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Karadzic’s Shadow Looms Large Over Geneva
But Serbia's President Slobodan Milosevic, seen by the West as the only man who can deliver the departure of the fiery Karadzic, gave no sign that he even wanted to discuss the issue at a day-long conference on Bosnia in Geneva.
He declined to say whether this could include moves to reimpose sanctions on the rump Yugoslavia -- Serbia and
Montenegro -- which were lifted when last November's Dayton accords on peace in Bosnia were signed in December. U.S. officials have also hinted this might be a possibility if Milosevic fails to deliver on his promise at Dayton to ensure the removal of Karadzic and his military commander Ratko Mladic, both under indictment by the United Nations war crimes tribunal in the Hague.
Asked by reporters on arrival in Geneva if he would be discussing the issue of Karadzic -- who Bildt said was poisoning the atmosphere ahead of elections due in September -- Milosevic replied: "I don't think so." The Serbian leader said the talks were about key aspects of the implementation of the Dayton accords. "We have six months of the realisation of the agreements behind us and it is very clear that the realisation is completely successful," he said.
He said the next main task was to hold the elections, which would create a "radically new situation.... (which) will open up a lot of possibilities for tolerance, normal cooperation and the recovery of normal life in Bosnia-Herzegovina. "I hope that all conditions will be fulfilled for that and the process of elections takes place as it was proposed and fixed in the Dayton agreements. So I'm a big optimist in terms of that," Milosevic added.
The talks -- also involving Russia, Germany, France and Britain who with the United States form a "contact group" on
Bosnia -- are aimed at trying to keep the fragile peace process in the fragmented Balkan state on track. U.S. sources said the three Balkan presidents were expected to issue a joint statement committing themselves to do everything in their power to ensure free and fair elections took place across Bosnia as scheduled in September.
Earlier Bildt said it was "provocative and intolerable" for Karadzic -- whose fierce ethnic nationalism fired the Serbs during the three-and-a-half year Bosnian war which ended with the Dayton accords -- to stay in power. U.S officials said the future of Karadzic would be a key topic in Christopher's talks with Milosevic who was long seen as the mentor of the Bosnian Serb leader.
The officials said the Secretary of State would press the Serbian president to use his influence to oust Karadzic and Mladic, as he promised under last year's peace agreement. The pair have embarrassed the West by hanging on to their positions and, in the case of Karadzic, preventing the emergence of any moderate leaders among the Bosnian Serbs.
Milosevic told U.S. envoy John Kornblum in Belgrade last week that he would show in Geneva that Karadzic, his former protege, was on the way out. But U.S. State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns told reporters Saturday that this would not be enough, adding that in the Kornblum talks in Belgrade Washington "did not receive assurances that we find convincing from Milosevic."
Western diplomats said the aim of the pressure on Milosevic was to get the immediate resignation of Karadzic. But the United States and its Western European allies also wanted proof after he left that his influence was also gone. Western powers see Karadzic as a major threat to peace with the elections now looming, although diplomats say there is a willingness to leave aside the issue of a war crimes trial for now -- as long as they can strip him of his power. |
GENEVA (Reuters) - International civilian coordinator in Bosnia Carl Bildt warned Sunday "things will start to happen" unless Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic was promptly removed from all positions of power.
The two were speaking separately just before attending a working luncheon hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher for Milosevic, Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic and Croatia's President Franjo Tudjman. "I made clear to Milosevic the issue (of Karadzic's departure) had to be sorted out in May. The deadline ran out yesterday. Things will start to happen," Bildt, a former Swedish prime minister, told reporters.
Berserkistan, June 2 · Bosnia: Fair Elections, but Not At Any Price
Berserkistan, June 2 · Christopher: Only Talk of Karadzic Trial
Berserkistan, June 1 · Marginalize Karadzic, Says West
Berserkistan, June 1 · Tomorrow’s Geneva Summit: Assuring Bosnia’s Elections
Berserkistan, May 31 · Warren Christopher to Intervene at Talks in Geneva
Berserkistan, May 31 · US: Cost Cost of Capturing Karadzic, Mladic Too Great
Berserkistan, May 30 · EU Administrator Sets Mostar Elections for June 30
U.S. State Department Policy on Bosnia
Warren Christopher Biography
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