UN General Assembly to consider Resolution on Srebrenica Genocide today

(Patria) - The United Nations General Assembly will hold a session today at 4 PM Central European Time to consider the Resolution on the Srebrenica Genocide, which designates July 11th as the International Day of Remembrance and Commemoration of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide.

The number of states co-sponsoring the resolution grew day by day, alongside diplomatic pressure from Serbia and the Republika Srpska entity, which strongly oppose the resolution.

The sponsors of the resolution are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda, and Germany, whose representatives will open the session concerning the resolution with their speeches.

The most important part of the resolution is contained in seven points:

- The General Assembly decides to designate July 11th as the International Day of Remembrance and Commemoration of the 1995 Srebrenica Genocide

- Unreservedly condemns any denial of the Srebrenica genocide and calls on member states to preserve established facts, including through educational systems by developing appropriate programs, also with the aim of remembrance, prevention of denial, and distortion of genocide

- Unreservedly condemns actions that glorify convicted war criminals, crimes against humanity, including those responsible for the Srebrenica genocide

- Emphasizes the importance of completing the process of finding and identifying the remaining victims of the Srebrenica genocide and calls for the continued prosecution of perpetrators of genocide who have yet to face justice

- Calls on all states to fully comply with their obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide

- Requests the Secretary-General to establish an information program titled "The Srebrenica Genocide and the UN," thereby commencing its activities to mark the 30th anniversary of the genocide

- Calls on all member states, UN system organizations, NGOs, and academic organizations to observe the International Day, including organizing special activities to remember and honor the victims of the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, as well as appropriate education and activities related to raising public awareness about the genocide

Members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović and Željko Komšić, are in New York, where they have been holding final talks with ambassadors and lobbying for the resolution to be adopted and supported by as many UN member states as possible.

At the same time, letters expressing opposition to the adoption of the resolution were sent from the Republika Srpska entity to the UN. The letters were sent by member of the BiH Presidency, Željka Cvijanović.