BELGIUM: THE CONTACT GROUP OF COUNTRIES ON BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND SAY THEY COULD ACCEPT A BOSNIAN SERB CONFEDERATION

Record ID: 639757

  • Title: BELGIUM: THE CONTACT GROUP OF COUNTRIES ON BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA CALL FOR AN IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE AND SAY THEY COULD ACCEPT A BOSNIAN SERB CONFEDERATION
  • Date: 2nd December 1994
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (DECEMBER 2, 1994) 1. GV INTERIOR OF NEWS CONFERENCE 0.07 2. LV GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER KLAUS KINKEL INTRODUCING FINDINGS OF CONTACT GROUP (GERMAN)/MEDIA (2 SHOTS) 0.16 3. SV U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER SAYING THAT ALL AGREE THAT CONTACT GROUP PLAN MUST BE BASIS OF SETTLEMENT OF CONFLICT, ANY SETTLEMENT MUST RESPECT TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND INDEPENDENCE OF BOSNIA, AND THAT CONSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ARE FOR THE PARTIES TO DISCUSS (ENGLISH) 1.14 4. SV RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ANDREI KOZYREV SPEAKING (RUSSIAN) 1.27 5. SV BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY DOUGLAS HURD SAYING THAT "THE CONTACT GROUP IS REAFFIRMING THE MAIN PILLARS OF CONTACT GROUP PLAN - MASSIVE WITHDRAWAL OF BOSNIAN SERB FORCES AND COMMITMENT TO INTEGRITY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA."(ENGLISH)/GV NEWS COFERENCE (2 SHOTS) 2.01 6. SV FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER ALAIN JUPPE SAYING ALL DEPENDS NOW ON WHETHER CONTACT GROUP'S PLAN CAN BE EFFECTIVE (FRENCH) 2.24 7. SV/PAN KINKEL, KOZYREV AND HURD (2 SHOTS) 2.31 8. SV CHRISTOPHER SAYING "THE FOURTH ALTERNATIVE - AN INTENSIVE BOMBING CAMPAIGN - BUT SEEK PEACE, NOT REIGN OF TERROR FROM CARPET BOMBING, AND NO MILITARY EXPERT BELIEVES BOMBING COULD BRING THE WAR TO AN END." (ENGLISH) 2.59 9. GV INTERIOR OF NEWS CONFERENCE 3.04 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 17th December 1994 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium
  • Reuters ID: LVA54KILUHC1J7764KLKKDYC142V
  • Story Text: The contact group of countries on Bosnia-Herzegovina, strongly reiterating the need for a negotiated accord, have drawn attention to the fact they could accept a Bosnian Serb confederation with Serbia, but made no concrete proposals.

    A bland communique by the foreign ministers of the United States, France, Russia, Germany and Britain repeated late on Friday (December 2) their previous calls for an immediate ceasefire and said an existing proposal for a 49-51 percent Serbian-Moslem territorial carve-up remained the basis for a settlement.

    The communique hinted at a possible Serbian confederation without explicitly mentioning it.

    Reflecting the uncertainty over the issue, the foreign ministers immediately gave conflicting views.

    German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel told a press conference that a confederation, a key concession to entice the Serbs to the negotiating table, was not presently on the agenda.

    But Russian Foreign Minister Andrei Kozyrev, whose country has pushed for concessions to the Serbs, said it was a step forward.

    All ministers strongly re-emphasised their commitment to negotiated settlement after weeks of open squabbling between the United States and its western European allies over tougher military action in Bosnia.

    French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said: "The answer (to the conflict) lies around the negotiating table, not on the battlefield." He said it was up to the parties in the conflict to reach an agreement on constitutional arrangements.

    U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher said any attempt to impose a settlement would involve the commitment of hundreds of thousands of troops - an option he rejected.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register