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Izetbegovic Warns Holbrooke of Bosnian Election Boycott
‘We have demanded that Karadzic be removed from public
office, including the post of president of the SDS’
By Mark Heinrich
Holbrooke, architect of the 1995 Dayton peace treaty for Bosnia, returned to the region on Monday to rescue flagging international efforts to remove separatist Serb leader Radovan Karadzic from political life.
The focus of Holbrooke's mission was to lean on President Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia, the Bosnian Serbs' patron, to depose Karadzic while the West debates how best to arrest him for trial before a U.N. war crimes tribunal. Izetbegovic said that while NATO peace troops had separated Bosnia's ethnic armies admirably, many civilian aspects of the Dayton accord had not been implemented.
"Most important is that war criminals are still present in politics. This was the key issue of today's talks (with Holbrooke)," Izetbegovic said with Holbrooke alongside. "We have demanded that Karadzic be removed from public office, including the post of president of the SDS (party). I've conveyed the message to Mr Holbrooke that if the SDS under Karadzic's leadership takes part in the elections, then there could be a boycott of the elections by our side," the Muslim president said.
Western leaders believe the only chance of moderating SDS policies, averting a ruinous Muslim boycott and holding credible elections is to knock Karadzic off the political map. Holbrooke, whose aggressive, indefatigable diplomacy achieved peace in Bosnia after years of failed U.N. mediation, said he saw "signs of rebirth, revitalisation and rebuilding" all over Bosnia since Dayton's signing.
"But it is true, as President Izetbegovic just said, that a small group of people continue to thwart the political aspects of the Dayton agreements," he said.
Holbrooke said he would have talks with Milosevic in Belgrade on Wednesday and President Franjo Tudjman of Croatia, patron of nationalist Bosnian Croats who also oppose reunification of Bosnia, on Wednesday night. "I will make it clear (we are) insisting on full compliance with Dayton. The activities of the Serb leaders of Pale (capital of the Bosnian Serb republic) are incompatible with full compliance." |
SARAJEVO, July 16 (Reuters) Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic warned visiting U.S. peacemaker Richard Holbrooke on Tuesday that Muslims might boycott postwar elections if indicted Serb war criminals are allowed to take part.
Under the Dayton treaty, the September 14 elections are designed to create federal governing institutions reintegrating Serb, Muslim and Croat-dominated areas of Bosnia. But Karadzic and his ultra-nationalist Serb Democratic Party regard the balloting as the seal on an independent state carved out by conquest and expulsions of Muslims and Croats.
Berserkistan, July 16 · Holbrooke in Bosnia to Seek Karadzic’s Removal
Berserkistan, July 16 · Holbrooke, ‘Kissinger of the Balkans,’ Returns to Sarajevo
Berserkistan, July 15 · Elections on Hold Until Karadzic Steps Down
Berserkistan, July 14 · OSCE Delays Start of Bosnian Elections
Berserkistan, July 14 · Election Delay: Where the Players Stand
Berserkistan, July 12 · Bosnia’s Government May Boycott Elections
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