The newly found peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina could be "in peril" because of a lack of international leadership, a foreign relations expert said.
Kenneth Jensen, executive director of the American Committees on Foreign Relations, said Europe and the United Nations have operated ineffectively since the signing of the Dayton Peace Accord while U.S. leaders have remained virtually silent."The most crucial time (in the peace process) is really this moment. There seems to be a lack of leadership, and the next crisis could come next week," Jensen said. "The Europeans have really dropped the ball, in my esti-ma-tion."
Jensen told the Salt Lake City Committee on Foreign Relations last week that President Clinton and other campaigning presidential hopefuls are unlikely to become more vocal.
"I predict Bosnia will not be an issue in the (U.S.) presidential election . . . because none of the candidates will make it important," he said. "The quiet you hear from Washington may be the kind of failure of nerve on the American side and relinquishing responsibility on the Bosnia issue."
What will happen when the United States leaves Bosnia to civil control is unclear, because the creation of the new state - and reconstructing from the war - is such a daunting task.
Although the world bank has promised millions for rebuilding, no nations have actually appropriated any funding, said Jensen, a consultant on U.S./Bosnian policy.
Without money and leadership, it may not be possible to rebuild a nation and hold elections this year as outlined in the peace accord.
If the international community removed itself, Jensen believes the country would again split along Croatian and Serbian lines. However, if other NATO counties dedicate leadership and money, the former Yugoslavians should allow the rebuilding to take place.
Rebuilding is not impossible: the country was once as metropolitan as any European nation. "What you saw in Sarajevo in the Olympics was the real thing," Jensen said, noting the capability, in part, still exists if the international community dedicates itself to helping resolve the conflict.
"Nearly everything about Bosnia remains open-ended," Jensen said. "Somebody has to pay attention to this."