Chairman-in-Office calls for war criminals to be handed over

BERN, 9 May 1996 - The presence in Bosnia-Herzegovina of war criminals indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal in the Hague is a hindrance to the holding of free and fair elections. "The fact that they remain complicates the process of creating a climate without violence and intimidation which is a prerequisite for the holding of elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina", emphasized the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE, Swiss Foreign Minister Flavio Cotti, in a statement issued today.

He further pointed out that the Parties to the Peace Agreement for Bosnia-Herzegovina had committed themselves to certain conditions for free and fair elections to be carried out, and that these must be respected. In particular, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office mentioned the freedom of movement, the freedom of expression, free access to the media, free media, and the freedom of assembly.