Bosnian Serb Referendum Rejects International Peace Plan

Strategic Insights -

Preliminary results from a weekend referendum in Bosnia-Herzegovina have shown that over 90% of voters rejected the international peace plan proposed by the "contact group" of senior diplomats from the United States, Russia, Britain, France, and Germany. The referendum, held in the Serbian Republic, was met with skepticism by international officials, who argued that the vote was not a genuine expression of public opinion but rather a "simple political action" by Bosnian Serb leaders to manipulate the population.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 90% of voters in the Bosnian Serb referendum rejected the international peace plan proposed by the contact group.
  • The referendum was held in 34 out of 82 municipalities in the Serbian Republic, covering approximately 72% of the former Yugoslav republic.
  • Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev discounted the results as a "simple political action" by Bosnian Serb leaders, arguing that the referendum was "held under conditions of war hysteria and state-controlled press."
  • Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic and Kozyrev shared a similar position on the peace plan, considering it a "great chance for exiting the current crisis and entering a period of lasting and stable peace."
  • The deployment of international observers along the border between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia was a contentious issue, with Milosevic previously rejecting the idea.
  • Monday's talks between Kozyrev and Croatian President Franjo Tudjman in Zagreb and with Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic and Prime Minister Haris Silajdzic in Sarajevo focused on the lifting of the arms embargo against Bosnia.

Statistics:

  • 90% of voters rejected the international peace plan in the Bosnian Serb referendum.
  • 34 out of 82 municipalities in the Serbian Republic completed the vote, representing approximately 72% of the former Yugoslav republic.
  • 1 September was set as the deadline for the official announcement of the referendum results.
  • 4 August marked the date when Serbia cut relations with Bosnian Serbs.
  • U.N. sanctions against Serbia and its ally Montenegro have been in place since 1992.

Sources:

  • Tanjug, the state-run Yugoslav news agency
  • Preliminary results of the Bosnian Serb referendum
  • An official statement from Milosevic's cabinet released on Monday morning
  • Comments from Petko Cancar, head of the Bosnian Serb referendum committee
  • Comments from Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev in an interview with Tanjug.