NATO Allies Diverge on Bosnia Strategy After London Conference

Substantial differences have emerged among US and European allies regarding the defense of Bosnia's Muslim enclave of Gorazde following a London conference. While the US pushed for a massive bombing campaign to protect all designated safe havens, France urged the use of US helicopters to ferry troops and defend them with air power. The conference ultimately adopted a British position, authorizing air strikes only around Gorazde, with a veiled warning that broader attacks might follow. Despite contradictory statements from senior officials, defense restraints on Western air power remain in place.

Key Takeaways:

• The London conference authorized air strikes around Gorazde, with a potential for broader attacks, but the North Atlantic Council must meet and endorse the decision before it takes effect.
• The "dual-key" arrangement, requiring approval from both NATO and the United Nations, remains largely in place, with civilian U.N. officials no longer able to veto air raids, but requests for action must come from blue-helmet military officials in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
• The U.S. had pushed for a broader threat to protect all safe areas, but this was blocked by the British, who feared retaliation against their peacekeepers in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
• Defense Secretary William Perry insisted that the London conference gave NATO blanket authority to bomb Serb nationalist forces throughout Bosnia-Herzegovina, but this claim was disputed by U.S. officials.
• U.S. officials acknowledged that the results of the London discussions fell "far short" of their objectives, and that the British blocked the West from crafting a broader threat.
• The United Nations' special envoy to the former Yugoslavia, Yasushi Akashi, rejected criticism that the dual-key arrangement was slow to respond, stating that it remains in place.

Statistics:

• 4: The number of safe havens identified in Bosnia-Herzegovina, including Gorazde, Sarajevo, Tuzla, and Bihac.
• 1: The number of key player nations involved in the London conference, including the US, France, Great Britain, and Russia.
• 1: The number of decisions the North Atlantic Council must make before endorsing the London conference's decision on air strikes.
• 2: The number of entities, NATO and the United Nations, required to approve air strikes in Bosnia-Herzegovina under the "dual-key" arrangement.
• "A number of occasions": The frequency at which civilian U.N. officials have overturned requests for NATO air support from blue-helmet commanders on the ground.

Sources:

• Reuters
• UPI Diplomatic Writer SID BALMAN Jr. (July 24)