BOSNIA: MOSTAR: TENSIONS MOUNT BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND CROATS скачать в хорошем качестве

BOSNIA: MOSTAR: TENSIONS MOUNT BETWEEN MUSLIMS AND CROATS

(14 Jan 1996) English/Nat Top NATO and E-U officials have been meeting in Mostar to try and reduce tensions between Croats and Muslims in the Bosnian city. There's been a renewed clash between the two sides in the northern Usora valley - in violation of the Dayton peace agreement. Germany's Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkel, also held talks with his Bosnian and Croat counterparts in Mostar in the wake of the latest violence. Officials fear they won't be able to implement the Bosnian peace deal if the Croat-Muslim federation collapses. Arriving in Mostar for talks with his Bosnian and Croatian counterparts, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel was unequivocal about his mission: SOUNDBITE: "To help and to support that the federation works." SUPER CAPTION: Klaus Kinkel, German Foreign Minister The uneasy Muslim-Croat federation - created under U-S auspices in March 1994 - is essential for the success of the Dayton peace agreement. The accord is structured around the Muslim-Croat federation and a Serb republic - but the federation has so far been plagued by mutual distrust and squabbling over territory. If the federation falls apart, Bosnian peace is likely to go the same way. Kinkel's meeting with Bosnian Foreign Minister, Muhamed Sacirbey, and his Croatian counterpart, Mate Granic, was intended to defuse the situation in Mostar. Tension has been high in the divided city of Mostar - two people have been killed so far this month. On Saturday night, Bosnian Croat and Bosnian Government forces exchanged artillery fire in the northern Usora valley. Also on Sunday morning, the European administrator who runs Mostar Hans Koschnick, met the commander of the peace implementation force in Bosnia and the mayors of the two sides of the city to discuss the crisis. The city has been divided since a bloody civil war between Croats and Muslims in 1993 The Muslim-led government fears that Croatia wants to annex parts of Bosnia. The I-FOR commander acknowledged the problem is serious. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I think if the Mostar situation does not get resolved then we certainly have a situation where the federation has a problem and since the peace agreement is - and since its foundation is a successful federation - we have a very difficult problem if the Mostar issue is not resolved, certainly." SUPER CAPTION: Admiral Leighton Smith SOUNDBITE: (English) "And therefore I need the help and co-operation of both police forces in Mostar to become one police force." SUPER CAPTION: Hans Koschnick, European Union Administrator of Mostar SOUNDBITE: (English) "We did agree that we would have liaison officers here. We will obviously maintain dialogue so that if he has a problem with which I can assist and we have the forces to do it then I will certainly try to do so." SUPER CAPTION: Admiral Leighton Smith A spokeswoman for Croatia's president says Clinton has agreed to send U-S mediator Roberts Owen to Mostar in an effort to unify it. The efforts being invested into the city show just how vital a strong Croat-Muslim federation is to the whole of Bosnian peace. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...