Sarajevo, 19 June 1997 (RFE/RL) -- The new international high representative for Bosnia today warned there will be no stability in the former Yugoslav republic until suspected war criminals are brought before the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
Carlos Westendorp said this issue must be solved as soon as possible. Westendorp, a former Spanish foreign minister and UN diplomat, spoke at his first news conference in Sarajevo since arriving yesterday to take over from outgoing Carl Bildt of Sweden.
Both Westendorp and Bildt expressed concern at what they called high defence expenditures in Bosnia. They said these were comparable to high arms outlays in the former Soviet Union and were a drain on the country's economic development and social services.
Both also criticised the fact that the former Bosnian warring parties were not disarming as they had agreed to. Westendorp called arms reductions very unsatisfactory.
Carlos Westendorp said this issue must be solved as soon as possible. Westendorp, a former Spanish foreign minister and UN diplomat, spoke at his first news conference in Sarajevo since arriving yesterday to take over from outgoing Carl Bildt of Sweden.
Both Westendorp and Bildt expressed concern at what they called high defence expenditures in Bosnia. They said these were comparable to high arms outlays in the former Soviet Union and were a drain on the country's economic development and social services.
Both also criticised the fact that the former Bosnian warring parties were not disarming as they had agreed to. Westendorp called arms reductions very unsatisfactory.