Yugoslavia, Socialist Federal Republic of
Practice relating to Rule 66. Non-Hostile Contacts between the Parties to the Conflict
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) states: “The white flag is the sign of a parlementaire and indicates the wish of a party to the conflict to enter into contact with the other side through the intermediary of the person carrying such flag.”
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) defines a parlementaire as “a person who is authorized by one party to the conflict to enter into communication in its name with another party in order to negotiate a specific question or to deliver a message”.
The manual provides that “a parlementaire can be escorted by other persons”, such as an interpreter.
The manual also states: “A parlementaire or a person in his escort is required to carry the white flag of parlementaires.”
In addition, the manual states: “A parlementaire should have a written authorization of the person in charge for making contact with the representative of the enemy side.”
The commentary on the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Penal Code (1976), as amended in 2001, states: “A parlementaire is a person who, under authorization by one Party to the war or armed conflict, conveys a message to another Party.”
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’s Military Manual (1988) provides:
The party to the conflict to which a parlementaire is sent is not obliged to receive him in any case.
It is forbidden for the parties to the conflict to announce [beforehand] that they will not receive a parlementaire …
It is allowed to refuse to receive a parlementaire in order for him not to see or find out something about movements or regrouping of troops or the like. It is also allowed to refuse to receive a parlementaire as a measure of reprisals, if the party that sends the parlementaire had previously abused the flag of parlementaires.