• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=3/22/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=BOSNIA BRIEFING (ONLY)
NUMBER=2-260494
BYLINE=BRECK ARDERY
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United Nations Security Council heard today 
(Wednesday) that progress is being made in building a 
multi-ethnic society in Bosnia, but the progress is 
slow. V-O-A Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from 
the United Nations. 
TEXT:  U-N Assistant Secretary-General for 
Peacekeeping Hedi Annabi focused his report on efforts 
to create multi-ethnic police forces in Bosnia.  Mr. 
Annabi told the Council the greatest success has been 
in the ethnic integration of police units in the 
multi-ethnic Brcko (Brige-ko) district where the force 
is now 45-percent Serb, 37-percent Bosnian and 16-
percent Croat.
However, Mr. Annabi said progress has been slow in 
other areas of Bosnia, especially in the city of 
Mostar.  The U-N official reported that, especially in 
the western part of Mostar, Croat police have been 
resisting integration with Bosnian police.
Mr. Annabi said the United Nations Mission in Bosnia-
Herzegovina, or UNMIBH (UN-MIB), will continue to 
press for a more thorough ethnic integration of local 
security forces in Bosnia.
            /// ANNABI ACT ///
      While progress has been achieved, it has been 
      slow.  It is often based more on the efforts 
      made by UNMIBH to fulfil its mandate and on 
      action by the international community than on 
      action taken by the local authorities. In fact, 
      significant resistance by entrenched radical 
      nationalist and backward-looking elements 
      continues to be encountered.
            /// END ACT ///
Mr. Annabi said Bosnia continues to require the 
interest and commitment of the international 
community.
In what is viewed as symbolic of Bosnia's emerging 
status as a unified nation, it will send a contingent 
of police officers to serve in the United Nations 
Mission in East Timor next month.
            /// REST OPT ///
Bosnia's ambassador to the United Nations, Muhammad 
Sacirbey, told the Security Council that what he 
called obstructionists probably represent a minority 
of the people in Bosnia.
            /// SACIRBEY ACT ///
Besides the obstructionists, there are many, maybe 
even the majority, from all ethnic backgrounds who are 
supportive of UNMIBH's efforts and who are the 
backbone of the growing success of peace in Bosnia and 
Herzegovina.
            /// END ACT ///
Mr. Sacirbey pointed with pride to the fact that 
Bosnia's Mission to the United Nations is fully 
integrated, with all ethnic groups 
represented.(Signed)  
NEB/UN/BA/LSF/gm
22-Mar-2000 17:07 PM EDT (22-Mar-2000 2207 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.