 |
Colleagues Say Karadzic Will Quit
‘(Karadzic) would sacrifice his power if that is in the interest of the Serb peace... There are certain warnings that every rational party should listen to.’
By Dan DeLuce
Momcilo Krajisnik, speaker of the Bosnian Serb parliament, told reporters after meeting international mediator Carl Bildt that Karadzic was anxious to prevent the threat of renewed U.N. sanctions against Serbs, likely if he stayed in power.
Tanjug news agency said Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and the presidents of rump Yugoslavia and Montenegro gave Bosnian Serb envoys an ultimatum to remove Karadzic in Belgrade on Monday. They threatened the Bosnian Serbs with reprisals, which were not spelled out, unless the Bosnian Serb parliament complied with the Bosnian peace agreement which specified Karadzic's removal as an indicted war criminal.
"An acting president of the Bosnian Serb republic with full powers must be appointed immediately to prevent its citizens' interests being further jeopardized in respect of implementation of the peace agreement," Tanjug quoted an official statement as saying.
Milosevic signed the peace agreement but had not previously been so publicly insistent that the Bosnian Serbs sacrifice president Karadzic, who led them through 3˝ years of war against Bosnian independence. It was not clear whether the reference to compliance also included Karadzic's extradition to the U.N. war crimes court in The Hague.
Krajisnik told reporters in Pale, the Bosnian Serb government seat: "(Karadzic) would sacrifice his power if that is in the interest of Serb people and Republika Srpska... he would never endanger the Dayton accords just to stay in power."
The stage for Karadzic's departure has been prepared since the weekend, when Bosnian Serb sources said he would quit within days and be replaced by foreign minister Aleksa Buha. The report was officially called "speculation" but was not denied.
Krajisnik said: "There are certain warnings that every rational party should listen to. We don't want to endanger Republika Srpska (the Bosnian Serb republic) nor to bring Serbia into a difficult position," he said. Asked to confirm that Buha would be Karadzic's successor, Krajisnik said: "We are not speaking of a successor. I can only
say that Mr Buha is a prominent person. He is a member of a small circle of popular and important personalities" who had the right to run for president.
The ruling Serb Democratic Party would make "a final decision" at the meeting of its central committee, Krajisnik said. The committee is expected to meet at the end of the week. The Bosnian Serb parliament met on Tuesday, postponing its start to allow Krajisnik to hold talks with Bildt.
Bildt, the international High Representative in Bosnia, met Krajisnik a day after talks with Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, patron of the Bosnian Serbs. He told reporters he was not seeking immediate sanctions but
added: "We mean serious business when it comes to the peace agreement. This is not a piece of paper to be treated like nothing" |
PALE, Bosnia, June 25 (Reuters) - Yugoslav leaders were reported on Tuesday to have demanded the immediate resignation of Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, indicted for war crimes, and a colleague indicated he was ready to step down.
Berserkistan, June 24 · Bildt: Karadzic Will Not Stand for Elections
Berserkistan, June 23 · Karadzic to resign as President
Berserkistan, June 21 · Bildt: World Will Bar Karadzic from Elections
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
Berserkistan is a world news service of Michael Linder Productions, Inc.
©1995-1996, All Rights Reserved