BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA
Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of
sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a referendum for
independence from the former Yugoslavia in February 1992. The Bosnian
Serbs - supported by neighboring Serbia - responded with armed
resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and
joining Serb-held areas to form a "greater Serbia." In March 1994,
Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from three to
two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat Federation of
Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in Dayton, Ohio, the
warring parties signed a peace agreement that brought to a halt the
three years of interethnic civil strife (the final agreement was signed
in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton Agreement retained Bosnia and
Herzegovina's international boundaries and created a joint multi-ethnic
and democratic government. This national government is charged with
conducting foreign, economic, and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a
second tier of government comprised of two entities roughly equal in
size: the Bosniak/Croat Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the
Bosnian Serb-led Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS
governments are charged with overseeing internal functions. In 1995-96,
a NATO-led international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops
served in Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the
agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization Force
(SFOR) whose mission is to deter renewed hostilities. SFOR remains in
place at a level of approximately 21,000 troops.
For more detailed information we recommend
the web site of the
Bosnian Embassy
in Washington D.C.
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