The resurgence of parties that thrust Bosnia-Hercegovina into war a decade ago is causing disquiet in western diplomatic circles.
By Sead Numanovic in Sarajevo and Gordana Katana in Banja Luka (BCR No 396, 9-Jan-03)
Three months of post-election maneuvering have confirmed western fears that Bosnia-Herzegovina, BiH, will now be led by nationalist parties which plunged the country into war a decade ago.
Intensive coalition-making and secret deals following the October 5 general election have put the three parties into a ruling position at nearly all levels of the complex BiH administration.
The Party of Democratic Action, SDA, and the Croatian Democratic Union, HDZ, look set to run the Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) and Croat parts of the Federation, respectively. The Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska, RS, will be led by the Serbian Democratic Party, SDS.
All three parties have a hard-line pedigree that sends shivers through foreign diplomats.</i>