Silajdzic says Serb murders endanger peace process
Silajdzic says Serb murders endanger peace process
SARAJEVO (Reuter): Bosnian Prime Minister Haris Silajdzic said yesterday a new wave of ethnic cleansing in the Bosnian Serb-held north of the country has put a resumption of overall peace talks in doubt.
Silajdzic also blasted the UN Security Council for not acting to stop a fierce Serb artillery and tank offensive against the Moslem-populated government enclave of Gorazde despite its status as a UN-protected "safe haven"
Up to 20 minority Moslems and Croats were killed by Serb militants in the northern Bosnian town of Prijedor last week in a fresh wave of "ethnic cleansing".
Silajdzic said the Serbs were intent on pre-empting any claims at peace talks for the return of conquered territories by arguing that no Moslems or Croats lived there any more.
"We are seeing the completion of the operation of ethnic cleansing and genocide. I can say this puts in great danger the continuation of the peace process," he told a news conference.
U.S. congressman Frank McCloskey, who had talks with Silajdzic, said an international Red Cross plan to evacuate Prijedor's non-Serbs abroad in reaction to Serb violence violated "all the laws of international justice and human morality".
The United Nations said yesterday Serbs had refused it permission to send more military observers to the Bosnian enclave of Gorazde where fighting raged in a Serb assault that began a week ago.
In Croatia, a cease-fire between government forces and Serbs in the breakaway Krajina enclave came into force at 9 a.m. (07:00 GMT) and seemed to be holding with no major violations reported.
"All indications are positive," said a UN spokesman in Zagreb of the truce intended to end a three-year conflict between Croatia and the Krajina Serbs who seized one-third of the country when Zagreb declared independence in 1991.
Infantry
UN military spokesman Rob Annink said Serb artillery and tank fire had hit the town and the front lines on Sunday.
One civilian was killed and a soldier in the Bosnian-led army and four civilians were wounded in Sunday's fighting, Annink told a news briefing in Sarajevo.
Sarajevo radio said the Bosnian forces in Gorazde had repulsed two Serb infantry attacks, one overnight and the second yesterday morning.
The Bosnian-controlled radio spoke of fierce battles after Serb infantry moved in backed by tanks and artillery.
The Yugoslav news agency Tanjug, however, quoted Serb military sources as saying units of the Bosnian army had launched a fierce artillery and infantry attack.
Gorazde is one of three Bosnian pockets in Serb-held eastern Bosnia. The town came under renewed attack by the Serbs on March 29, shortly after Bosnians and Croats signed a rapprochement agreement.
The assault prompted speculation that the Serbs wanted to roll up more territory in eastern Bosnia, but the UN military commander, Lt. Gen. Sir Michael Rose, said at the weekend that he doubted the Serbs would be able to take Gorazde, which is well- defended.
Annink said yesterday that the UN had "seen no territorial gains by either party".
He said the UN had suspended its plan to send more military observers to reinforce the present overworked four-man team in Gorazde because the Serbs encircling the enclave had refused to allow them passage.
The Serbs had told UNPROFOR that they should not send in the observers because of "Moslem offensives and various combat activities" in eastern Bosnia, including Gorazde. "So it's off for the moment," Annink said.
Apart from the military observers, the international presence in Gorazde is limited to a handful of aid workers.
The UNHCR and the international Red Cross are planning to evacuate thousands of non-Serbs from the area after reports that 17 Bosnians and three Croats had been murdered last week.
Red Cross officials were due yesterday to meet Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who has instructed civilian and military authorities in Prijedor to provide safety for all minorities and free passage for those wanting to leave.
He also issued strict orders to police to find and arrest those responsible for the killings.