London, 4 October 1996 (RFE/RL) -- Britain is to stage a major international conference in London in December to discuss how to strengthen the peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina next year.
The conference, to be held December 4 to 5, will bring together the foreign ministers of some 50 countries, representatives of international agencies and the newly-elected Bosnian political leaders. It would be chaired by British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind.
A Foreign Office spokesman said today the conference will address a range of civilian issues including the reconstruction of the country, the return of refugees, missing persons, policing and human rights.
It will also focus on international efforts to bring indicted war criminals to justice. Diplomatic sources told our correspondent that the conference is likely "to commit all parties to the rules covering war crimes, including the need to surrender indicted persons."
The conference will discuss how the Dayton peace agreement is holding up, the political framework in Bosnia, and the implementation of the new constitution.
"It will map the way forward on the civilian side," said the Foreign Office spokesman.
The conference is a follow-up to a peace implementation conference held in London last December.