Radenko Udovicic of the Belgrade weekly ?Vreme? , looks at the manner in which the structure of the BiH embassies abroad might look like, in the August 16, 1997, issue of that weekly.The agreement has been finally reached in Sarajevo concerning the division of mbassadorial posts of Deyton Bosnia and Herzegovina. A result of sleepless night, it ws agreed that Bosniaks get 13 posts, Serbs 11, and Croats 9 ambassadorial posts.
The negotitions concerning the diplomatic - consular posts have been ongoing for six months far away from the eyes of the public. After the deadline set in Sintra, which envisages that the greement must be reached by August 1 was breached, the high representative of the international community for BiH Carl Westendorp has recommended as a sanction to stop their contacts with the BiH ambassadors.
Both federal partners - Bosniaks and Croats have stated that the situation was unacceptable and that is where it all stopped. After a flood of statements from the world about the break of co - operation with the ambassadors, the US has again decided to start a blitz diplomatic offensive. Izetbegovic obviously caved in, while the distribution of the ambassadorial posts shows that the final agreement is not far from the initial Serb demand. No one from the politicians in Sarajevo commented the distribution, while the media is unanimous in their assessment that the Serbs got the best deal.
The members of the Presidency are obliged to present personnel proposals at least two weeks, after the agreement. There is no informtion yet from any of the sides who could take what position. But, it is completely clear that the majority of the ambassadors will be tried and true party faithful. There are four, that is three factions, since the Serb side is still not fully incorporated. These are two strictly national ones - Bosniak and Croat, and the so called civil one. It is particularly this faction that is most dissatisfied with this agreement, because it hoped that, if the national criteria is not stuck to strictly, some more tolerant people would be posted to a certain number of positions, people who would be able to work with their associates in the embassies.
This is due to the fact that the embassies will be set in a manner where the ambassdor would be from one national group, the minister counsellor of another, and the first secretary of a third. It is even hard to imagine how would this co-operation look like when there will be under one roof the representatives of the SDA, SDS and HDZ, who have completely opposite interests. It is probable that each of them will receive instructions from their part of the ministry, and it is not excluded that they will spy on each other. Even though the members of the Presidency were told that those who ?squeal? on the others will not be tolerated in the ambassadorial posts, these positions will still be very important for each side. It is quite clear that the ambassadorial posts will be key for spreading ?particular? truth about Bosnia. If this was not the case, there would not be such a squabble for months.
Source: Belgrade weekly ?Vreme? , August 16, 1997
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