THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 20, 1996 TAG: 9602200273
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ABOARD THE U.S.S. GEORGE WASHINGTON LENGTH: Long : 107 lines
The unexpected absence of a Bosnian Serb military commander at a first-ever conference Monday was called ``unconscionable'' by U.S. Adm. Leighton W. Smith Jr., NATO's commander of the implementation force.
Angry NATO officials said the Serbs would have to explain why they were violating the Bosnia peace accord. Hours earlier in Rome, President Slobodan Milosevic of Serbia had promised that the Serbs would return to such talks.
Military leaders from the three former warring factions in Bosnia were to have held a joint meeting with Smith aboard the Norfolk-based carrier George Washington as it patrols the Adriatic Sea.
The carrier was picked as a neutral site, and to give NATO an opportunity to show off to the warring leaders the massive firepower parked off the coast of the former Yugoslavia.
NATO officials had hoped the joint session would have signaled an end to Serbia's decision earlier this month to suspend contacts with the ongoing peace mission because of the arrest of two suspected Serb military war criminals.
The meeting also was to have followed what was considered a generally successful meeting in Rome Saturday and Sunday between political leaders of the three sides who renewed promises to continue the peace implementation process, despite the new obstacle.
Major Gen. Zdravko Tolimir, deputy commander of the Serb army, did not join Smith and the two leaders of the other factions: Major Gen. Zivko Budimir, the commander-in-chief of the Croat Council of Defense; and Gen. Rasim Delic, general staff commander of the Bosnian government forces.
``I can tell you firsthand that his political masters wanted him here,'' Smith said at a press conference aboard the George Washington.
``I was present at a discussion last week when he said he wanted to resume the dialogue. I was assured by the (Serbian) president that he wanted to resume contacts. I was assured as late as noon (Monday) . . . that he (Tolimir) would be in attendance.
``It is unconscionable he is not (here) because . . . there are 60,000 Implementation Forces troops in Bosnia. There are other armies there, specifically represented by those who are here today. There is a lot of firepower, a lot of tension, a lot of uncertainty and an enormous amount of important things that are going on.''
The military leaders, said Smith, were able Monday to hold frank discussions on ways to improve communications in the region among military personnel and civilians; discuss improving coordination among the parties; and begin to tackle localized problems.
Smith summed up his frustrations by concluding the Serbian general's decision not to attend ``was just not very smart.''
Billing the gathering as an unprecedented meeting, the Navy was excited about being able to show the warring armies what they could face if any threat came to the peacekeeping forces in Bosnia. Almost one-third of those forces are American.
The three-hour session, which also included Lt. Gen. Sir Michael Walker, commander of Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps, featured a small air show, involving some of the ``GW's'' 80 war planes.
Although stopping short of exploding bombs and other ordnance in the dark blue sea in front of the Muslim and Croat military members, the Navy made no effort to hide its muscle, using its air arm in several fly-by demonstrations.
Sailors spent Sunday night scrubbing the ship's mammoth hangar deck and carefully arranging in a semi-circle backdrop some of its F/A-18 Hornet light attack jets and S-3 Vikings.
The purpose for the shipboard meeting, said Rear Adm. Henry C. Giffin III, commander of the 15-ship George Washington battle group, was to ``iron out the differences.''
The theory is that the more the warring factions see themselves together, the better hope there may be for peace, said Giffin, before the group's arrival. The leaders have been brought together before, but never on a major U.S. ship.
``We are really excited that we are hosting it,'' said Giffin. ``It is a wonderful opportunity for George Washington and may be our most significant contribution.''
The 1,100-foot-long, 97,000-ton ship arrived in the Adriatic last week to begin its six-month deployment.
About mid-morning, a Navy C-2 transport flew the small delegation to the George Washington from Sarajevo.
A second transport plane was waiting in Sarajevo in case Gen. Tolimir changed his mind. But after waiting until 3 p.m. Monday, with just 30 minutes left in their schedule, the military officers recalled the plane and ended their conference.
``It is really unfortunate that one person can make that decision,'' said Smith, ``despite the fact the political backers for whom he is supposed to work and serve are very much in favor of it.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN, The Virginian-Pilot
Aboard the George Washington Monday are, from left, Lt. Gen. Sir
Michael Walker, commander of Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction
Corps; senior diplomatic representative Carl Bildt; Adm. Leighton
W. Smith Jr., NATO commander; Major Gen. Zivko Budimir,
commander-in-chief of the Croat Council of Defense; an interpreter;
and Gen. Rasim Delic, general staff commander of the Bosnian
government forces.
Gen. Rasim Delic, general staff commander of the Bosnian government
forces, left, and Gen. Zivko Budimir, the commander-in-chief of the
Croat Council of Defense, attended Monday's session on the George
Washington. But the absence of Major Gen. Zdravko Tolimir, deputy
commander of the Serb army, angered Adm. Leighton W. Smith Jr., NATO
commander.
KEYWORDS: BOSNIA by CNB