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'The most difficult elections held in history'
VIENNA, May 9 (Reuters) — The continued presence in Bosnia of war criminals indicted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal is a hindrance to free and fair elections scheduled for later this year, a top European security official said on Thursday. Foreign Minister Flavio Cotti of Switzerland, current head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), urged Bosnia's former warring parties to respect all the terms of Dayton peace accord.

"The fact that (indicted war criminals) remain complicates the process of creating a climate without violence and intimidation which is a pre-requisite for the holding of elections in Bosnia-Herzegovina," Cotti said in a statement issued from OSCE headquarters in Vienna. The most prominent figures indicted by the tribunal in The Hague are Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and his army commander General Ratko Mladic, who remain in control of Bosnian Serb territory. The area, known as Republika Srpska, encompasses 49 percent of Bosnian territory.

Karadzic and Mladic have both been indicted twice by the tribunal but have not relinwho heads the OSCE's mission charged with organizing elections in Bosnia, said in Vienna on Thursday that while there had been undeniable progress in achievina and freedom of movement.

Frowick said free elections in Bosnia had a 50-50 chance of going ahead as planned in mid-September. He is due to make a recommendation in June as to whether polling should go forward by the deadline set out in the Dayton accord. "These elections are going to be difficult and imperfect, Frowick said. "They are going to be the most difficult elections held in history."


May 1 · Mostar to Hold Elections May 31
Apr 17 · Bosnian Media Network Unlikely by Election Time
Apr 16 · Renegade Muslim Leader in Bosnian Elections
Apr 15 · Serbs Said Undermining Bosnian Elections


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