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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Serbia-Montenegro respects international treaties

Belgrade, 27 September 2004

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said following a meeting with Republika Srpska President Dragan Cavic that officials from both republics are aware of the necessity to respect international obligations, primarily the Dayton peace agreement.

Kostunica said the talks with Cavic covered a wide range of issues, including economic and cultural ties between Serbia and the Serb entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as the issue of refugees, which he said is very important and should be addressed jointly by Serbia-Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia.

Kostunica also said that a full implementation of the Dayton accord was the major issue in today’s talks.

According to Kostunica, one should bear in mind that lately in the public there have been many free interpretations of the Dayton accord which all call for a change. Some justified these changes with the agreement’s tenth anniversary, which comes next year, or with the poor functioning of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s institutions.

Kostunica stressed that human rights and international obligations are more important than institutions, because “agreements are treaties and the treaties are laws, which compels us to obey them.”

The Prime Minister recalled that the Dayton accord has brought peace and stability to the region over the past few years and has also helped tackle complex problems such as the return of refugees and property claims.

He said any changes to the Dayton accord at this moment could destabilise the region.

Kostunica said that the Dayton accord is a complex international agreement backed by three constitutive peoples of Bosnia-Herzegovina, stressing that it is not possible to change this agreement nor the Constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina without the consent of all three peoples.

He went on to say that he and the Republika Srpska President discussed cooperation with the Hague tribunal and agreed that there is awareness on both sides that international obligations should be fulfilled.

The Serbian Prime Minister said that the state union of Serbia-Montenegro has respected the international treaties, such as the Dayton peace accord and UN Resolution 1244. He also pointed out the state union’s respect of the Constitutional Charter which came from the Belgrade Accord as mediated by international representatives.

Republika Srpska President Dragan Cavic said that they discussed further economic cooperation between Serbia and Republika Srpska, announcing practical steps on the interministerial level soon.

Cavic said that the cooperation stagnated during one period, and said that there is the interest of both sides to make use of the free trade agreement between Serbia-Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Cavic said that he presented the Serbian Prime Minister with the positive effects of the Dayton agreement when compared to other after-conflict peace agreements concluded with the assistance of the international community.

He voiced hope that the two governments will establish closer cooperation in the forthcoming period and that the issues of interest for both Serbia and Republika Srpska will be addressed continually.