SARAJEVO, Feb 19 (Hina) - Special US envoy for the Balkans, Robert Gelbard, accused Republika Srpska President Nikola Poplasen of harming this Bosnian Serb entity with his actions more than anybody else had, and warned that other
officials in Bosnia-Herzegovina should watch their actions. In an interview ran by Sarajevo's weekly "Slobodna Bosna", Gelbard said Poplasen's aim seemed to be to destroy the entity. He almost acts as the enemy of the Serb people, Gelbard said, commenting on the current crisis surrounding the failure of a Republika Srpska premier to be elected. Regarding the situation in the Croat-Moslem Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Gelbard warned the necessary improvements in the entity had not occurred due to the utterly undynamic leadership whose members continue to fight against each other. They still have a communist mentality, Gelbard said, recalling that numerous American companies which wis
SARAJEVO, Feb 19 (Hina) - Special US envoy for the Balkans, Robert
Gelbard, accused Republika Srpska President Nikola Poplasen of
harming this Bosnian Serb entity with his actions more than anybody
else had, and warned that other officials in Bosnia-Herzegovina
should watch their actions.
In an interview ran by Sarajevo's weekly "Slobodna Bosna", Gelbard
said Poplasen's aim seemed to be to destroy the entity.
He almost acts as the enemy of the Serb people, Gelbard said,
commenting on the current crisis surrounding the failure of a
Republika Srpska premier to be elected.
Regarding the situation in the Croat-Moslem Federation of Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Gelbard warned the necessary improvements in the
entity had not occurred due to the utterly undynamic leadership
whose members continue to fight against each other.
They still have a communist mentality, Gelbard said, recalling that
numerous American companies which wish to invest into the Bosnian
Federation were not able to break through bureaucratic obstacles,
the archaic communist mentality and corruption.
The US Government is opposed to a donors' conference being held for
Bosnia-Herzegovina until results are visible in the implementation
of conclusions of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) which met
in Madrid last year.
Describing boycott as a favourite sport in the Balkans, Gelbard
said Bosnian Croat attempts to block the work of the Parliament are
unacceptable.
It is truly idiotic and again suggests the complete absence of
interest in the problems of the country. They (Croats) really do not
care about that, Gelbard said.
Gelbard categorically refused any possibility of tan establishment
of a third entity in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He also criticised the
Bosniak side for preventing the return of refugees and displaced
persons to areas where Bosniaks are in majority, such as Sarajevo.
They have been preventing people from returning in any way
possible, Gelbard said.
He stressed numerous Bosniak politicians such as Izetbegovic and
Silajdzic had not done anything in the plan of return, although they
had frequently spoken about it.
(hina) lml