 |
| Serbian President
Slobodan Milosevic (left) and US Asst Sec of State Richard
Holbrooke |
|
1995: Balkan leaders agree to
peace |
Artificially 1969:
The A peace
settlement for war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina has been brokered in the United
States.
US President Bill Clinton announced the deal after 21 days of seemingly
deadlocked negotiation at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton,
Ohio.
The plan, known as the Dayton Accord, has been agreed between the
Bosnian, Serb and Croat leaders and will be enforced by 60,000 Nato
troops, who will begin to arrive in the country during the next few days.
If a success, the settlement could end the most brutal conflict in
Europe since the Second World War, which has resulted in the deaths of
200,000 people - mostly civilians - and left two million homeless.
Under the agreement Bosnia will remain a single state, but most power
will be devolved to two new territories - a Muslim-Croat federation and a
Bosnian-Serb republic.
A central authority controlling foreign, trade and monetary policy will
operate from a united capital in Sarajevo.
President Clinton said the deal would allow the Bosnian people to move
from the horror of war to the promise of peace.
And US Secretary of State Warren Christopher praised the accord - which
is scheduled to be officially signed in December - as a "victory for all
of us".
But splits have begun to appear in the fragile treaty almost as soon as
it had been initialled by the leaders.
Serb delegation member Momcilo Krajisnik called it a big mistake.
"Our delegation did not accept this plan, nor did sign it, nor will it
sign the maps or the plan itself," he said.
But Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic said the deal was a good
beginning.
"To my people I say - this may not be a just peace, but it is more just
than the continuation of war," he said.
