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Source: ONASA via Chicago-Kent College of Law
Izetbegovic, Carter, agree to four month ceasefire in Bosnia:
SARAJEVO, Tues. Dec. 20 1994 (OSLOBODJENJE AGENCY--ONASA): Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Tuesday agreed on an immediate cease fire throughout Bosnia that will last for four months.
"We are ready to accept further negotiations if the contact group's plan is accepted (by Serbs) as a basis for negotiations," Izetebegovic told journalists after a meeting with Carter.
The Bosnian president added that it was agreed that Sarajevo airport should in the meantime be reopened, that United Nations humanitarian convoys carrying food and medicines should be allowed full freedom of movement, that all prisoners should be released, and that human rights should be respected in the whole of Bosnia.
The Bosnian delegation, consisting of members of the Bosnian Presidency, proposed that the negotiations be held at Sarajevo airport.
Carter said that he had a very successful and encouraging discussion with the Bosnian delegation.
"I will now go to Pale (the Serb stronghold), so I can reach an agreement about a general cease fire", Carter said.
Ejup Ganic, a member of the presidency and the Bosnian Federation vice-president, told journalists that he spoke with an official from the U.S. Government Tuesday morning, who ensured him that the U.S. still supports the contact group's peace plan for Bosnia.
When asked whether there was pressure on Bosnian authorities to accept the cease fire, Ganic said "yes".
"The Bihac enclave is surrounded, the freedom of movement has been limited. We were told that if we sign the cease fire that many things will improve", Ganic said.
Carter informed Ganic about talks with Bosnian Serbs:
SARAJEVO, Dec. 20 1994 (OSLOBODJENJE AGENCY--ONASA):
Former U.S President Jimmy Carter met Monday night (Dec. 19) with the Vice-President of the Bosnian Federation Ejup Ganic in United Nations Protection Force Bosnian headquarters in Sarajevo and informed him about talks with Bosnian Serbs at Pale earlier that day.
Carter said that the main topic of the talks at Pale was the latest peace initiative by Serb leader Radovan Karadzic.
Ganic told ONASA that the Bosnian Government will not abandon peace plan put forward by international contact group on Bosnia last July and that the government has received international assurances that the plan will not be changed at the Serbs' request.
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