EU concerned about nationalism in Bosnia

(BRUSSELS) - The European Union expressed concern Monday about a rise in nationalist rhetoric in Bosnia-Hercegovina and urged Sarajevo to do more to implement EU-oriented reforms.

EU foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, expressed "deep concern at recent developments in the political situation in Bosnia, particularly the use of nationalist rhetoric."

They called on Bosnian authorities "to shoulder their responsibilities, and to renew their efforts to push through the necessary reforms for Bosnia to progress on the path towards the European Union," in a statement.

Bosnia's three-and-a-half-year war, which started in 1992, was sparked by ethnic tensions and left at least 100,000 people dead and more than two million homeless, with the EU failing to prevent the carnage.

The Dayton peace agreement that ended the war split Bosnia into two semi-independent entities -- the Serb Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation -- yet left them united by weak central institutions.

Bosnian politics have been tense since 2006 elections propelled into office two key figures: Haris Silajdzic, the Muslim member of the country's tripartite presidency, and Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik.

Dodik has warned that the Serb Republic could secede while Silajdzic has called for the Serb entity to be abolished.

On Saturday, Bosnia's three main ethnic parties representing the Croats, Muslims and Serbs agreed to pursue EU-required reforms, in particular to reform the constitution and hold a census in 2011, as required by the 27-nation bloc.

Croat and Muslim deputies had earlier rejected a census that would include ethnic-related questions, as favoured by Serbs, stating it would enshrine results of wartime cleansing.

The ministers welcomed the agreement but want it quickly turned into action.

"It is a positive signal, it is a step in a good direction but for the time being it's only a political agreement that would need to be turned into concrete steps," said the international and EU envoy to Bosnia, Miroslav Lajcak.

"We are not there yet," he said.

EU defence ministers, meeting in joint session with the foreign ministers Monday, decided to keep Europe's peacekeeping force in Bosnia until there is a return to political stability.

"Everyone agrees that the military missions, for the most part, have been fulfilled but that the political situation in Bosnia forces us to take some more time," said French Defence Minister Herve Morin.

The ministers would discuss in March whether to end the mission, and replace it with an operation to train and mentor Bosnian security forces, said Morin, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency until the end of the year.

The EU has been hoping to wind down the mission -- dubbed Althea -- but the simmering political tensions has forced a rethink.

Althea, launched in 2004, numbers around 2,200 troops and is charged with military tasks under the Dayton peace deal that ended the 1992-1995 war. Military officers insist it has essentially finished its job.

Althea conducts training, de-mining and air traffic control activities, as well as monitoring military movements, particularly around weapons arsenals.

Security has improved markedly in recent years, and the capture of former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic, who faces trial in The Hague for genocide, has further helped foster stability.