Evaluating the Performance of Special Envoys in the Yugoslavia Crisis

The Yugoslavia crisis has brought forth various special envoys, tasked with finding a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Among them are Victor Chernomyrdin, Russia's special envoy, and Carl Bildt, one of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's appointed envoys. Despite their efforts, progress has been slow, and many have expressed concerns about their effectiveness. Meanwhile, other special envoys like Eduard Kukan and Martti Ahtisaari have emerged as potential mediators, bringing a fresh perspective to the negotiations.

Key Takeaways:

• Victor Chernomyrdin, Russia's special envoy, has visited Belgrade three times, but his efforts have been met with little progress.
• Carl Bildt, one of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's appointed envoys, has yet to meet Milosevic and has expressed concerns about the lack of strategic co-ordination on the diplomatic front.
• Eduard Kukan, Slovak Foreign Minister and another former UN representative in Bosnia, has met with Igor Ivanov, the Russian Foreign Minister, and has been traveling extensively in his new role as UN special envoy.
• Martti Ahtisaari, Finnish President, has emerged as a new honest broker in the conflict, having met with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, and US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott.
• George Papandreou, the Greek Foreign Minister, has presented himself as the best mediator, citing his country's close ties with fellow Christian Orthodox Serbia and Russia.
• Massima D'Alema, Italian Prime Minister, and Strobe Talbott, US Deputy Secretary of State, have also been involved in the negotiations, but their efforts have been met with limited success.

Statistics:

• Victor Chernomyrdin has spent 14 days traveling to ease tensions between Belgrade and NATO. (Source: Patrick Wintour, The Guardian)
• Carl Bildt has complained that there has been a lack of strategic co-ordination on the diplomatic front. (Source: Carl Bildt, The Guardian)
• Eduard Kukan has traveled extensively in his new role as UN special envoy, meeting with Kofi Annan and Igor Ivanov. (Source: Anonymous, The Guardian)
• Martti Ahtisaari has met with his Russian counterpart twice and Strobe Talbott, the US Deputy Secretary of State. (Source: Martti Ahtisaari, The Guardian)

Sources:

• Patrick Wintour, The Guardian
• Carl Bildt, The Guardian
• Anonymous, The Guardian
• Martti Ahtisaari, The Guardian