P R O T O C O L

ON REGIONAL COOPERATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE CRIMES OF WAR IN THE POST - YUGOSLAV COUNTRIES

BETWEEN

RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION CENTER, SARAJEVO

CENTER FOR RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION, ZAGREB

AND

HUMANITARIAN LAW FUND, BELGRADE

Research and Documentation Center, Sarajevo, Center for Research and Documentation, Zagreb, and Humanitarian Law Fund, Belgrade ( hereinafter: " the signatories " ),

Convinced that the documentation of the events of war, and particularly of the crimes of war and other grave violations of international humanitarian law in the Post - Yugoslav countries in the period since 1991, is an essential prerequisite of a sustainable peace in the region;

Convinced that finding truth, establishing justice and changing attitudes towards victims is a prerequisite of overall progress and democratization of the societies in the region; and

Convinced that this Protocol provides basic preconditions and rules for mutual cooperation in investigation and documentation of the events of war, particularly the crimes of war, among the three independent centers,

agree on the following :

Article 1

Our joint mission is to enable, by documenting events from our past, making public the truth about past and creating socio - political conditions for the establishment of justice and the change of attitudes towards the victims of war in all the post - Yugoslav countries since 1991.

Article 2

To commence, in public interest, development of a joint methodology of investigation and compatible data bases on victims, perpetrators and events, and to make these data bases accessible to the victims, their families, public at large, judiciary, and science.

Article 3

To observe the highest professional standards in our work and to follow, in our mutual relations, the principles of openness, objectivity, impartiality and mutual confidence.

Article 4

To formulate and make decision on joint projects in the framework of this Protocol and to implement them consistently.

Article 5

To work, in good faith and the best of intentions, so that the documented truth on the crimes of war committed since 1991 reaches all segments of society.

Article 6

To exercise regional cooperation through direct relations of our institutions and ad hoc project teams established in order to realize our joint projects. Every project team shall have the duty to observe in its work the principles of this Protocol. Members of these teams shall regulate their rights and obligations by signing the team contracts on cooperation.

Article 7

The parent-organizations shall verify the team contracts on cooperation, their project proposals and all the other decisions made by the project teams. The project teams shall be directly responsible for the preparation of project proposals and the implementation of projects.

Article 8

The funding of this regional cooperation shall be ensured through regional projects, and on the basis of joint strategy and project funding rules. Mutual relations and responsibilities for the financial aspect of project implementation shall be regulated by separate acts/contracts on mutual rights and obligations in relation to the funding and implementation of regional projects.

Article 9

The signatories to this Protocol are committed to solve all their misunderstandings through dialogue and negotiations, i.e., with the help of independent arbitration. In case a dispute is brought before court, general principles of judicial jurisdiction shall be applied.

Article 10

With mutual consent of its signatories this Protocol may be modified and amended in accordance with the needs and interests and within the scope of competencies of the three organizations.

Article 11

This Protocol is concluded for an indefinite period of time and shall be put into force on the date of its signing. Each of the signatories is entitled to cancel this Protocol by way of written notification, under the condition that the signatory in question has fulfilled all the project/team obligations that were agreed upon, and envisaged by this Protocol, or by a separate ( team ) contract referred to in Article 6 of this Protocol.

Done in Sarajevo, on 6 th April 2004, in 3 ( three ) identical copies in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian languages whereby all the three texts shall be considered to be equally authentic.

Signatories :

Mirsad Tokaca

Research and Documentation Center, Sarajevo

  ____________________________________

Vesna Terselic

Center for Research and Documentation, Zagreb

____________________________________

Natasa Kandic

Humanitarian Law Fund, Belgrade

____________________________________