Situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina debated in Security Council
26 October -- Briefing the United Nations Security Council today, the High Representative for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement on Bosnia and Herzegovina stressed the need for the country to abandon nationalist politics and keep pace with the welcome changes that had taken place in other parts of the Balkans.
"We need new leaders who will move the country forward rather than the present leaders who camp out on nationalist positions, no matter that they are out of touch with their voters and changes in neighbouring States," High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch said at the opening of the Council's debate on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mr. Petritsch said Bosnia's nationalist incumbents were unwilling to take tough decisions, citing in particular their refusal to accept the fact that donor funds were fast running out. The Bosnian economy faced the "real headache" of a trade imbalance, he said, adding that while the clampdown against corruption had begun, "we are still unhappy with the slow pace with which political leaders are tackling the issue."
Looking towards the upcoming elections, the High Representative expressed hope that "ordinary Bosnians will vote out nationalist forces." At the same time, he urged the international community not to abandon Bosnia and Herzegovina. "We will need your continued moral, political and financial support," he said.
Mr. Petritsch's briefing was followed by an extensive debate involving representatives of the 15 members of the Security Council, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy and Germany.
The representative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Muhamed Sacirbey, acknowledged that many of the country's difficulties were of its own making, but added that the international community had also made missteps. He noted that the country's ethnically stratified institutions had been imposed by the Dayton Peace Agreement, stressing that when that accord was negotiated, the Bosnians had been forced to accept the lesser of two evils: a "bad peace" rather than a "just war." Bosnia and Herzegovina, he said, still needed "the assistance and unfortunately too often the leadership provided by the international community, however do not underestimate either our will or comprehension of the situation."
The High Representative for the Implementation of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement is appointed by the London Peace Implementation Conference and approved by the Security Council. His task is to mobilize and coordinate the activities of organizations and agencies involved in civilian aspects of the peace settlement in the country, and to monitor that settlement's implementation.
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