8,400 (0.4%) Walachs and 35,000 (1.81%) "other".

14 November - In the final declaration of the conference held in Nordvik (Netherlands) the Ministerial Council of the European Union expressed full support to the efforts of the so- called Contact Group to find political solution to the conflict in Bosnia. The Ministerial Council regretted the unilateral decision of the USA to withdraw from the control of embargo on arms supplies to the Bosnian Muslims and expressed the EU's determination to continue with the enforcement and respect of all UN Security Council resolutions referring to the former Yugoslavia.

15- 16 November - Negotiations continued in Zagreb between the delegations of the Republic of Croatia and Republic of Srpska Krajina on normalization of economic relations. Delegations were led by Hrvoje Sarinic, head of the Cabinet of the President of Croatia, and Borislav Mikelic, prime- minister of the Republic of Srpska Krajina. They agreed to adopt in principle the Draft Agreement on Economic Cooperation, offered by the Co- Chairmen of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia Owen and Stoltenberg. The Draft contains proposed solutions for water and electricity supply, reopening of the gas pipeline and the Zagreb- Belgrade highway. Before signing, the agreement should be endorsed by the competent bodies of Croatia and the Republic of Srpska Krajina.

16 November - President of the Yugoslav Federal Government Radoje Kontic sent a letter to the President of the UN Security Council Madeleine Albright, explaining the demand from the Security Council to adopt a decision on lifting of all sanctions against FR Yugoslavia. "The Federal Government believes that the mentioned Security Council resolutions may not serve as any ground for further maintenance of measures against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia", wrote Kontic.

National Defense units of the (Muslim) Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia entered Velika Kladusa. Together with them returned 30,000 civilians - Muslim refugees who fled from the attack of the Fifth Corps of the Muslim Army of the Sarajevo Government and stayed for months in refugee camps in the Republic of Srpska Krajina.

17 November - Croatia is ready to sign an agreement on settlement of economic issues with the Republic of Srpska Krajina, with some additional corrections, but demands that the agreement be signed by 21 November, said Hrvoje Sarinic, head of the Croatian delegation at the negotiations.

18 November - UN Security Council adopted resolution 958 which empowers NATO air forces to undertake in close cooperation with the UN Secretary General and UNPROFOR all necessary measures, including air strikes, in safe zones in Bosnia- Herzegovina and around them to support UNPROFOR and allow the fulfillment of the mandate of peace forces. The resolution sets out that these measures from now on may also be implemented in the territory of Croatia under given circumstances (against targets in UNPA territories i.e. Republic of Srpska Krajina. UN Security Council adopted resolution 959 which calls on all parties in conflict to continue efforts to respect safe zones and express maximum restraint and end all hostile actions in these zones and around them. The UN Secretary General was asked to renew his recommendations on the modalities for implementation of the concept of safe zones and as soon as possible report on this to the Security Council.

19 November - The Assembly of the Republic of Srpska Krajina at the session in Vukovar assessed that the Draft Agreement on economic issues with Croatia is a good basis for further negotiations, but that the Serbian side has a number of objections. The Assembly gave support to the RSK Government and its delegation to continue negotiations with the Republic of Croatia.

21 November - At the request of Yasushi Akashi, special envoy of the UN Secretary General in the former Yugoslavia, and with the approval of Boutros Boutros Ghali, UN Secretary General, thirty NATO airplanes performed a "limited air strike" on the military airport Udbina in the Republic of Srpska Krajina. According to the official explanation of Yasushi Akashi, the attack was undertaken as a preventive action because of imminent threat to the security of UNPROFOR members stationed in the safety area near Bihac, and the aim was to prevent further use of this airport for attacks on Bihac by the forces of the Republic of Srpska Krajina. According to UNPROFOR reports, during the last two weeks, three air raids and several artillery attacks on Bihac have been launched from the territory of the Republic of Srpska Krajina.

The Government of the FR of Yugoslavia "most severely condemned unfounded and irresponsible shelling of the Udbina airport by NATO airplanes, considering this another proof of bias and prejudice shown in the Yugoslav crisis by the Security Council under the influence of countries which have their own strategic interests in the region. Such a course helps extremists and threatens to render all peace efforts meaningless, and ushers the entire Yugoslav crisis into the new dark period, and perhaps in the broader war conflict. Therefore the Federal Government invites all countries - members of the UN Security Council to reexamine the decision on the extension of military operations beyond the territory of the former Bosnia- Herzegovina", said the Federal Government in the release after its session.

On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Srpska Krajina, Borislav Mikelic, prime- minister of RSK most severely condemned the attack of NATO forces on the Udbina airport, claiming that this attack was a vandalic act, that it did not contribute to maintenance of peace in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, but represented an attack on any negotiating process.

22 November - President of Yugoslavia Zoran Lilic talked in the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Security of the European Parliament in Brussels. President Lilic spoke about the reasons for the breakup of SFRY and civil war, on the policy of FRY for peaceful solution of the crisis in the territory of ex- Yugoslavia, on the need to lift sanctions against FR Yugoslavia and its reintegration in all international and regional organizations.

24 November - NATO airplanes completed two air strikes on the missile positions of Bosnian Serbs in the vicinity of Bosanska Krupa, Otoka and Dvor in North- Western Bosnia. According to the official UNPROFOR release, the attacks were undertaken because a day earlier military forces of the Republika Srpska had committed an unsuccessful attack on two British planes which had been routinely patrolling in so- called no- fly zone over Bosnia.

Slobodan Milosevic, President of the Republic of Serbia, Yasushi Akashi, special envoy of the UN Secretary General in the former Yugoslavia, and Milan Martic, President of the Republic of Srpska Krajina, met in Belgrade. They discussed the current political situation and exchanged opinions on further steps to ease the tensions and prevent recurrence of armed conflicts in the territory of former Yugoslavia. They revealed that a plan for urgent cease-fire around Bihac was being drafted.

25 November - Nikola Koljevic, vice- President of the Republika Srpska, and Haris Silajdzic, President of the Bosnian Muslim Government in Sarajevo, met at the Sarajevo airport. The Serbian side proposed immediate signing of the end of war, with optional signing of the final agreement in Geneva or some other place within 7- 10 days, without prejudice to the territorial issue. The Muslim side, however, offered general cease-fire throughout the territory of Bosnia- Herzegovina.

26 November - Co- Chairmen of the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia Owen and Stoltenberg met in Belgrade with the President of the government of the Republic of Srpska Krajina Borislav Mikelic. Co- Chairmen Owen and Stoltenberg endorsed some remarks of the Serbian side on the Draft Agreement on Normalization of Economic Relations between the Republic of Croatia and RSK.

26- 27 November - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received in Karadjordjevo Russian foreign minister Andrei Kozyrev. They exchanged opinions on the current political situation in the Yugoslav crisis and development of bilateral relations between the two countries. They mutually agreed that consistent development of the elements of peace plan for Bosnia- Herzegovina presumed elimination of remaining doubts in connection with equal rights of the Muslim- Croatian federation and Republika Srpska regarding linking with Croatia and FR Yugoslavia respectively, definition of constitutional solutions and creation of conditions for efficient bilateral harmonization of territorial delimitations. They jointly stressed that any loosening of the embargo on arms import in the war- afflicted areas encouraged advocates of the military solution to the crisis, undermined the peace process and endangered the achieved positive results. They demanded that the commanders of all forces in conflict in the territory of the former Bosnia- Herzegovina sign an agreement on cessation of hostilities, stated that it was necessary to encourage and support successful ending of economic negotiations between Knin and Zagreb, and that international community should speed up the process of lifting of sanctions against FR Yugoslavia.

27 November - UN Security Council adopted a Presidential statement in which it most resolutely demanded that all warring and other involved parties (in Bosnia- Herzegovina) reach an agreement and implement unconditional cease-fire in the Bihac region; interested parties were invited to start intensive negotiations on cessation of hostilities in the entire territory of the Republic of Bosnia- Herzegovina in order to reach a territorial agreement as proposed by the Contact Group, as part of the comprehensive peace agreement. All parties were also invited to observe the status of safe zones, particularly in relation to civilian population.

28 November - President of the Republic of Serbia Slobodan Milosevic received in Belgrade members of the Contact Group for Bosnia- Herzegovina. They jointly stated that it would be necessary to implement the initiatives for overall cessation of hostilities in the territory of Bosnia- Herzegovina and thus create conditions to finalize the peace process according to the Peace Plan proposed by the Contact Group. It was stressed that the Contact Group should work out the elements of its Peace Plan, which above all refer to constitutional arrangement of Bosnia- Herzegovina and bilateral negotiations on the final territorial delimitation.

29 November - Members of the Contact Group for Bosnia- Herzegovina talked in Zagreb with the deputy foreign minister of Croatia Ivo Sanadar. The discussion covered sit