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Bosnia’s Elections Remain on Track Despite Karadzic’s Presence
But they failed at a meeting with Balkan leaders in Geneva to win assurances from Serbia that Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic and military chief Ratko Mladic would be removed from power. U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher and European officials put serious pressure on Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic to discard his former proteges.
The U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague has indicted both Karadzic and Mladic and Karadzic is widely seen as a major threat to the peace agreement signed last year since he continues to advocate Bosnia's ethnic partition. Milosevic had promised they would be ousted as part of the peace deal but has not delivered so far. Diplomats say the removal of the two men would cause him political trouble at home.
"I told him that just wasn't enough," Christopher said after the meeting. "What we wanted to see was real action." Western diplomats said the heavy reliance on Milosevic was, in fact, a sign of weakness since the international community feels increasingly it should not antagonise the Serbs too much ahead of elections planned for September. The Bosnian Serbs, the target of NATO air strikes during the war, could react violently if the alliance-led peace force in Bosnia were to hunt down Karadzic and Mladic, perhaps even scuttling hopes for the elections.
Mladic in particular is seen as a hero by his people and Karadzic is still popular in some areas.
Christopher said again raised the prospect of reimposing sanctions on Serbia unless Milosevic acted against the two Bosnian Serbs, but diplomats said there was no sign that Washington was moving seriously in that direction.
Christopher and others said it was vital for the elections to go ahead on schedule to lay the foundation for a democratic Bosnia and to help to overcome the hatred and mistrust still festering after 43 months of war. "I see elections as absolutely essential... The longer we delay the process, the more difficult it will be to overcome the partition of Bosnia," said international peace coordinator Carl Bildt. Balkan leaders agreed in Geneva to press on with plans for the elections, including steps designed to make them free and fair. Nevertheless, Bosnia's Muslim-led government remains worried about Karadzic and his influence on the political scene.
With concern about freedom of movement and other basic issues of democracy still running high, Washington and its European allies made clear they do not expect the elections to be perfect. But diplomats said they must go ahead, even with Karadzic still in power -- and not only for the good of Bosnia.
The United States and others are keen to start pulling out the 60,000-strong NATO-led peace force in Bosnia in December. Diplomats say this might be delayed if elections are postponed, dragging the alliance into a longer and more costly deployment.
While the NATO force has no mandate to hunt down indicted war criminals, it can arrest them if they cross the path of allied troops. Patrols are now to be stepped up to increase the chances of that happening. "It remains a long-term goal to get them (Karadzic and Mladic) to the war crimes tribunal in The Hague," said one European diplomat. "First, though, we have to make sure they have no power -- and that is proving very difficult to achieve." |
GENEVA (Reuters) -- The United States and its allies, although frustrated by their failure so far to oust hardline Bosnian Serb leaders, are pressing on with plans to hold the first elections in Bosnia since the war ended. Diplomats said Washington, NATO and others involved in trying to shore up the fragile peace in the former Yugoslav republic still hoped they could win the power struggle.
Berserkistan, June 2 · Yugoslavia Threatened with New Sanctions
Berserkistan, June 2 · Bosnia: Fair Elections, but Not At Any Price
Berserkistan, June 2 · Christopher: Only Talk of Karadzic Trial
Berserkistan, June 2 · Karadzic’s Shadow Looms Large over Geneva
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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