MIKHAIL GORBACHEV: "BOMBARDMENTS WILL NOT SOLVE ANYTHING"

"Moskovskij Komsomolec", July 29, 1995, pages 1-2

Bosnian tragedy is in everybody's sight. All the acting parts there have made already a lot of mistakes. Too much horror occurred already in this war and it is impossible to come back. But if we want to stop this nightmare, we should remember this lesson. And - first of all - it is necessary to repeat it: there will be no winners in such a situation.

Therefore, it is necessary to leave the mistakenly chosen way of using military force and to return again to negotiations in order to convince belligerent parties, to force them to discuss a realistic compromise. But for this, it is necessary that international community refrain to set a bad example, acting by isolated way, hiddenly, behind the U.N. Security Council, ignoring the real interests of the parties and applying double standards.

The last leap of tension in Bosnian crisis begun with Moslems' offensive. It is incontestably. There is no sense now to search reasons causing this or that clash, because every clash was provoked by previous one. It is already impossible now, to untangle this clew. But one fact remains: international community did not react by necessary way, making a foremost serious mistake. It would be necessary to know Yugoslavia and Serbs, to forecast: offensive against them will cause a boomerang effect.

But now it does not matter to define responsibility, to justify one part and to accuse another one. We must face reality and it means - to search a balance point. I know, it is difficult after such an amount of blood shed. But we do not have any other way, if we do not want this bloodshed endless.

Therefore I am categorically against handing over the question to the NATO, to the generals' hands. They have their own job, and we know how they do it. The military decision could only push the new escalation. Bombardments of Serbian positions does not solve anything. It is important by the way, that there was no consensus on exactly military aspects of Bosnian crisis found on the international meeting in London, and its participants did not manage to elaborate a common final document. I suppose, the decision of Islamic Conference which considered embargo on arms supplies to Bosnia "judicially void" will cause heavy consequences. This path leads to the spreading of war.

There is a problem of "blue helmets". I am sure, they should not leave Bosnia. Perhaps, their mandate must be enlarged. But it should be done by a competent body, i.e. Security Council. Then peacekeeping contingent will be able to defend its mission. But with one obligatory condition: it should not take any part.

It is necessary to enact again mediators, to double their efforts for searching a political solution. Results of Karl Bild's voyage to Belgrade and Sarajevo, the principal agreement about Belgrade's acknowledgment of Bosnia-Herzegovina show that potential of political methods is not yet exhausted. The representatives of Russia and USA could now join the E.U. mediator. Such a "troika" equipped by the Contact Group's mandate, could develop an intensive process of negotiatory rapprochement.

It is necessary also to enforce Russian role. Its deterrent influence on Serbs is essential and it should be used more extensively by the international community. In spite of the military escalation of the crisis, such an influence could became a decisive factor and force guns to silence. It will be in our common interests, if both the West, the Moslem countries, the Russians themselves will realize, that the word "Moscow" pronounced by a proper tone could cost peace in Bosnia.

Mikhail GORBACHEV.