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Russia’s Foreign Minister in Belgrade For Talks on Mladic, Karadzic
By Branko Filipovic
BELGRADE, May 29 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Yevgeniy Primakov held talks with rump Yugoslav officials on Wednesday amid mounting international pressure on Belgrade to oust indicted Bosnian Serb war criminals from power. Primakov met his Yugoslav counterpart, Milan Milutinovic, a week after a senior United States envoy pressed Belgrade to fulfil its commitments under the Dayton peace accord and remove Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic.
Primakov told a news conference his talks with Milutinovic were "open and friendly" but made no mention of the extradition of Karadzic and Bosnian Serb army commander General Ratko Mladic --- both charged by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, patron of the Bosnian Serbs, discussed Karadzic's fate with Serb hardline leaders this week ahead of an expected visit by U.S. envoys, according to Bosnian Serb sources. The United States has threatened to push for the reimposition of sanctions on rump Yugoslavia, comprised of Serbia and Montenegro, if it fails to keep its promises on handing over indicted war criminals.
Primakov, whose government has tended to advocate Belgrade's position throughout the Balkan conflict, said he hoped Russia could help find a "just solution" in the region which would ensure equal treatment for all former warring factions. The international community should make an effort "not to cross those lines which could lead towards counterproductive results," Primakov said without elaborating.
Russia has had deep differences with the European Union and Washington over the war in Bosnia, accusing the West of singling out the Orthodox Christian Serbs for punishment. A statement issued by the Yugoslav state news agency Tanjug said the Russian and Yugoslav ministers agreed that Belgrade had "fully respected and fulfilled all its duties in accordance with the Dayton-Paris agreement."
Western governments have accused Milosevic of dragging his feet on implementing the peace pact which he signed, allowing Karadzic to cling to power in violation of the treaty. |
BACKGROUND BRIEFING
As of January 1996, Yevgeniy Primakov served as Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation. This 66-year-old former Communist Party Member was once the head of the Soviet counter-intelligence service (KGB) and has had extensive diplomatic experience. Primakov has pledged to continue with the policies of Kozyrev while seeking to increase Russian authority in the international arena.
Primakov also professes to be totally loyal to President Yeltsin. While supervising the transfer of Russian troops to Bosnia to join the peacekeeping operation, Primakov must also manage the situation in Chechnya and try to keep outsiders from entering the fray.
Primakov claims his priority is to promote Russia's interests worldwide. First, Russia's territorial integrity must be maintained (i.e. Chechnya). Second, the economic and political integration and cooperation with the former Soviet republics must continue within the CIS framework. Third, nuclear non-proliferation is extremely important. Fourth, NATO must not be allowed to expand. And finally, Russia must strengthen ties worldwide, to alleviate the dependence on favorable relations with the United States.
Berserkistan, May 29 · Bosnian Serbs Split on Karadzic, Mladic Fate
Berserkistan, May 28 · Serbs Said Deciding Fate of Karadzic, Mladic
From KGB to MFA: Primakov Becomes Russian Foreign Minister by Marian Leighton
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