Peace in ex-Yugoslavia depends on leaders' will
Peace in ex-Yugoslavia depends on leaders' will
JAKARTA (JP): Despite international efforts, including Indonesia's offer to facilitate a peace conference, the political goodwill of the leaders in the former Yugoslavia is a prerequisite for any peaceful solution to the crisis in the war- torn region, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas told journalists on Tuesday.
The minister said that the success of any peace initiative depended on the warring parties concerned.
"If they are not yet compelled by a political will to sit down in search of a political solution and are still driven by, for instance, a will to war, then it is difficult for any (peace) initiative to materialize," Alatas said.
After the expiration of a four-month cease-fire events have taken a turn for the worse, raising the possibility of a complete withdrawal of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in former- Yugoslavia (UNPROFOR).
"The minds of the leaders there are still riveted on matters of a cease-fire, on finger-pointing about who opened fire first," Alatas said, adding that conditions now made it extremely perilous for UNPROFOR to carry out its peacekeeping duty.
He said that in a peacekeeping operation the assumption was that a peace-like situation had already been established. "But if it is open warfare then it is impossible for UN peacekeeping operations to face it," Alatas said.
He said that Indonesia would continue to pursue its proposal for a comprehensive peace plan.
"Pak (Mr.) Nana Sutresna is currently on tour to explore the possibility," Alatas said, referring to the chief executive assistant to the chairman of the 112-nation Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), which Indonesia chairs.
During a brief visit to Sarajevo and Zagreb in March, President Soeharto proposed a two-step comprehensive peace plan involving a dialog between the rival factions followed by an international conference.
Due to the worsening situation, Alatas said he could not say when or if the proposal could be carried out. "There is still no clue on when it could be launched. Just look at the situation in Bosnia, which is still grave," he said.
Separately, at the Sukarno-Hatta airport, Jakarta Military Chief Maj. Gen. Wiranto yesterday welcomed home the Garuda XIV A health battalion which had served in Bosnia-Herzegovina for the past eight-months. The 247-strong battalion was lead by Lt. Col. Herridadi.
Meanwhile in Malang, East Java, armed forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Suwarno Adiwijoyo said that Indonesia would be sending a detachment of army engineers to Bosnia in August. (mds)