Security Council demands Bosnia rivals end rift

(UNITED NATIONS) - The UN Security Council called on Bosnia's rival leaders on Wednesday to end their "divisive rhetoric" and quickly form a government in a resolution renewing the international mission in the Balkan state.

European nations on the 15-member body have warned that the failure of rival Bosnian Serb, Muslim and Croat leaders -- who were at war up to 1995 -- to form a government since elections 13 months ago threaten Bosnia's future.

The unanimous Security Council resolution called on Bosnia's leaders to form a government to carry out "with urgency important policies and priorities."

It said they should "refrain from divisive rhetoric and make further concrete and tangible progress towards EU integration."

The resolution gave "full support" to the international high representative to Bosnia, Valentin Inzko, who told the Security Council on Tuesday that "political stagnation and backsliding" threaten the Dayton-Paris peace accords which ended Bosnia's civil war.

Germany, France, Britain and the United States all highlighted concerns over the rivalry between the different communities and the impact on Bosnia's aims to join the European Union and NATO.

Since the war that left almost 100,000 dead, Bosnia has been divided into the Bosnian Serb controlled Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation. Bosnian Serb leaders have been accused in particular of blocking moves to set up a central government and harboring ambitions to set up their own state.

"The lack of a shared vision of the political leadership on the overall direction of the country is particularly worrisome," said Germany's UN ambassador Peter Wittig, stressing the urgent need for a government to be formed to tackle needed reforms.

While Inzko and diplomats have stressed the calm security environment in Bosnia, the resolution renewed for 12 months the UN mandate for the European stabilization force in Bosnia, officially known as EUFOR ALTHEA.