Bosnia’s Muslim Leaders Support Western Peace Proposal

Bosnia’s Muslim leaders recommended Thursday that their Parliament accept a peace plan demanded by the United States, Russia and Europe, increasing pressure on reluctant Serbs to follow suit.

Ethnic Serbs, who have seized 70% of Bosnia in 27 months of war, would have to give up territory under the plan presented Wednesday in Geneva. It would leave Serbs 49% of Bosnia and give a Muslim-Croatian federation 51%.

The Bosnian Serbs’ leader, Radovan Karadzic, had fumed that the plan smacked of “an absolute American dictate.” But on Thursday, in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, he sounded more conciliatory.

While repeating that the Serbs “had been hurt most by the maps,” Karadzic stressed that he had not rejected the plan.

He indicated that Serbian acceptance could hinge on whether their areas would be allowed to unite with Serbia, the dominant state of Yugoslavia.

The Serbs would want constitutional arrangements and questions of access to the sea and control of Sarajevo nailed down before resuming talks, Karadzic said.

At the United Nations, peace envoy Thorvald Stoltenberg briefed the Security Council on the international plan.

“I think this is the only realistic proposal, and I . . . hope this will turn into a peace agreement because what is the alternative? It is continued war,” Stoltenberg said after the closed meeting.

The swift Muslim endorsement of the plan makes it likely the Bosnian Parliament will accept it in a vote planned for July 18.