Скачать или смотреть BOSNIA: SARAJEVO: US ENVOY RICHARD HOLBROOKE ARRIVES FOR TALKS

(8 Dec 1995) Serbo-Croat/English

Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic has assured Serbs they have nothing to fear if they stay in territory to come under his control.

His comments came after a meeting with U-S mediator Richard Holbrooke who is in Sarajevo for talks about implementing the Dayton peace accord.

As they met, about 40 NATO soldiers landed at the airport to prepare for the arrival of thousands of troops in the peacekeeping force.

A snowy Sarajevo Airport was the first stop for this party of some 40 British, French and American NATO soldiers.

They form part of the advance group of soldiers who are setting up logistics and communications before the main body of troops arrive.

They weren't the only visitors to Sarajevo on Friday.

U-S mediator Richard Holbrooke arrived for talks with the Bosnian government to discuss the details of implementing the Dayton peace accord.

He says Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic had assured him he would continue to seek reconciliation with the Serbs in all of Bosnia, not just Sarajevo.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
I want to stress something because there's so much misunderstanding on that. President Izetbegovic is the President of the entire country of Bosnia-Herzegovina, that is what the Dayton agreement said and he has assured us again that he will reach out to those people.
SUPERCAPTION: Richard Holbrooke, U-S Mediator

SOUNDBITE: (Serbo-Croat with English translation)
Our opinion is that the Serb part of the population of Bosnia-Herzegovina is not informed enough, not fully informed enough of the provisions of the Dayton agreement. On the Contrary they are under the strong impression, under the strong propaganda by the Chetniks. (Serb nationalists) In future we will be more active on our radio and one television to explain to these people the provisions of the Dayton agreement.
SUPERCAPTION; Alija Izetbegovic, Bosnian President

Holbrooke also reiterated the terms in the agreement that ruled out anyone who was indicted for war crimes holding any sort of office.

SOUNDBITE:
The Dayton agreement is very clear on this, nobody who is indicted for war crimes tribunal can run for office in elections which will be supervised by the O-S-C-E, sometime in the middle of next year.
SUPERCAPTION: Richard Holbrooke, U-S Mediator

As the troops made their way into the Bosnian capital to begin the NATO peacekeeping mission, they and the Bosnian government face a huge task.

This week thousands of Serbs have been protesting the Dayton agreement by burning the U-S flag and vowing never to live under Bosnian government rule.

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