STATEMENT BY
H.E. AMBASSADOR HASMY AGAM
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALAYSIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS
ON THE SITUATION IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
TUESDAY, 15 AUGUST 2000
Mr. President,
My delegation, too, would like to thank Under-Secretary-General Bernard Miyet, for his comprehensive and useful briefing on the latest developments and the on-going work of the United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH).
2. We are gratified with the progress being made in the implementation of the 1995 Dayton/Paris Peace Agreement. UNMIBH, under the leadership of Special Representative Jacques Klein, continues to solidify the establishment of the rule of law through the restructuring and strengthening of the local police and judicial system. Equally important are efforts by High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch and his Office, SFOR and other international organisations to further consolidate the path towards peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We fully support these efforts and appreciate the achievements made so far.
3. We, nonetheless, recognise that progress in the peace process has thus far been slow and below expectation. Much remains to be done and many challenges are still to be overcome before Bosnia can enjoy self-sustaining peace and security. Further determined efforts should therefore continue to tackle effectively the remaining core issues or challenges that continue to impede the building of a democratic, unified and multi-ethnic Bosnia and Herzegovina within its internationally recognised borders.
4. One of the main challenges remains the need to strengthen Bosnian state institutions. These institutions must be able to carry out their functions and responsibilities effectively. We are concerned at the continuing obstacles to the smooth functioning of these joint institutions - in particular the joint Presidency and the state Parliament - which are necessary for the viability of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a state. The leaders of Bosnia must exercise their political will to work together for the common good of the country, and not for their sectarian and other short- term interests. This underlines the urgent need for much stronger commitment and cooperation of the Bosnian leadership and people at every level to match the commitment and contributions of the international community to the peace process. Ultimately, the main responsibility to achieve peace, national reconciliation and nation-building lies with the people of Bosnia themselves.
5. We are pleased with the progress being made in consolidating the Bosnian State Border Service. We welcome the recent steps to further strengthen the Service through its deployment at additional entry points. The State Border Service is not only a vital political symbol of Bosnian statehood, but is also essential in the fight against trafficking and trans-border organised crime. We strongly support the efforts being made at restructuring and integrating the military forces of the two Bosnian entities. A unified Bosnia cannot afford to have two separate armies.
6. The return of refugees and displaced persons is another major challenge, and nearly every problem in Bosnia today stems from this core problem. The safe return to their homes of all refugees and displaced persons is an important ingredient for lasting peace in that country. We are encouraged to learn of an increase in the number of returns in recent months. However, overall the return process has been slow. Well over one million refugees and IDPs are still not able to return to their pre-war homes. The situation is much worse in the case of the so-called minority returns, and the return to urban areas. And the overall return process to Republika Srpska is much slower compared to areas in the Federation. Political and administrative obstructions still impede the return process. So do return related violence and intimidation. Further effective measures should, therefore, be taken to effectively address these problems.
7. On 13 July last month, the Council issued a commemorative statement on the anniversary of the tragic event at Srebrenica. We recall the horrors of ethnic cleansing and gross violations of international humanitarian law and human rights that characterised the Bosnian conflict. Reconciliation after that conflict will, obviously, require a lot of time for healing as well as the meting out of justice on the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. In this regard, we wish to underline, once again, the important role of the ICTY, and to emphasise that the necessary support should be extended to it so as to enable it to fully carry out its mandate. We reiterate our call for more serious efforts to be taken to bring those indicted by the ICTY to justice especially the major characters like Radovan Kradzic and Ratko Mladic, who continue to enjoy freedom and impunity. It also contributes to the climate of insecurity that limits refugee returns, particularly in minority areas. The arrest and prosecution of war criminals is not only an issue of justice, but one that will have important and long-lasting effects on Bosnia and Herzegovina's ability to form a democratic state, institute market reform, and effect national reconciliation among the ethnic groups. In this regard, we would encourage the Office of the High Representative and SFOR to work more closely with the Tribunal.