(26 Oct 1996) English/Nat
Robert Frowick, head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission to Bosnia, criticised the international community's efforts to reconstruct the war torn region at a Washington briefing.
His condemnation came as the first anniversary of the Dayton Agreement approaches, and Western nations gave a status report on Bosnia Friday before a bipartisan U-S commission on Capitol Hill.
Frowick emphasised that economic aid to Bosnia from Western nations must continue, along with a military presence, to shore up the peace process.
Frowick, a former U-S foreign service officer, reported to members of the U-S Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Friday.
Despite current peacekeeping efforts in Bosnia, he said, there were still serious problems for those living in the region.
And he pulled no punches on how he felt the international community had handled the situation since the end of the fighting.
SOUNDBITE:
"On the general question of the large scale return of refugees, it seems quite tough at the moment because the infrastructure isn't there. And frankly, in my personal view, the international community's performance this past year on trying to build up economic reconstruction on anything like the scale that's needed has been rather disgraceful."
SUPER CAPTION: Ambassador Robert Frowick, Head of OSCE Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina
Frowick also announced he believed a major military presence by Western nations must continue beyond 1996.
SOUNDBITE:
"My assumption is that within NATO the discussions that have been ongoing for some time now will result in, as you say, I-FIVE, or FOFOR -- follow on forces -- something like this, of probably of substantial strength even if it were to be one third of what we've had this past year. I think it's essential that the international community support this approach for at least the next year or two as an insurance policy."
SUPER CAPTION: Ambassador Robert Frowick
And the straight talking official also said he hoped the postponed local elections would not be delayed for too long.
The O-S-C-E announced on Tuesday that the elections, which had been scheduled for November, would be postponed because of continuing political problems.
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