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)