WASHINGTON (AP)--A senior State Department official said Friday the U.S. will take a "very tough-minded approach" toward Serbia for its failure to arrest Bosnian Serb leaders wanted by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in the Hague.
Nicholas Burns, the State Department's third-ranking official, told reporters former general Ratko Mladic is still at large despite assurances by Serb authorities in June that he would be taken into custody.
"It did not happen," said Burns, who will visit Serbia as well as Kosovo and Bosnia next week. His trip will begin in Belgium, where he will attend a meeting the North Atlantic Council on Tuesday.
He said the U.S. will invite Balkan leaders to Washington next month, the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton agreement, which essentially ended the Bosnia war.
One goal of the November meetings, he said, is to see if Balkan leaders "can put the past firmly behind them" by arresting Mladic and former Bosnian leader Radovan Karadzic. In addition, he called for the arrest of Croatian Gen. Croatian Gen. Ante Gotovina, who also is wanted at the Hague on war crimes charges.
On Bosnia, Burns hailed the "enormous progress" made in the recent past in overcoming ethnic differences and putting the country on a path toward unifying its military and police forces.
In Kosovo, Burns said the uncertain political status that has persisted since 1999 "is no longer sustainable."
He said he is hopeful that final status talks can begin well before the end of 2005.
"The people of the region have a right to know that they have a future and can control that future," Burns said.
At issue is Serbia's refusal to accept the demands of Kosovar Albanians for an independent Kosovo.
As for his visit to Belgrade, Burns said he will tell Serb leaders the U.S. wants to welcome the country into a partnership with NATO but will block any such relationship so long as Karadzic and Mladic are still at large.
He acknowledged that Karadzic may be in the Serb sector of Bosnia and not in Serbia itself.
"It does not stand to reason that these people cannot be found," Burns said.
On Croatia, Burns said the country hasn't made adequate progress is finding and arresting Gotovina. Until he is taken to The Hague, the U.S. will oppose Croatia's bid for membership in NATO, Burns said.
Other candidates for NATO membership are Macedonia and Albania. [ 07-10-05 1544GMT ]
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9 comments:
They want to trade Ratko Mladic for Kosova to remain under Serbia...
Dream on...
The thing is that Kosovo will remain serbia'n territory weather we give mladic or not
Yet another confused Serb!
1.
First, go and learn English. The topic of discussion here is not "weather". We are talking about the biggest criminals Europe has seen since the end of the Second World War. May I remind you, these criminals are Serbs.
2.
Second, Mladic's ass is worthless. It always was, it will always be.
3.
Third, the only reason the world wants Mladic where he belongs, i.e. behind bars, is to pave the way for Serbia to beg (not ask, beg) for forgiveness for the worst crimes committed in Europe since the end of the Second World War.
4.
Fourth, Mladic is not worth an inch of Kosovar land. You, i.e. Serbs, keep your criminals and we, i.e. Kosovars, will keep our land.
5.
Finally, see you in Brussels!
From Kosova with Love!
"1.
First, go and learn English. ...
.. 2.
Second,..."
Putting aside nonsense you wrote -- your English is even worse. If you put nunmber ("2.") you never repeat with a word ("Second"). Anyway, next time try to learn before trying to preach...
Yo Serb freaks,
can't you see? you are screwed... Kosovo gone... NATO in hold... soon there will be economic sanctions too... Welcome back to 1990s you bloodthirsty bunch....
yo Serbs,
you forgot to post the following bullshit. Another "expert" saying nothing:
“No secret plans” for Kosovo | 11:22 October 07 | B92
BELGRADE, WASHINGTON -- Friday – Cato Institute Political Analyst Jonathan Clark said that the international community does not have a “secret plan” prepared for the Kosovo status discussions.
Clark said that there is no ultimatum that must be accepted or rejected. There are however, certain parameters for the discussion process, such as an insistence on multi-national discussion teams and for Kosovo to remain a united entity which cannot join another region or country such as Albania, he said.
“I think that Serbs and Kosovo Albanians must accept the idea that there is no secret plan, there will be no ultimatum, and that they should back their suggestions up with the best possible arguments.” Clark told the Voice of America.
He added that the Serbian attitude has been receiving more and more support from the international community in the last two or three years.
“I think that the Serbian stance will be looked at in a positive light by the international negotiators. The key for the Serbian side is to make sure that its stance is not overly extreme and that it is flexible, so that the discussion could be completed successfully.” Clark said.
According to him, the Serbian decentralization plan is in complete accordance with the stance of the international community, which is dedicated to the development of local autonomies through small local territories and communities with complete self-government.
“I think that the final status of Kosovo will essentially be based around the decentralization discussions.” Clark said, adding that the talks will be successful if both sides come to the table completely prepared to reach an acceptable and peaceful solution.
“If the Serbs and Kosovo Albanians really wish to solve the future status question in peace, the international community will enable them to do so, but if this is not the case, I am afraid that this discussion process will be a very long one.” Clark said.
The EU will decide whether Serbia and Montenegro enter --- the US is posturing as they are expected to do. As goes Serbia and Montenegro, so goes the Balkans.
how ridiculous, America thinks it's easy to find mladic and karadzic... well has america found osama bin laden yet? nope.
Idiot Bin Laden isn't hiding in the USA. mladic and karadzic roam freely in the streets of Belgrade and even collect their pension from the Serb government
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