BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: NATO DEPLOYS PEACEKEEPING TROOPS TO ENSURE PEACEFUL HANDOVER OF POWER AFTER NEW CABINET IS ELECTED

Record ID: 350270

  • Title: BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: NATO DEPLOYS PEACEKEEPING TROOPS TO ENSURE PEACEFUL HANDOVER OF POWER AFTER NEW CABINET IS ELECTED
  • Date: 18th January 1998
  • Summary: PALE, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA (JANUARY 18, 1998) (RTV) (NIGHTSHOTS): 1. GV TOWN 0.05 2. SLV EXTERIOR OF PARLIAMENT BUILDING /CU SIGN (2 SHOTS) 0.14 3. SCU SERB REPRESENTATIVE ON BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY MOMCILO KRAJISNIK SAYING: "WHAT I WANT TO SAY IS THAT LAST NIGHT'S SESSION REMINDED ME OF THE TIME IN 1991, JUST BEFORE
  • Embargoed: 2nd February 1998 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PALE AND SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
  • City:
  • Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Reuters ID: LVAV9SGTRLJDTETXQVOUSKUI0KU
  • Story Text: - INTRO: NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) has deployed peacekeeping troops around government buildings in Bosnian Serb territory to ensure a peaceful handover of power after a new cabinet was elected.

    Troops in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-led Stabilisation Force (SFOR) and international police monitors moved in around government buildings in two towns on Sunday (January 18) after a moderate prime minister was elected in parliament over the protests of hardline nationalists.

    A NATO spokesman said the move was a "precautionary measure" requested by the office of the High Representative to Bosnia, which oversees the civilian side of the country's peace agreement.

    Italian troops in armoured vehicles deployed in Pale, the mountain village outside Sarajevo which serves as headquarters to Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic, an indicted war criminal.

    Earlier hardline nationalists, loyal to Karadzic, left a session of parliamentary talks, in protest at the election of the new prime minister, leader of the Independent Social Democrats, Milorad Dodik.

    Serb Representative on the joint Bosnian Presidency Momcilo Krajisnik said the talks reminded him of the time in 1991 when the Bosnian government could not reach agreement.

    Krajisnik warned that the feud among Serb leaders could turn violent, as before.

    S-FOR Major Peter Clark said the troops were only deployed to make sure things happened smoothly.

    "SFOR together with IPTF (International Police Task Force) has increased their presence in Pale and Bijeljina in order to ensure there is a peaceful transition between the old caretaker government and the newly elected government," NATO said in a statement.


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