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Bildt: World Will Bar Karadzic from Elections
EU leaders, meeting in Florence, expected to demand
By Paul Holmes
As an indicted war criminal Karadzic "would not be accepted on the lists," Bildt told Reuterss at the European Union summit in Florence, where he briefed leaders on the peace process.
"The elections are actually to a large extent organised by the international community and there is no way in which we are going to allow Mr Karadzic to stand," he said. He said he would again meet Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic in Belgrade on Monday to press him to use his influence to remove Karadzic.
Bildt would not be drawn on what if any action, including sanctions, might be taken to ensure Karadzic's removal, but said the international community expected movement within seven to 10 days. "We have made certain things clear...If they do what we've told (them) then the sun will be shining," he said. "If they don't do it then rain will come, (whatever) this rain now means."
Karadzic has been nominated to run for the presidency of Bosnian Serb territory, Republika Srpska, in the September elections by the local branch of his SDS party in the Serb stronghold of Pale. Bildt called the move "stupid." A draft statement to be issued at the Florence summit later on Saturday was also set to demand the removal of Karadzic, who tops a list of indicted war criminals wanted by the U.N. international tribunal in The Hague.
Recalling that the Dayton peace accords bar those indicted from war crimes from running for office, the draft said: "To this end, (the EU) reiterates the demand...for Mr Karadzic's removal from the political scene." The EU text also expressed concern at Croat moves to undermine the Muslim-Croat Federation which is a key part of the institutional structure set for Bosnia under the Dayton deal.
"The European Council stresses that the Federation is an essential element and rejects any attempt to revive Herzeg-Bosnian government structures for the achievement of such an objective," the draft said. Last Saturday, the Bosnian Croats appointed Pero Markovic as new "prime minister" of their separatist "republic" of Herzeg-Bosna, which was supposed to have been dismantled under the Dayton agreement.
Bildt said the move had aggravated the situation inside the Federation ahead of municipal elections in the Muslim-Croat city of Mostar on June 30. The ballot will be seen as a dry run for the Bosnia-wide elections in September, intended to give the former Yugoslav republic common institutions for Serbs, Croats and Muslims.
The EU statement expressed support for a recommendation by a ministerial conference last week that the elections should take place on September 14 and called for better access to the media for political parties to ensure they were free and fair. Bildt said the Muslim-led Bosnian government was not living up to its commitments to allow free access to the media, including television. |
FLORENCE, Italy, June 22 (Reuters) - The world will bar Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic from running in Bosnia-wide elections in September even if his supporters nominate him, international envoy Carl Bildt said on Saturday.
Berserkistan, June 21 · EU Nations Condemn Karadzic Candidacy
Berserkistan, June 20 · Defiant Serbs Nominate Karadzic for President
Berserkistan, June 14 · Karadzic May Run for Office
The Indictment Against Radovan Karadzic and Gen. Ratko Mladic War Crimes Tribunal
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