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Muslims, Croats Urged to Align for U.S. Military Assistance
Failure of Bosnian Parliament to
SARAJEVO, June 10 (Reuters) -- A U.S. official urged Muslims and Croats on Monday to settle disputes holding up an American "train and equip" program to strengthen Bosnia's Muslim-Croat army. The scheme to give the Muslim-Croat federation military parity with Bosnian Serbs has been delayed by the Bosnian parliament's failure to pass a defense law.
Washington also wants the Bosnian government to shed the remaining foreign Muslims who fought alongside the Bosnian army during the war before it starts the programme. James Pardew, head of the "train and equip" program, arrived in Sarajevo for talks with Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic and Federation President Kresimir Zubak. He will meet Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Tuesday.
"We must move on. The security of the people of Bosnia is at stake here and time is running out," Pardew told reporters. He warned that the issue of the Islamic fighters, mostly Iranian and who are seen as a potential threat to U.S. peacekeeping troops in Bosnia, "is a major issue in the United States. But the trend has been positive."
The Sarajevo government says it has expelled all foreign troops and ended an intelligence relationship with Iran. The federation parliament refused to pass the defense law last week despite an agreement reached reached between Muslim and Croat negotiators in Washington. The law will integrate the separate Bosnian government and Croat forces.
Diplomats fear the existence of two armies with independent chains of command and different political agendas would be a blueprint for disaster.
Muslims and Croats still distrust each other since being forced into federation by U.S. diplomacy in 1994 after fighting a bitter 10-month war. On top of $220 million in refurbished U.S. military equipment, Washington had so far won pledges of $140 million for the program from other countries including Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. |
Berserkistan, June 8 · U.S. Envoy Attempts to Resolve Bosnia’s Train and Equip Plan
Berserkistan, June 6 · Ethnic Tensions Blocking Bosnian-Croat Army
Berserkistan, June 5 · Bitter Debate Over Army Tests Muslim-Croat Federation
Berserkistan, May 31 · US Firm Contracted to Train Bosnia’s Army
Berserkistan, May 15 · Bosnian Soldiers to Turkey On NATO Training Program
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