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OSCE Considers Giving Go-Ahead to Elections
"I have not seen a dissenting voice yet against moving forward to hold the election in the timeframe that everyone agreed to."
By Caroline Drees
"Even elections two years hence would probably be rather early in the process... given the terrible inter-ethnic war and it emerging from decades of communist rule following one-and-a-half millenia of difficulties," he told reporters in Vienna. He was speaking one day ahead of an international meeting in Florence, Italy, to assess Bosnia's progress so far on its difficult path to peace.
At the conference, the United States and major European powers plan to propose a September date for the elections envisaged by the U.S.-brokered peace deal for Bosnia signed in December. The peace pact calls for elections by September 14. Any date would be subject to certification by the Vienna-based OSCE that proper conditions exist for the poll.
The OSCE's chairman-in-office, Swiss Foreign Minister Flavio Cotti, has so far resisted pressure from the United States and other countries to give the go-ahead. Despite deep misgivings in some quarters about the prospects for a fair vote, Washington, its European allies and the leaders of Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia agreed in early June that the poll should proceed as planned even if the situation was not perfect.
"I have not seen a dissenting voice yet against moving forward to hold the election in the timeframe that everyone agreed to," said the OSCE's Ambassador Frowick, adding the security forum would make its decision in late June.
He said he would make his own recommendation in Florence on whether or not to stick to the timetable. Frowick said that while there were obvious shortcomings in Bosnia's democratisation drive, progress was evident. "Everything in Bosnia takes place in fits and starts, but there has been a start," he said.
"We have seen progress even on the toughest questions like freedom of expression, association and freedom of movement," Frowick said. "And throughout the summer there will be greater and continuing attention and pressure to try to make these conditions better."
The continued presence in Bosnia of Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and army commander Ratko Mladic remained a serious problem, Frowick said. Both men have been indicted twice by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague but have not relinquished power. "It is a very worrying factor," Frowick said. "The biggest single stimulus we could get over the summer is to have Mr Karadzic expunged from public life."
Karadzic continues to be in control of Bosnian Serb territory, known as Republika Srpska, which encompasses 49 percent of Bosnian territory.
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VIENNA, June 12 (Reuters) - Bosnia has made progress in overcoming major obstacles to holding planned elections, but much work remains to be done in the country's long drive towards democracy, a senior U.S. diplomat said on Wednesday. Robert Frowick, who heads the mission of the Organisation for Security an Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) charged with organising the poll, said that while the situation was imperfect, the elections were only an early step in a lengthy democratisation process.
Berserkistan, June 11 · West to Set Election Date at Florence
Berserkistan, June 11 · Bosnia’s SDA Charged with Moving Refugees to Sway Vote
Berserkistan, June 8 · Special Report: In Bosnia, Skepticism over Fair Elections
Berserkistan, June 8 · Sacirbey: U.S. Applying Undue Pressure Over Elections
Berserkistan, June 8 · Sacirbey: U.S. Applying Undue Pressure On Bosnia Over Elections
Berserkistan, June 8 · EU Donates $89 Million to Bosnia while Pressing for Elections
Berserkistan, June 7 · Human Rights Watch/Helsinki Says Bosnian Elections Can Undo Dayton
Berserkistan, June 5 · Frowick Angers OSCE Staff with Spin on Elections
Berserkistan, June 4 · Major Powers: Elections Must Stay on Schedule
Berserkistan, June 3 · Voter Registration Begins in Bosnia
Berserkistan, June 2 · Bosnia’s Elections Remain on Track Despite Karadzic
Berserkistan, June 2 · Bosnia: Fair Elections, but Not at Any Price
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