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Bosnian Serb Leaders Split On Fate of Karadzic, Mladic By Donald Forbes BELGRADE, May 29 (Reuters) - Bosnian Serb leaders have been split by international pressure for the ouster of "president" Radovan Karadzic, Bosnian Serb sources said on Wednesday. Senior envoys of the Bosnian Serb government met Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade on Monday and Tuesday to discuss Karadzic's future but failed to agree. The United States has threatened to reimpose economic sanctions on rump Yugoslavia unless Milosevic extradites Karadzic and Bosnian Serb Army commander General Ratko Mladic for trial by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague. The sources said the Bosnian Serb leadership and Milosevic discussed whether Karadzic should step down unconditionally -- as demanded by the Bosnian peace agreement -- or whether strings should be attached to his removal. Despite their disagreement, there was no sign the Bosnian Serbs were ready to compromise on their refusal to surrender either Karadzic or Mladic to the U.N. court. The West believes that getting Karadzic to the Hague is the only way of guaranteeing that he will be unable to continue undermining the peace process and Bosnian elections in September. Bosnian Serb sources said "vice president" Nikola Koljevic favoured Karadzic's removal from office. Hardliners Biljana Plavsic, another "vice president" to whom Karadzic has ceded some of his authority, and parliament speaker Momcilo Krajisnik opposed his unconditional resignation. They believed western mediators would immediately focus their energies on fresh ways to pressure the hardliners who control the Bosnian Serb government into complying with the peace agreement. The hardliners believe that holding on to Karadzic asserts Bosnian Serb independence and provides them with valuable time to continue obstructing implementation of the peace agreement. Milosevic summoned the top echelon of the Bosnian Serb government ahead of a visit to Belgrade later this week by U.S. mediator John Kornblum. The Serbian president negotiated the peace treaty agreed in Dayton last year but for domestic political reasons has baulked at his promise to deliver Karadzic and Mladic for trial.

Berserkistan, May 28 · Serbs Said Deciding Fate of Karadzic, Mladic
Berserkistan, May 20 · The Karadzic Proxy: Biljana Plavsic
Berserkistan, May 20 · Bildt: Karadzic Poisoning Political Atmosphere
Berserkistan, May 20 · Kradzic Shifts Some Duties, but Won't Step Down
The Indictment Against Radovan Karadzic and Gen. Ratko Mladic

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