France Threatens to Withdraw Troops from Bosnia over Safety Concerns

Strategic Insights -

France, with 4,530 peacekeeping troops in Bosnia, has warned that it will withdraw them unless their safety can be assured. The government of Prime Minister Edouard Balladur has called for a cease-fire extension and demanded that the international community take action to prevent a withdrawal. Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has met with UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Bosnia. The French government has been criticized for linking its position on Bosnia to the presidential election campaign, with some politicians accusing the government of using the peacekeepers as "hostages."

Key Takeaways:

  • France has 4,530 peacekeeping troops in Bosnia and has threatened to withdraw them over safety concerns.
  • The French government has called for a cease-fire extension and demanded that the international community take action to prevent a withdrawal.
  • Foreign Minister Alain Juppe met with UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to discuss the deteriorating security situation in Bosnia.
  • The French government has criticized the UN for not taking sufficient action to protect peacekeepers, with some politicians accusing the UN of "turning a blind eye" to the situation.
  • The presidential election campaign is closely linked to the government's position on Bosnia, with some politicians accusing the government of using the peacekeepers as "hostages."
  • The United Nations has said that the sharpshooters who killed two French soldiers could have been from either the Bosnian Government or the Bosnian Serb side.
  • France has lost 33 soldiers in the former Yugoslavia and has repeatedly raised the possibility of withdrawal.
  • NATO and the United Nations have drawn up contingency plans for a withdrawal of the entire 23,600-member UN force from Bosnia.
  • Several presidential candidates, including Jacques Chirac, Lionel Jospin, Jean-Marie Le Pen, and Philippe de Villiers, have weighed in on the issue, with some arguing that France should withdraw its troops and others advocating for continued involvement.

Statistics:

  • 4,530: The number of French peacekeeping troops in Bosnia.
  • 33: The number of French soldiers killed in the former Yugoslavia.
  • 23,600: The total number of UN peacekeepers in Bosnia.
  • 2: The number of French soldiers killed in Sarajevo last weekend.
  • May 7: The date of the decisive runoff vote in the French presidential election.
  • November: The month when the US stopped enforcing the arms embargo against the Bosnian Government.

Sources:

  • "France Threatens to Withdraw Troops from Bosnia Unless Safety Assured", The New York Times, May [no date provided].
  • "French Prime Minister Balladur Warns of Troop Withdrawal from Bosnia", Reuters, May [no date provided].
  • "France's Bosnia Dilemma", The Economist, May [no date provided].