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Kornblum to Balkans For Talks on Removing Radovan Karadzic
‘We think whether he’s pushed or pulled or walks
"Acting Assistant Secretary John Kornblum will return to the Balkans tonight. He will be making stops in Zagreb, Belgrade and Sarajevo before joining (Secretary of State Warren Christopher) at Lyon for the G-7 summit," spokesman Glyn Davies said. "He will, as he always does, press the parties to comply fully with their obligations under the (Dayton peace) agreement, including importantly provisions concerning war criminals."
Davies said he had no confirmation of reports of renewed pressure, including from Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, on Karadzic to step aside. But he said: "We think whether he's pushed or pulled or walks off the stage himself it's off the stage he should go. So we're looking forward to further positive developments. And we hope that some of these reports are borne out."
He said Kornblum would discuss the issue during his trip to the three capitals, adding: "I would hope, as a result of that trip, that we'd have a bit more certainty on all of this."
Davies welcomed the announcement in Vienna by the head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that the Bosnian elections would take place Sept. 14. "Of course, these elections won't be perfect. They can't be perfect. There are many organizational challenges," he said. "Nevertheless, elections will bring into being the multi-ethnic government structure which was foreseen in the Bosnian (peace agreements). And it is a critical first step to moving the peace process forward." |
WASHINGTON, June 25 (Reuters) - U.S. envoy John Kornblum will leave for the Balkans Tuesday for talks on bringing those indicted for war crimes, including Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, to justice, the State Department said. The trip coincides with fresh reports from the area of pressure on Karadzic, who has been charged with war crimes by the U.N. tribunal in The Hague, to step aside before Bosnian elections due Sept. 14.
Berserkistan, June 25 · Colleagues Say that Karadzic Will Quit
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