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Erdut Agreement

Basic Agreement on the Region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium
Map of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia
Type	Peace agreement
Signed	12 November 1995
Location	Erdut, Croatia
Signatories	Hrvoje Šarinić Milan Milanović
Parties	Croatia Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia Witnessed by:  United Nations  United States
Full text
Erdut Agreement at Wikisource

Part of a series on the
History of Slavonia
Antiquity Illyria Pannonia Municipium Iasorum
Medieval Gepids Avar Khaganate Pannonian Croatia Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102) Ban of Slavonia Realm of Ugrin Csák Kingdom of Croatia (1102–1526)
Ottoman Empire Hundred Years' Croatian–Ottoman War Sanjak of Pojega Sanjak of Pakrac Sanjak of Syrmia Great Turkish War
Habsburg monarchy Kingdom of Slavonia Slavonian Military Frontier Triune Kingdom Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia
20th century Sava Banovina Banovina of Croatia
Croatian War of Independence Battle of Vukovar Battle of Osijek Operation Flash Erdut Agreement (UNTAES)
v t e

The Erdut Agreement (Serbo-Croatian: Erdutski sporazum / Ердутски споразум), officially the Basic Agreement on the Region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium, is an agreement reached on 12 November 1995 between the authorities of the Republic of Croatia and the local Serb authorities of the Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia region on the peaceful resolution to the Croatian War of Independence in eastern Croatia. It effectively ended the ethno-nationalist conflict in the region and initiated the process of peaceful reintegration of the region to central government control of Croatia. The reintegration was directly implemented by the United Nations. The agreement provided a set of guarantees on human and minority rights as well as on the refugee return. It was named after Erdut, the village in which it was signed by local Serb representatives.

The signers were Hrvoje Šarinić, the former prime minister of Croatia, and Milan Milanović, a local Serb politician representing the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK) under instructions from the authorities of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The witnesses were Peter Galbraith, the ambassador of the United States to Croatia at the time, and Thorvald Stoltenberg, the United Nations intermediary.

The territory of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium had previously been controlled by the RSK, and before that by the SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia. The agreement was acknowledged by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1023, and it paved the way to the establishment of the United Nations Transitional Authority for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium. Contrary to most of the other missions, UNTAES was modelled as the supreme governing authority in the region creating one of only a couple of United Nations protectorates in the history. While ensuring full reintegration of the region without territorial autonomy clauses, the agreement served as a cornerstone for the establishment of contemporary Serb minority institutions not only in the region but the rest of Croatia as well. It explicitly provided the basis for the establishment of the regional Serb institution of the Joint Council of Municipalities.

Background

In 1995 mini Contact Group of foreign ambassadors in Zagreb drafted a comprehensive proposal to Croatian President Franjo Tuđman and the leaders of the Republic of Serbian Krajina in Knin aimed at peaceful resolution of the Croatian War of Independence. The proposal was known as the Z-4 Plan and it proposed reintegration of Krajina to Croatian constitutional framework on the basis of a new Constitutional Agreement which defined Krajina as an autonomous region of Croatia. The plan did not envisage special autonomy for Eastern Slavonia but rather two years long transitional period. Krajina leaders in Knin refused to receive the draft proposal which subsequently led to Operation Flash and Operation Storm and complete military defeat of Krajina resulting in over 200,000 Croatian Serb refugees who left their homes.

Rump and geographically separated territory of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia (commonly known as Eastern Slavonia) remained the only part of Croatia under Serb control. Contrary to Krajina, Eastern Slavonia shared a long border with the Republic of Serbia. It was also economically and socially dependent and politically much more closely aligned with authorities in Belgrade and Novi Sad than Krajina. This led the international community to believe that Croatian intervention in Eastern Slavonia would trigger a military reaction from Yugoslavia and result in an escalation of hostilities. At the same time, the military defeat at Krajina and signing of the Washington Agreement opened the space to resolve the armed conflict in Bosnia which the US Administration wanted to use as political ammunition before the 1996 United States presidential election. Croatia conditioned its participation at the Dayton Peace Conference on the resolution of conflict in Eastern Slavonia, while international community insisted on avoidance of any new major escalation of Yugoslav crisis. This created conditions in which peaceful resolution was preferred or acceptable to all parties concerned.

Agreement history

As a part of his Bosnia peace efforts United States President Bill Clinton also stated:

"There must be a long-term plan for resolving the situation in Eastern Slavonia ... based on Croatian sovereignty and the principles of the Z-4 Plan (e.g. Serb home rule, the right of refugees to return, and the other guarantees for Serbs who live there)."

Despite territorial autonomy's prominent place in President Clinton's plans and effort by the US ambassador Peter Galbraith to model this autonomy proposal on recently suspended precedent of the Autonomous District of Glina and Knin from the Constitutional Act on National and Ethnic Communities or Minorities, this proposal was rejected by Croatian Government which preferred military solution over territorial autonomy. This convinced international community to focus on the models of non-territorial national personal autonomy, minority rights and inter-municipal cooperation. The refusal to include any territorial autonomy provisions strengthened demands for human rights provisions.

Provisions

Return of refugees

United Nations Transitional Administration was requested to ensure the possibility for the return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes of origin. The same rights were to be enjoyed both to those who have left the region or those who have come to the region from other parts of Croatia.

Inter-communal power sharing

Joint Implementation Committees formed both by local Croat and Serb communities assisted the UNTAES in governing the region. Local police forces were organized to have equal number of ethnic Croats and ethnic Serbs plus additional smaller numbers of personnel from all the other communities in the region.

Minority rights provisions

The agreement itself and subsequent developments and commitments during the UNTAES mandate represent the basis on which numerous minority institutions operate today. Establishment of the Joint Council of Municipalities, with a Serbian majority population was one of explicit rights granted to the Serb community. Other institutions such as Serb National Council and weekly magazine Novosti were established at the same time, while some, such as Radio Borovo, were registered in accordance with Croatian laws. Agreement requires respect of the highest levels of internationally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms.

International impact

In February 2020, the Erdut Agreement was quoted as a precedent for and a comparable case by Ukrainian diplomats for implementation of the Minsk II measures agreed upon in the Minsk Protocol intended to halt the War in Donbas.

See also

• Josip Reihl-Kir (25 July 1955 – 1 July 1991; assassinated police chief from Osijek during SFR Yugoslavia known for his peacemaking initiatives)
• Dayton Agreement (Erdut Agreement was major precondition for the 1995 conference)
• Croatia–Serbia border dispute
• Croatia–Serbia genocide case
• 1997 Eastern Slavonia integrity referendum

References

1. ^ Galbraith, Peter (12 October 2006). "Negotiating Peace in Croatia: a personal account of the road to Erdut". In Blitz, Brad K. (ed.). War and Change in the Balkans. Cambridge University Press. pp. 124–131. ISBN 0-521-86042-3.
2. Agreement has four signatures: Šarinić, Milanović, Galbraith, and Stoltenberg
3. "Former U.S. Ambassadors to Croatia - Embassy of the United States". Zagreb, Croatia. 28 June 1993. Archived from the original on 17 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
4. Lukic, Renéo (2006). La politique étrangère de la Croatie, de son indépendance à nos jours, 1991-2006. Les Presses de l'Université Laval. p. 193. ISBN 2763780199.
5. Hayball, Harry Jack (April 2015). Serbia and the Serbian Rebellion in Croatia (1990-1991) (PDF) (Doctor of Philosophy). Goldsmiths College. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
6. Ramsbotham, Oliver; Woodhouse, Tom (1999). Encyclopedia of International Peacekeeping Operations. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 0874368928.
7. Dover, Edwin D. (1998). The Presidential Election of 1996: Clinton's Incumbency and Television. Westport, Connecticut & London: Praeger Publishers. ISBN 0-275-96259-8.
8. Nina Caspersen. "Human Rights in Territorial Peace Agreements". Whiterose.
9. Тимошенко, Денис (19 February 2020). "Эрдутское соглашение в Хорватии во многом напоминает Минск-2 – Левченко о совместном патрулировании на Донбассе". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 4 July 2020.

Sources

• Albert Bing (October 2008). "Sjedinjene Američke Države i reintegracija hrvatskog Podunavlja" [The United States of America and the reintegration of the Croatian Danube Region]. Scrinia Slavonica (in Croatian). 8 (1). Slavonski Brod: Croatian Institute of History. Retrieved 2013-02-21.

External links

• Full text of Erdut Agreement, UN Peacemaker (in English, French, Chinese, Arabic, Russian and Spanish)

v t e Wars and battles involving Croatia
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v t e Joint Council of Municipalities
Municipalities and villages	Vukovar-Syrmia County Borovo Markušica Gaboš Karadžićevo Ostrovo Podrinje Negoslavci Trpinja Bobota Bršadin Ćelije Ludvinci Pačetin Vera Osijek-Baranja County Erdut Aljmaš Bijelo Brdo Dalj Jagodnjak Bolman Majške Međe Novi Bolman Šodolovci Ada Koprivna Palača Paulin Dvor Petrova Slatina Silaš Serb communities in the geographic area of work Banovci Divoš Karanac Klisa Mlaka Antinska Novo Nevesinje Orolik Serbs of Vukovar Sokolovac Srijemske Laze Vinkovački Banovci
History	Croatian independence referendum, 1991 SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia Battle of Vukovar Republic of Serbian Krajina Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia (1995–98) Erdut Agreement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1023 UNTAES OSCE Mission to Croatia 2002 Constitutional Act Anti-Cyrillic protests in Croatia
Religion	In the member municipalities Eparchy of Osječko polje and Baranja Pentecost, Markušica St. Stephen, Borovo Dormition of the Theotokos, Negoslavci St. George, Bobota Transfiguration of the Lord, Trpinja St. Peter and Paul, Bolman Church of St. Nicholas, Pačetin Nativity of the Theotokos, Gaboš Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, Ostrovo St. Nicholas, Jagodnjak St. Demetrius, Dalj Church of the Transfer of the relics of the Holy Father Nicholas, Bijelo Brdo Rest of geographic area of work St. Stefan Štiljanović, Karanac St. Nicholas, Mirkovci Church of St. Panteleimon, Mirkovci Church of St. Nicholas, Mikluševci Holy Venerable Mother Parascheva, Banovci St. George, Tovarnik St. Nicholas, Vukovar Pentecost, Vinkovci St. George, Kneževo Nativity of the Theotokos, Srijemske Laze St. Elijah, Novi Jankovci St. Peter and Paul, Orolik Presentation of Mary, Čakovci Saint Archangel Michael, Darda Dormition of the Mother of God, Osijek Presentation of Mary, Popovac Church of St. George, Opatovac Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Šarengrad Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Mohovo Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Ilok
Education and culture	Association for Serbian language and literature in Croatia Cultural and Scientific Center "Milutin Milanković" Vukovar Gymnasium High School Dalj Prosvjeta Radio Borovo

v t e Serbs of Croatia
Cultural identity	List of Serbs of Croatia Serbian language in Croatia Flag of Serbs of Croatia Serbs of Zagreb Serbs of Vukovar
National coordination	Serb National Council
Regional coordination	Joint Council of Municipalities
Organizations	Association for Serbian language and literature in Croatia Archive of Serbs in Croatia Library of the Eparchy of Slavonia Privrednik SKD Prosvjeta Serb Democratic Forum
Media	Novosti magazine Radio Borovo Radio Television of Serbia Tragovi: Journal for Serbian and Croatian Topics
Education	Primary education 17 primary schools Vukovar-Syrmia County Ilača-Banovci Vinkovački Banovci Bobota Borovo Bršadin Dragutin Tadijanović Klisa Ludvinci Markušica Gaboš Ostrovo Nikola Tesla Negoslavci Nikola Antić Pačetin Siniša Glavašević Srijemske Laze Stari Jankovci Trpinja Vera Osijek-Baranja County Bijelo Brdo Bolman Dalj Dr. Franjo Tuđman Jagodnjak Tenja Uglješ Secondary education 7 schools Dalj High School Kantakuzina Katarina Branković Serbian Orthodox Secondary School Vukovar Gymnasium Other Cultural and Scientific Center "Milutin Milanković" (Dalj) Prosvjeta Summer School Peroj (since 1996) Prosvjeta Winter School Drežnica (since 1996)
Religion	Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana Eparchy of Osječko polje and Baranja Eparchy of Gornji Karlovac Eparchy of Slavonia Eparchy of Dalmatia Eparchy of Srem Eparchy of Zahumlje and Herzegovina Churches and Monasteries in Croatia (list of churches)
Political parties	Democratic Alliance of Serbs Independent Democratic Serb Party
Symbols	Order of Kantakuzina Katarina Branković
History	Historical organizations and institutions Serbian Chancellery in Dubrovnik Croat-Serb Coalition Serb Independent Party Serb People's Radical Party Serb People's Party Dinara Division Museum of Serbs of Croatia Serbian Radical Party in the Republic of Serbian Krajina Serb Party of Socialists Party of Danube Serbs Serb People's Party Serb Democratic Party Historical events 1991 riot in Zadar 1997 Eastern Slavonia integrity referendum Anti-Cyrillic protests in Croatia Historical documents Varaždin Apostol (1454) Statuta Valachorum (1608–30) Vukovar resolution (1939) Open Letter on the Position and Status of Serbs in Croatia (2008) World War II General Genocide of Serbs Yugoslav Partisans Croatian Orthodox Church Catholic clergy involvement with the Ustaše Srb uprising Concentration camps Gospić concentration camp Slana concentration camp Jadovno concentration camp Jasenovac concentration camp Jastrebarsko concentration camp Sisak children's concentration camp Stara Gradiška concentration camp Kruščica concentration camp Lobor concentration camp Massacres Glina massacres Gudovac massacre Ivanci massacre Prebilovci massacre Veljun massacre Voćin massacre Croatian War of Independence Origins Log Revolution (1990) Military offensives Operation Flash (May 1995) Operation Storm (August 1995) Serbian regions Republic of Serbian Krajina SAO Krajina SAO Western Slavonia SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia Krajina dinar Flag 1993–94 general election Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia (1995–98) UNTAES Serbian forces Serbian Army of Krajina Main Staff Scorpions Serb Volunteer Guard White Eagles Atrocities against Serbs Paulin Dvor massacre Murder of the Zec family Požega villages killings Marino Selo camp Sisak killings Pakračka Poljana camp Banija villages killings Korana bridge killings Gospić massacre Lora prison camp Varivode massacre Dvor massacre Medari massacre Grubori massacre Golubić killings Komić killings Gošić killings Kijani killings Atrocities by Serbian forces Siege of Kijevo Bučje camp Baćin massacre Vukovar massacre Bruška massacre Dalj massacre Erdut killings Joševica massacre Knin camp Lovas killings Saborsko massacre Široka Kula massacre Škabrnja massacre Velepromet camp Voćin massacre Zagreb rocket attacks Diplomacy Vance plan (1991) Daruvar Agreement (1993) Z-4 Plan (1995) Erdut Agreement (1995)

• 1995 in Croatia
• Croatian War of Independence
• History of the Serbs of Croatia
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• History of Slavonia
• History of Baranya (region)
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