(21 May 1996) T/I: 10:21:31


Carl Bildt, the top civilian official implementing the Bosnian peace process, returned to Sarajevo on Tuesday (21/5), after talks in Belgrade. Bildt said there was still some "uncertainty" over Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic's position as leader of the Serb entity.
Karadzic on Saturday (18/5) announced he was handing over some his powers as president to a deputy, Biljana Plavsic. But Plavsic insisted on Sunday this did not amount to a resignation by Karadzic. Many have interpreted the move as a manoeuvre to blunt international attempts to remove Karadzic from the leadership of the Bosnian Serbs. Last week Karadzic also removed his prime minister, Rajko Kasagic, in a move interpreted by the international community as strengthening his own powerbase within the Pale leadership.

SHOWS:

SARAJEVO, BOSNIA, 21/5
WS plane landing
WS plane on runway
WS European civilian mediator CARL BILDT standing next to car
Bildt walking across tarmac
SOT BILDT: " She (Biljana Plavsic) has to meet constitution..any power she has derives from the constitution . That means he (Karadzic) has handed over power and authority and the nature of that power and authority needs to be clarified. The constitution allows for handover if he is unable or absent. The important thing is we had cooperation with him (former prime minister Kasagic) it was not perfect in every way. But he had open attitude to relations, and he did republica srpska a service in that respect. If you see some of the statements made, that
is what they objected too, the fact that he was trying to open up republica srpska to the modern world. Take them out of the mediaeval times that some of the others seem to be stuck in. I certainly don't trust anyone in this game. I am looking to what can be achieved with concrete results. And those develop over time. We are applying pressure, but they are in disarray. They are retreating sometimes more and sometimes less, but the general direction of change is a rather obvious one."

2:01

Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ] ​​
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]


You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]

свернуть