Dayton Peace Deal Sparks Hope for Balkan Stability

Strategic Insights -

President Slobodan Milosevic's meeting with Bosnian Serb rebels near Belgrade has led to a grudging acceptance of the Balkan peace deal. The Yugoslav news agency Tanjug reported that Radovan Karadzic, the Bosnian Serb leader, agreed to abide by the deal reached in Dayton, Ohio, but retained some objections. The Dayton agreement bars Karadzic and General Ratko Mladic from office due to their indictments for war crimes. As the sanctions against Yugoslavia are being dismantled, neighboring countries welcome the relief, but analysts expect Belgrade to exert pressure on the rebel leaders to comply.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Dayton peace deal has been accepted by Bosnian Serb rebels, but with some reservations, following a meeting between President Slobodan Milosevic and Radovan Karadzic near Belgrade.
  • The rebels have agreed to abide by the deal, which includes the suspension of economic sanctions imposed on Yugoslavia for supporting the Bosnian Serb rebellion.
  • The sanctions relief is contingent on Bosnian Serb compliance with the Dayton agreement, and analysts expect Belgrade to exert maximum pressure on the rebel leaders to toe the line.
  • The deal creates a clear split in Bosnian Serb ranks, with local leaders in Banja Luka welcoming it, while others in Pale remain opposed.
  • The peace agreement includes the transfer of land surrounding Sarajevo to the Muslim-Croat federation, making the city less vulnerable to siege.
  • Residents of Serb-held districts near Sarajevo have voiced defiance of the Dayton deal and threatened to leave if their areas are handed over to the federation.
  • The Bosnian president, Alija Izetbegovic, has called on Serbs to stay put, warning that a mass exodus would torpedo the attempt to recreate Sarajevo in its pre-war multi-ethnic form.

Statistics:

  • The sanctions against Yugoslavia have been in place for over three years, since their imposition for supporting the Bosnian Serb rebellion.
  • The Bosnian conflict has crippled the economies of neighboring countries, which have main export routes to the West blocked since the conflict broke out.
  • The deal creates a corridor linking Sarajevo to the Muslim enclave of Gorazde, which will be built soon after the peace deal is signed in Paris in December.

Sources:

  • Tanjug - Yugoslav news agency
  • European monitors - quoted in the article
  • Diplomats in Sarajevo - unnamed sources in the article
  • Local leaders in Banja Luka - quoted in the article
  • Radio and television stations in Pale - mentioned in the article
  • United Nations - mentioned in the article as the organization responsible for implementing the peace deal.