OSCE Chairman pays tribute to victims of Srebrenica massacre

VIENNA, 8 July 2005 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, paid tribute on Friday to the victims of the Srebrenica massacre ahead of the 10th anniversary of the killings.

"The tragedy that occurred at Srebrenica ten years ago remains a painful reminder not only for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but for the entire world," the OSCE Chairman said, offering condolences to the families of the victims on behalf of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

"We must continue to honour the victims of Srebrenica and support their families who have struggled to re-build their lives and seek justice for these crimes. The OSCE reaffirms its commitment to them," he said.

The Minister will attend commemoration ceremonies in Srebrenica honouring the victims of the massacre on its tenth anniversary on Monday, 11 July.

The Chairman-in-Office said the OSCE would continue its efforts on reconciliation through property law implementation, human rights work and monitoring war crimes trials, in co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal of the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). He recalled the need to bring those responsible for this tragedy to justice.

"Ten years have passed since this tragedy, and our rage against this injustice continues. It is our collective burden to work to heal the wounds and ensure that such a crime against humanity is never repeated," said Minister Rupel.