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![handle is hein.crs/crsajcm0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS22324
Updated June 16, 2008
Bosnia: Overview of Current Issues
Julie Kim
Specialist in International Relations
Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division
Summary
Over 12 years since the Dayton accords ended the 1992-1995 Bosnian war,
Bosnia's future is still somewhat in question. Despite the country's numerous postwar
achievements, political and ethnic divisions remain strong, with many of Bosnia's
political leaders maintaining sharply polarized views on institutional and constitutional
reforms, especially those concerning the Dayton-mandated entities (the Bosniak-Croat
Federation and the Republika Srpska) and the central Bosnian government. In general,
the Bosniak (or Muslim) parties have emphasized a stronger central government, while
the Bosnian Serb and Bosnian Croat communities favor more decentralization.'
Nevertheless, Bosnia recently achieved new milestones in its path toward full integration
with NATO and the European Union (EU). An international High Representative
continues to provide hands-on diplomatic guidance, and an EU-led military force
remains deployed to provide for a secure environment in Bosnia; both international
missions derive from the Dayton agreement and neither has a set end-date. This report
provides an overview of prominent current issues in Bosnia that may be of interest to
Members of the 1 10th Congress. It may be updated as events warrant.
Introduction and U.S. Policy
The Dayton peace agreement,2 reached in November 1995 with U.S. leadership,
ended a brutal three and one-half year ethnic and territorial conflict in Bosnia-
Herzegovina that erupted after the dissolution of the state of Yugoslavia. The Dayton
agreement outlined a common state of Bosnia and Herzegovina comprised of two entities,
the Bosniak (Muslim)-Croat Federation and the Republika Srpska (RS), under the
1 Bosnia's population includes 48% Bosniaks (Muslims), 37.1% Serbs, and 14.3% Croats (2000
estimate). CIA World Factbook, 2008.
2 Full text of the Dayton accords can be found at [http://www.oscebih.org]. The constitution is
in Annex 4. The accords were signed in Paris on December 14, 1995, and are sometimes referred
to as the Dayton/Paris agreement.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.crs/crsajcm0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)