KARADZIC'S PROVOCATION AWAITING PROPER RESPONSE

SARAJEVO, 4 Feb (Hina) - Radovan Karadzic's war threats in an interview with the Greek newspaper 'Elefteros tipos' caused strong reactions in Bosnia and Herzegovina as they were published in time of a clear crisis in the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement. #L# What Karadzic actually did was to reiterate threats by high Bosnian Serb officials saying that the Serbs would start a new war for Brcko if they had to, but his comments caused much stronger reactions. On the same day the interview was published, the Serb radio and television in Pale broadcast a statement by Momcilo Krajisnik saying that the interview was published in order to cause 'fear and chaos'. Colum Murphy, spokesman for Carl Bildt's office, today confirmed that there were doubts as to the authenticity of Karadzic's statements. Karadzic's statements were a slap in the face of the international community, said co-chairman of the Bosnian Council of Ministers, Haris Silajdzic. However, the international community deserved it, he added. The solution to the problem was to immediately set up special forces which would arrest war criminals, Silajdzic said. The establishment of such forces has been discussed for a long time, but it was of no avail, although the idea was openly supported by the U.S. President Bill Clinton, the head of the U.S. Army joint headquarters, General John Shalikashvili and NATO Secretary General Javier Solana. The British defence minister Michael Portillo showed biggest reservations concerning the establishment of such forces, which points to old European-American doubts as to the policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Regardless of their prompt verbal reactions, NATO member countries have yet to decide whether they would behave as if Karadzic had not made the statement at all. (hina) rm mm 041505 MET feb 97