CORNBLOOM: WE SAFEGUARD INTERESTS OF ALL

AIM Banja Luka, August 30, 1996

During his latest Balkan tour, John Cornbloom, American negotiator for former Yugoslavia, visited Banja Luka where he talked with Acting President of the Republic of Srpska (RS) Biljana Plavsic and representatives of the opposition blacks. After completion of the official talks, Mr Cornbloom agreed to state his view of postponement of local elections in B&H and the future of Dayton accords in an interview for AIM.

AIM: Mister Cornbloom, neither the Serb nor the Croat party are satisfied with the explanation of the decision on postponement. How do you see reasons for postponement?

Cornbloom: The important question is whether it will be possible to implement election results. Of course, one of the key issues is the way in which the OSCE reacts when it sees obvious manipulation of election preparations. In both cases unfortunate manipulations with the form number 2 led to very disbalanced figures in registration and Ambassador Frowick has decided that it was important to give a very clear statement, primarily in order to stress that all parties had to act in accordance with election rules so that the results would be reliable and applicable.

AIM: Does this mean that the form number 2 will be abrogated?

John Cornbloom: I cannot speak in the name of the OSCE; I can just tell you that the elections will be scheduled again as soon as it becomes possible to organize them.

AIM: There are complaints that postponement will lead to dual authorities. Is there a possibility of postponement of the elections on the level of B&H?

Cornbloom: No, these elections cannot be postponed. It is very important to have these elections in time and it will happen. All the opposition politicians who I talked with today stressed how important it was both for them and the opposition to have the elections. We expect that the elections will result in operational governments, but we are also aware that it is possible that there will be different opinions, maybe even conflicting, and the role of those who signed and sponsored the Dayton accords, including the SDA, is to ensure smooth proceeding of the process and we have decided to achieve this.

AIM: What will happen if the intentions are carried out to organize municipal elections immediately after constitution of the new administration in RS regardless of the decision of the OSCE, as announced by the ruling and majority of the opposition parties?

Cornbloom: If that happens, elections results will not be recognized.

AIM: The Party of Democratic Action (SDA) announces boycott of the elections...

Cornbloom: I have heard such stories, but I don't think that it is really possible, I will meet President Izetbegovic though and tell him that if such a stance of his party exists, he must do everything to fight it. I am convinced that Izetbegovic is devoted to Dayton accords and I am sure that he will not allow such feelings to become official policy. My visit is one in a series of regular visits which I pay in order to consult leaders of all entities and stress the importance of proceeding with the peace process. With the elections which are just about to be held, it is very important to determine all details which ensure peace and I have spent a long time today discussing it.

AIM: There are opinions that by obstructing the elections there is a wish to legalize the factual situation. Do you have the same impression?

Cornbloom: There is only one option, and this is united B&H with two entities which will cooperate. There is no other possibility. Anyone else who believes that there is any other possibility is not only full of illusions, but is simply doing great damage to the peoples of B&H. When speaking of the peoples of B&H, and especially maybe, I should say, of the inhabitants of RS, I wish to say that this process offers a glorious future to those who wish to cooperate on the peace agreement and the USA are ready to accomplish peace here for all the peoples with no prejudice or retreat. We hope to be able to cooperate even more closely with the authorities and the people of the RS in the future and help ensure that all benefits of peace reach RS.

AIM: The Serb party accuses the international community that it had reached the decision under influence of the Muslim party.

Cornbloom: This is not true. I think there is very many conflicts on all sides and that it will continue to be a very difficult process, so that is exactly why devotion to the peace process of all parties is so important. I told the leaders of RS that there was still a feeling of separation and isolation on their part and that this had to be overcome if they wished to enjoy advantages of the peace agreement. The Dayton accords were not a ready made model, it is a complex solution made only because of the highly specific circumstances in B&H, because it takes care of safeguarding interests of everybody in B&H. It allows ethnic groups to continue to develop their ethnic culture if they wish, but it also provides foundations for cooperation which is necessary if we wish to have peace.

AIM: What was their answer?

Cornbloom: They said they did not wish to be isolated and that they wished to cooperate and I said that a sincere cooperation would be repayed with an equal will for cooperation.

AIM: Do you believe that people who waged war among themselves for four years can live together again?

Cornbloom: Yes, I believe in it. Despite emotions which appear during a war, I think that noone wishes to live in a state of war, and Dayton accords offer a basis for reestablishment of confidence and cooperation between all the groups in B&H. Careful implementation of the accords can provide necessary preconditions for establishment of peace and cooperation.

AIM: How would you comment on the latest incident in Zvornik?

Cornbloom: I have spent quite some time talking about this issue. At the meeting with Mrs. Plavsic I stressed that such behavior of the police was unacceptable, especially because these were groups of people trying to go back and start living again in their place of residence. I got assuarances that everything will be done in order to avoid such incidents in the future.

AIM: Your influence on implementation of the peace agreement is often linked to the election campaign in your country. Can results of the elections in the USA affect the peace process in B&H?

Cornbloom: I cannot forecast what will happen in USA elections, except that I can stress that both greatest parties in the USA are devoted to the peace process. Since I personally expect President Clinton to win, I can repeat his personal intention to continue with our engagement here as so far.

(AIM) - Igor Gajic a a