Introduction Bosnia and

The Balkan Wars were a sharp and bloody series of conflicts fought in southeastern
Europe during the autumn of 1912 and the winter, spring, and summer of 1913. In the
First Balkan War, the Ottoman Empire fought a loose alliance of Balkan states, which
included Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, and Serbia. The First Balkan War began in
October 1912. An armistice in December 1912 interrupted the fighting until January
1913. Fighting resumed around two besieged cities in Albania, one besieged city in
Thrace, and in eastern Thrace until the spring of 1913. The participants in the First
Balkan War signed a preliminary peace treaty in London on 30 May 1913. In the
Second Balkan War, Bulgaria fought a looser coalition of Greece, Montenegro,
Serbia, Romania, and the Ottoman Empire. Fighting began on 29 June 1913. By the
time it ended a little over a month later, the allies had overwhelmed Bulgaria. Peace
treaties signed in Bucharest in August 1913 and Constantinople in September 1913
concluded the Second Balkan War.

Origin

The Balkan Wars of 1912-1913 initiated a period of conflict that severely damaged
southeastern Europe until 1918 and remained in existence in one form or another into
the 21st century. These Balkan wars originated in the aspirations of the nationalist
states of southeastern Europe and the 1789 French Revolution transformed
Nationalism, the revolution against the traditional political order legitimized a West
European concept of nationalism allowing people to identify themselves with a
territory on which they were entitled to establish a state and government of their own;
having previously achieved independence from the Ottoman Empire during the 19th
century, these states wished to incorporate members of their nationalities remaining
under Ottoman rule and thus achieve their maximum nationalist claims. In this way,
the states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia sought to emulate the 19th
century nationalist successes of Germany and Italy. Competing claims to Ottoman

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held territories, especially Macedonia, prevented the Balkan states from cooperating
against the Ottomans. When the Young Turks threatened to reinvigorate the Ottoman
Empire after their 1908 coup, however, the leaders of the Balkan states sought ways
to overcome their rivalries. Russian diplomacy facilitated their efforts. The Russians
wanted to compensate for their setback in the Bosnian Crisis of 1908-1909 by
establishing a pro-Russian Balkan alliance intended to impede any further Austro-
Hungarian advances in the region. In March 1912, the Bulgarians and Serbs
concluded an alliance under Russian aegis. This agreement contained a plan for the
settlement of the Macedonian problem, including a provision for Russian mediation.
The Bulgarians and Serbs then both made individual agreements with the Greeks and
Montenegrins, who also reached an agreement together. By September 1912 this loose
confederation, the Balkan League, was ready to achieve its goals.

THE BALKAN WARS

The Balkan Wars were a series of conflicts in Southeastern Europe during 1912-1913.
The Balkan wars were a result of the collapsing and retreating Ottoman Empire who
had control of the area at the time.1 The complex and obscure Balkan Wars of 1912
1913 represent the beginning of an era in European history dominated by nationalism
and conflict. These wars were the first concerted effort by the Balkan peoples to
emulate the Italian and German examples and establish large nationalist states. In
1912 several Balkan nations, incited by Russia, signed a series of military alliances
that formed the so-called Balkan League. The Balkan League was an alliance formed
by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of
Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro. The agenda of this coalition was to wage
war on the Ottomans and drive them out of Eastern Europe entirely.

The First Balkan War

This league declared it in October 1912. This war broke out between a coalition of
Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, and Serbia and their former ruler, the Ottoman

1 Balkan Wars, http://worldwarcauses.wikidot.com/warone:revolutions.

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Empire.2 Until 1913, the Bulgarians looked to Russia as their Great-Power patron.
This was because after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1888, Russia managed to
establish an autonomous Bulgarian state. From being deflated by the Austrians at the
Bosnian crisis, Russia sought to gain the upper hand by creating a Russophile Slavic
block in the Balkans. The Slavic block would be directed against both, Austria-
Hungary and the Ottomans. Consequently, Russian diplomacy began pressuring the
two countries, Serbia and Bulgaria, to reach a compromise and form an alliance.
Another issue that initiated the formation of the League was the Albanian Uprising in
1911. The plans about the negotiations between Serbia and Bulgaria proved that
progress paralleled the success of the Albanian revolt in Skopje and Monastir
obligating the Ottomans to recognize the autonomy of Albania in June, 1912. The
Albanian rebellion in 1911 presaged radical changes in the balance of power in the
Balkans. The Great Powers, particularly Italy and Austria-Hungary, were concerned
with Albanias fate while the neighboring Balkan states had territorial aspirations in
the same region. The Albanian leaders, before the nightmare of partition among their
neighbors war decided upon a full-scale insurrection in order to establish their
autonomous position. By 1912 the Albanian up risers were victorious over the
Ottoman troops. They demanded the dissolution the Ottoman Parliament. In this
situation Serbia now had to struggle against time to avoid the establishment of the
Albanian state. In a search for allies, Serbia was ready to negotiate a contract with
Bulgaria. The agreement enabled the event of a victorious war against the Ottomans.
After this Bulgaria would receive all of Macedonia. Serbias enlargement was
accepted by Bulgaria as being to the North of the Shar Mountains. The intervening
area was agreed to be disputed; it would be arbitrated by the Tsar of Russia in the
event of a successful war against the Ottoman Empire.In August 1909, in Greece the
army officers had rise in a rebellion. They secured the engagement of a progressive
government under Eleftherios Venizelos planning to change their defeat of 1897
against the Ottomans. An emergency military reorganization led by a French military
mission had been started for that intention, but its work was intercepted by the
outburst of the war in Balkans. In the discussions that led Greece to join the Balkan
League, Bulgaria refused to commit to any agreement on the distribution of territorial

2 Richard C. Hall, Bulgaria in the First World War, The Historian, Volume 73, Issue 2, 8 June 2011,
pp. 301.

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gains, unlike its deal with Serbia over Macedonia. In December, 1912 a cease-fire
interrupted the fighting until January 1913. The participants in the First Balkan War
on 30 May 1913, signed a preparatory peace treaty in London. As a result of the war,
almost all remaining European territories of the Ottoman Empire were captured and
partitioned among the allies. The west of the Enez-Kyky line was ceded to the
Balkan League, according to the status quo at the time of the armistice. Ensuing
events led the creation of an Albanian state. Almost all of the territory that was
designated to form the new Albanian state was currently occupied by either Greece or
Serbia, which inadvertently withdrew their troops. Unwilling to yield to any pressure
Greece and Serbia settled their mutual differences and signed a military alliance
directed against Bulgaria on 1 May 1913, even before the Treaty of London had been
concluded. Despite its success, Bulgaria was dissatisfied over the division of the
spoils in Macedonia, which provoked the start of the Second Balkan War.

Treaty Of London ,1913

1. FIRST MEETING OF THE LONDON PEACE CONFERENCE,
DECEMBER 16, 1912- The armistice for the cessation of the First Balkan
War was signed on December 3, 1912, and the London Peace Conference,
composed of delegates from the Balkan allies, including Greece, who had
not signed the armistice, and Turkey, held its first meeting on December
16, 1912. At the same time a Conference of Ambassadors, consisting of Sir
Edward Grey and the London representatives of all the powers, was also in
session.

2. DEMANDS OF THE BALKAN ALLIES-The Balkan allies demanded a

war indemnity, as also the cession of all European Turkey (excepting
Albania), Crete, and the islands in the Aegean Sea. Turkey was to be
allowed to retain Constantinople, together with a strip of territory
extending from Midia on the Black Sea to Rodosta on the Sea of Marmora,
as also the peninsula of Gallipoli or the Thracian Chersonese.

Turkey was unwilling to give up Adrianople, a sacrifice insisted upon by

Bulgaria. The "Divan," or Turkish National Assembly, decided, however,
on January 22, 1913, that the demands of the allies must be conceded.

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 Kiamil Pasha telegraphed the Turkish commissioners at London that same
night, directing them to yield Adrianople and agree to the cession of all
Turkey in Europe beyond a line running from Enos on the Aegean Sea, at
the mouth of the Maritza River, to Midia on the Black Sea.

3. COUP D'É TAT OF JANUARY 23, 1913, AT

CONSTANTINOPLE.-But on the following day, January 23, as a result of
a successful coup d'tat, Kiamil Pasha was driven from power and Nazim
Pasha murdered by Enver Bey, who placed himself at the head of a new
government. When the news of the coup d'tat reached London it was
recognized that further negotiations were useless and that the London
Peace Conference had failed.

4. TERMS PROPOSED BY THE POWERS.-Adrianople having been

captured by the Bulgarians, assisted by the Serbs, on March 28, 1913, the
time was ripe for a resumption of peace negotiations. On March 22 the
great powers had proposed the following terms as a basis for the renewal
of negotiations: (1) A frontier line from Enos to Midia to follow the course
of the Maritza, and the cession to the allies of all the territories west of that
line, with the exception of Albania, whose status and frontiers were to be
determined by the powers. (2) The question of the Aegean Islands to be
decided by the powers. (3) Turkey to abandon all claims to Crete. (4) The
powers would not entertain favorably the demand for an indemnity, but
were willing to admit the allies to participation in the discussion of an
international commission, which should meet in Paris for the equitable
settlement of their participation in the Ottoman debt and the financial
obligations of the territories newly acquired. Turkey was to be asked to
take part in the labors of this commission. (5) An end of hostilities
immediately after the acceptance of this basis of negotiations

Turkey agreed to these stipulations, but the allies insisted, among other things,
that the Aegean Islands be ceded directly to them and were eager for an
indemnity.

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5. SECOND MEETING OF THE LONDON PEACE CONFERENCE, MAY
1913 -It was not until April 20 that the Balkan States finally agreed to
accept the mediation of the powers. When the Balkan delegates and the
representatives of the great powers finally met for the second time at
London on May 20 they found a treaty embodying the original terms of the
powers all ready for them to sign. They demurred at first, but when, on
May 27, Sir Edward Grey, frankly told them that they must either sign or
leave London they signed without much further delay on May 30, 1913.

6. DISCUSSION AMONG THE BALKAN ALLIES -The long delay in the

negotiations was largely due to differences among the allies regarding the
division of the spoils. Mutual hatred and suspicion and conflicting
territorial ambitions made agreement almost impossible. The action of the
Conference of Ambassadors in regard to Albania added greatly in the
difficulty of the situation, since Serbia was thereby prevented from
extending its territory westward to the Adriatic and would be left with only
a relatively small recompense for its sacrifices in the war, unless Bulgaria
could be induced to consent to a modification of the Serbo-Bulgar treaty of
March 13, 1912, a thing to which she was unwilling to agree. Even before
the declaration of war Serbia had suggested a rectification of her frontier
as outlined in the Serbo-Bulgar treaty of March 1912. Her demands grew
with her victories, with the free hand in Macedonia allowed her and
Greece by Bulgaria's preoccupation in Thrace, and with her exclusion from
the sea by the creation of Albania. Bulgaria, on the other hand, cared
intensely for expansion in Macedonia. Very bitter feeling was generated
between Bulgaria and Serbia, culminating in warlike preparations, some
actual hostilities, and a final demand on May 25 on the part of Serbia for
revision of the treaty of 1912. Meanwhile Serbia had been approaching
Greece suggesting conterminous bounds in Macedonia and alliance against
Bulgaria, and a final agreement with her was reached on May 19 -- June 1.

Roumania, who hoped to gain Silistria and a more advantageous military

frontier for her Dobrudja region, raised a second question. Bulgaria refused
her suggestions as to compensation for neutrality (made at the London

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 conference), and war almost resulted, but was averted by a Petrograd
conference, which gave Roumania Silistria without fortifications (May 7). On
April 19 Serbia offered her a treaty against Bulgaria, and on May 2 the Greeks
made a similar offer. She desired, however, to remain free until war was
actually begun, fearing the effect of an alliance of all against Bulgaria.

7. TERMS OF THE TREATY OF LONDON, MAY 30, 1913 -The terms

were practically those proposed by the powers on March 23. (1) Turkey
ceded to the Balkan allies her territory in Europe beyond a line drawn from
Enos near the mouth of the Maritza River on the Aegean Sea to Midia on
the Black Sea. (2) The status and boundaries of Albania were to be fixed
by the great powers. (3) The Sultan of Turkey ceded Crete to the Balkan
allies in whose favor all rights of sovereignty were renounced. (4) To the
great powers was left the decision upon the fate of the islands in the
Aegean Sea (excepting Crete) and the status of Mount Athos.3

The Second Balkan War

Bulgarias main objective in the Balkan War was Macedonia. In June, 1913 Bulgaria
launched a surprise attack on its former Balkan League allies, in what was little more
than an opportunistic grab for territory. The Greeks, Serbians and Romanians quickly
defeated the Bulgarians in barely a month. In the Second Balkan War of 1913,
Bulgaria confronted her erstwhile Balkan allies as well as the Ottoman Empire and
Romania. The Treaty of Bucharest of 10 August 1913 confirmed Bulgarias defeat and
the loss of Macedonia to Greece and Serbia and the fertile agricultural region of
southern
Dobruja to Romania. Russias failure to defend Bulgaria against the predations of her
Balkan allies in 1913 led the Sofia government to seek redress in the camp of the
Triple Alliance. In the Second Balkan War, Bulgaria fought a looser coalition of
Greece, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania, and the Ottoman Empire. The war began on
29 June 1913 and it ended a month later. The allies had overcome Bulgaria. The
Second Balkan War finished the Turkish rule in the Balkans, except Istanbul and

3 Anderson, Frank Maloy and Amos Shartle Hershey, Handbook for the Diplomatic
History of Europe, Asia, and Africa 1870-1914. Prepared for the National Board for
Historical Service. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1918.

7
small part of Thraces territory around the Ottoman capital. Direct war between
Balkan states for the legacy of Ottoman Empire opened new field for mutual
hostilities. Firstly, the Bulgarian defeat meant the end of existence of Balkan League. 4
From that time Bulgaria had to seek for a new political partner. Peace treaty signed in
Bucharest, in August 1913 and Constantinople in September 1913 concluded the
Second Balkan War. In less than one year the Balkans would again be at war

Treaty of Bucharest,1913

1. NEGOTIATION- The Treaty of Bucharest was concluded on August 10,

1913, by the delegates of Bulgaria, Roumania, Serbia, Montenegro, and
Greece. As Bulgaria had been completely isolated in the Second Balkan
War, and as she was closely invested on her northern boundary by the of
Roumania on her western frontier by the allied armies of Greece and
Serbia, and in the East by the Turkish Army, she was obliged, in her
helplessness, to submit to such terms as her victorious enemies chose to
impose upon her. All important arrangements and concessions involving
the rectification of the controverted international boundary lines were
perfected in a series of committee meetings, incorporated in separate
protocols, and formally ratified by subsequent action of the general
assembly of delegates.
2. TERMS -By the terms of the treaty, Bulgaria ceded to Roumania all that
portion of the Dobrudja lying north of a line extending from the Danube
just above Turtukaia to the western shore of the Black Sea, south of
Ekrene. This important territorial Concession has an approximate area of
2,687 square miles, a population of 286,000, and includes the fortress of
Silistria and the cities of Turtukaia on the Danube and Baltchik on the
Black Sea. In addition, Bulgaria agreed to dismantle all existing fortresses
and bound herself not to construct forts at Rustchuk or at Schumla or in
any of the territory between these two cities, or within a radius of 20
kilometers around Baltchick.

4 Piotr Mikietynski, World War I in the Balkans, 1914-1918 Third Balkan War?,Journal of Social
Sciences Special Issue on Balkan, SDU Faculty of Arts and Sciences, 2009, p. 120.

8
3. SERBIA'S GAIN IN TERRITORY-The eastern frontier of Serbia was
drawn from the summit of Patarika, on the old frontier, and followed the
watershed between the Vardar and the Struma Rivers to the Greek-
Bulgarian boundary, except that the upper valley of the Strumnitza
remained in the possession of Bulgaria. The territory thus obtained
embraced central Macedonia, including Ochrida, Monastir, Kossovo, Istib,
and Kotchana, and the eastern half of the sanjak of Novi-Bazar. By this
arrangement Serbia increased her territory from 18,650 to 33,891 square
miles and her population by more than 1,500,000. ]

4. GREECE'S GAIN IN TERRITORY - The boundary line separating Greece

from Bulgaria was drawn from the crest of Mount Belashitcha to the
mouth of the Mesta River, on the Aegean Sea. This important territorial
concession, which Bulgaria resolutely contested, in compliance with the
instructions embraced in the notes which Russia and Austria-Hungary
presented to the conference, increased the area of Greece from 25,014 to
41,933 square miles and her population from 2,660,000 to 4,363,000. The
territory thus annexed included Epirus, southern Macedonia, Salonika,
Kavala, and the Aegean littoral as far east as the Mesta River, and
restricted the Aegean seaboard of Bulgaria to an inconsiderable extent of
70 miles, extending from the Mesta to the Maritza, and giving access to
the Aegean at the inferior port of Dedeagatch. Greece also extended her
northwestern frontier to include the great fortress of Janina. In addition,
Crete was definitely assigned to Greece and was formally taken over on
December 14, 1913.

5. BULGARIA'S GAIN IN TERRITORY- Bulgaria's share of the spoils,

although greatly reduced, was not entirely negligible. Her net gains in
territory, which embraced a. portion of Macedonia, including the town of

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 Strumnitza, western Thrace, and 70 miles of the Aegean littoral, were
about 9,663 square miles, and her population was increased by 129,490.

6. APPRAISEMENT OF THE TREATY - By the terms of the Treaty of

Bucharest, Romania profited most in proportion to her sacrifices. The
unredeemed Romanians live mostly in Transylvania, the Bukovina, and
Bessarabia, and therefore the Balkan wars afforded her no adequate
opportunity to perfect the rectification of her boundaries on ethnographic
lines.The humiliating terms imposed on Bulgaria were due to her own
impatience and intemperate folly. The territory she secured was relatively
circumscribed; she had failed to emancipate Macedonia, which was her
avowed purpose in entering the war; she lost the districts of Ochrida and
Monastir, which she especially coveted; she was assigned only a small line
on the Aegean, with the wretched port of Dedeagatch; and she was obliged
to forfeit her ambition as the leader of the Balkan hegemony.
Greece, though gaining much, was greatly dissatisfied. The acquisition of
Salonika was a triumph; she was assigned the port of Kavalla and the
territory eastward at the insistence of the King and the army and contrary
to the advice of Venizelos; in the northwest Greece encountered the
opposition of Italy by urging her claims to southern Albania; in the
assignment of the Aegean Islands she was profoundly dissatisfied; and she
still claims 3,000,000 unredeemed conational.
The fundamental defects of the Treaty of Bucharest were that (1) the
boundaries which it drew bore little relation to the nationality of the
inhabitants of the districts affected, and that (2) the punishment meted out
to Bulgaria, while perhaps deserved in the light of her great offense in
bringing on the, Second Balkan War, was so severe that she could not
accept the treaty as a permanent settlement. While Serbia, Greece, and
Romania can not escape a large share of the blame for the character of the
treaty, it should not be forgotten that their action at Bucharest was in large

10
 measure due to the settlement forced upon the Balkan States by the great
powers at the London conferences. 5

The Treaty of Constantinople ,1913

1. INTRODUCTION -During the Second Balkan War Turkey took

advantage of the helpless plight of Bulgaria to recover Adrianople. The
powers thereupon "most categorically" demanded the evacuation of
Adrianople in accordance with the terms of the Treaty of London, but
failed to enforce their demand.Bulgaria having made terms with her
other enemies -- Greece, Serbia, and Romania -- by means of the
Treaty of Bucharest, decided to negotiate directly with the Porte.
2. TERMS OF THE TREATY _Negotiations began on September 3,
1913, and the treaty was signed on September 29. The Enos-Midia line
was preserved, but was made to curve northward from the Black Sea
and westward across the Maritza in such a way that Turkey obtained
not only Adrianople, but also Kirk Kiliss and Demotica. The
Bulgarians were not even left masters of the one railway leading to
Dedeagatch, their sole port on the Aegean Sea.

CONSEQUENCES OF BALKAN WAR

The Balkan Wars resulted in huge casualties. The Bulgarians lost around 65,000 men,
the Greeks 9,500, the Montenegrins, 3,000, and the Serbs at least 36,000. The
Ottomans lost as many as 125,000 dead. In addition, tens of thousands of civilians
died from disease and other causes. Deliberate atrocities occurred throughout every
theater of war. Another important consequence of the Balkan Wars was the alienation
of Bulgaria from Russia. Until 1913, Bulgaria had been Russias most important client

5 Anderson, Frank Maloy and Amos Shartle Hershey, Handbook for the Diplomatic History of
Europe, Asia, and Africa 1870-1914. Prepared for the National Board for Historical Service.
Government Printing Office, Washington, 1918.

11
in the Balkan region. Bulgarias proximity to Constantinople afforded Russia a
valuable base from which to bring pressure upon this vital area.
The failure of Russian diplomacy to mediate the Bulgarian-Serbian dispute over the
disposition of Macedonia led to Bulgaria's catastrophic defeat in the Second Balkan
War and Bulgarias subsequent turn to the Triple Alliance for redress. This left Serbia
as Russians only ally in the Balkans. When Austro-Hungarian chastisement
threatened Serbia in July 1914, the Russians had to protect Serbia or else lose the
Balkans completely. The ambitions of the Montenegrins and Serbs in Albania greatly
increased Austro-Hungarian antipathy towards these two south Slavic states. The
Viennese government became determined that Serbian power should not increase in
the Balkans. On three separate occasions, in December 1912, in April 1913 and again
after the Balkan Wars in October 1913 the Austro-Hungarians came into conflict with
the Serbs and Montenegrins over Albanian issues. Even though war resulted in the
summer of 1914 from an event in Bosnia, the conflicts over Albania informed the
Austrians decision to fight the Serbs. The First World War was not the Third Balkan
War; rather the Balkan Wars were he beginning of the First World War. Nationalist
conflicts persisted in southeastern Europe from 1912 to 1918. Problems of
nationalism endured there into the 21st century.

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ROLE OF UNITED NATION SECURITY COUNCIL (UNSC)

Objective

The United Nations has often been called upon to prevent dangerous situations from
escalating into war, to persuade opposing parties to settle their differences at the
conference table rather than on the battlefield, and help restore peace when conflicts
occur. The methods and machinery have taken many forms. In some disputes, the UN
has dispatched peace-keeping forces, observer or fact-finding missions, good offices
missions, mediators and special representatives.

In other cases, it has provided the forum for debate and negotiation or an avenue for
quiet diplomacy. In the case of Balkan war, When the disintegration of the SFRY
(Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia), a founding member began in the late
1980's the UN along with the EU came to its rescue. In order to solve the issue first,
they supported diplomatic missions rather than military involvement.

Background

At the end of the 1980s, following a period of political and economic crisis, the
republics of Slovenia and Croatia began to separate themselves from the rest of the
country. Efforts by the collective federal presidency and the six Presidents to end
conflict and negotiate a revised structure for the country failed. Hostilities began in
June 1991, when Croatia and Slovenia declared themselves independent form
Yugoslavia. Serbs living in Croatia, supported by the Yugoslavia people's Army,
opposed the move. By September, fighting escalated into an all-out war between
Croatia and Serbia. In March 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina also declared its
independence- an act supported by Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Muslims, but opposed
by Bosnian Serb. The European Community sought to resolve the crisis in the
framework of the Conference on Yugoslavia, but its efforts proved unsuccessful.

Involvement of Security Council

The United Nations became involved on 25 September 1991, when the Security
Council imposed an arms embargo on Yugoslavia and invited the Secretary General to

13
offer his assistance in support of the peace efforts of the European Community. The
Secretary General appointed Mr. Cyrus Vance the Personal Envoy for Yugoslavia. The
personal Envoy interacted with all parties, which resulted in agreements on a cease-
fire in Croatia and on establishing a United Nations peacekeeping operation.

Appointment of United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR)

On 21 February 1992, some political groups in Yugoslavia were still objecting to the
United Nation plan the Security Council established the to United Nations Protection
Force (UNPROFOR)6, to create conditions of peace and security for negotiating a
settlement in the frame work of the European Community's Conference on
Yugoslavia. PROFOR was deployed in Croatia in four "United Nations Protected
Areas" in which Serbs were the majority or a substantial minority of the population,
and where ethnic tensions had led to armed conflict.

UNPROFOR' s mandate was to ensure that such areas were vacated by the Yugoslavia
People's Army and demilitarized, and that all persons living there were protected from
armed attacks. UNPROFOR was also to assist the United Nations humanitarian
agencies and facilitate the return of displaced persons to their homes. As the conflict
in Bosnia and Herzegovina broke out and rapidly intensified, humanitarian problems
increased dramatically. Under difficult circumstances, various United Nations
agencies and several humanitarian organizations continued their work.

From April 1992, the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina deteriorated rapidly. The
Security Council appealed for a cease-fire, and demanded that the interference by
Yugoslavian and Croatian armies cease immediately. But in spite of all these efforts
by the European Community, the Secretary-General and UNPROFOR, the conflict
continued to worse.

On 30 May, the Security Council imposed wide.:. Ranging economic sanctions on

Yugoslavia (consisted of Serbia and Montenegro). It also demanded that all parties
allow the delivery of humanitarian supplies to the Bosnia capital of Sarajevo and
other areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and

6 NATO Expanding, NATO review, 1996, Pp23.

14
Slovenia had become Members of the United Nations on 22 May. The former
Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia joined the United Nations on 8 April, 1993.

By June 1992, there were widespread reports of "ethnic cleansing- elimination by the
ethnic groups controlling a territory of members of other ethnic groups mostly
conducted by Bosnian Serb forces. The number of refugees and displaced persons had
risen to more than 2.2. million- the largest refugees crisis in Europe since the Second
World War.

Appointment of United Nation Human Right Commission (UNHRC)

In August, the United Nations commission on Human Rights appointed a Special

Reporter to investigate the situation in the former Yugoslavia. Meeting in a two-day
extraordinary session on Yugoslavia, the commission condemned human rights
violations and ethnic cleansing, especially in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As Serbiai1
forces continued fierce fighting around Sarajevo and in other area, the Security
Council in September expanded UNPROFOR's mandate and strength in Bosnia,
authorizing the Force to protect the convoys of released civilian detainees and the
delivery of humanitarian assistance. Deployment to additional troops in five new
zones was also authorized. In September, the General Assembly decided that the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) could not continue
automatically the membership of the former Yugoslavia in the United Nations. Acting
on the recommendation of the Security Council, the Assembly decided that the
Federal Republic should not participate in the work of the Assembly and should re-
apply for membership. In October, the Security Council banned all military flights
over Bosnia and Herzegovina, instituting a "no-fly zone". To monitor implementation
of the ban, the Council in November authorized the deployment of observers on the
border of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In November, the former Yugoslavia Republic of
Macedonia requested the deployment of United Notations observers, due to concerns
about the possible impact of fighting in the former Yugoslavia. The Security Council
established UNPROFOR presence at the borders of the country with Albania and
Yugoslavia. The mandate of the Force was essentially preventive- to monitor
developments in the border areas, which could threaten the country's territory.

15
In its second extraordinary session on Yugoslavia, the Commission on Human Rights
in December condemned all human rights violations there, and demanded that the
"republic of Serbia" use its influence with the self-proclaimed Serbian authorities in
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia to end ethnic cleansing. The commission
condemned the indiscriminate shelling of cities, the systematic murder of civilians,
and destruction of civic services and the use of military forces against relief
operations. In December, the General Assembly condemned Serbia, Montenegro and
Serbian forces for violating the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political
independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Diplomatic efforts to bring peace to Bosnia
and Herzegovina continued. In January 1993, Mr. Vance and the European
Community mediator, Lord David Owen-Co-Chairman of the steering Committee of
the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia (ICFY)- held talks in Geneva
with all parties. (the President of the Bosnian Government, the leader of Bosnian
Serbs, the leader of Bosnian Coats, and the Presidents of Croatia and Yugoslavia
(Serbia and Montenegro7)The Bosnian Serb parliament rejected in April the Vance-
Owen plan for a settlement of the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Bosnian
government and the Bosnian Croats as well as the President of Serbia had agreed with
the outlines of the Vance-Owen Plan

Establishment Of International Criminal Tribunal

In February, the Security Council established an International criminal Tribunal for

the former Yugoslavia, to prosecute persons responsible for having committed or
ordered serious violations of international humanitarian law. It was the first time the
United Nations established an international criminal court with jurisdiction to
prosecute crimes committed during armed conflict. The Tribunal is located in capital
Hague, the Netherlands. In March, fighting intensified in eastern Bosnia and
Herzegovina, with Bosnian Serb units attacking several cities and threatening Bosnian
Muslims.

In April, the security Council demanded the withdrawal of Bosnian Serbs units and
the end of armed attacks and the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance. In
May, the Council declared Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zepa, Goraze, Bihac and Srebrenica as

7 Carole Regel, Tlte Breakup of Yugoslavia and The War in Bosnia, (London, Greenwood press,
1998), pp 25

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safe havens free from armed attacks and other hostile acts. Intensive peace talks
continued in New York and Geneva, under the auspices of Lord Owen and Mr.
Thorvald Stoltenberg, the new Special Representative of the Secretary General after
Mr. Vance's resignation in April 1993. In the field, the United Nations counted its
efforts to prevent further atrocities, alleviate human suffering, expedite delivery of
humanitarian assistance and curtail military activities.

In June, the Security Council authorized UNPROFOR to use force, including air
power, in reply to attacks against the safe areas by the Bosnian side. UNPOFOR's
strength was increased by further 7,600 troops. In December 1993 and January 1994,
Lord Owen and Mr. Stoltenberg held further rounds of inconclusive consultations.
Fighting between Bosnian Muslim and Bosnian Croat forces continued to rage in
central Bosnia and the Mostar area. On 6 February, the Secretary General stated to
prepare for the use of air strikes to deter further attacks. He requested the North
Atlantic council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to use air strikes.
On 9 February, the North Atlantic Council authorized such air strikes.

In March, following negotiations under the United Nations Bosnian Government, the
Bosnian Croats and the Republic of Croatia reached a Framework Agreement
establishing a Federation in the areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as an outline
of a preliminary agreement for a confederation between Croatia and Bosnia and
Herzegovina.

While the political and military provisions of the Agreement proved difficult to
implement, 23 February cease-fire led to a halt in the year-long fighting between
Bosnian and Croat forces in central Bosnia and the Mortar area. It also facilitated the
delivery of humanitarian aid to major cities through Bosnia and Herzegovina. In
March, the Secretary General appointed a special Co-coordinator for Sarajevo to
develop a plan of action to restore essential public services in and around the city.

On 29 March, following negotiations under the auspices of the United States and the
Russian Federation, the Government of Croatia and local Serb authorities in the
United Nations Protected Areas concluded a cease-fire agreement. The
implementation of the agreement implied the interposition of UNPROFOR in a zone
of separation, as well as its monitoring of surrender of heavy weapons. In April, a

17
"Contact Group", composed of France, Germany, the Russian Federation, the United
Kingdom and the United States, was constituted to define a peaceful settlement in
Bosnia and Herzegovina. In may, the Foreign Ministers of the European Union Troika
(Belgium, Germany and Greece) and of France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the
United States met in Geneva, together with the Co Chairmen of the Steering
Committee of the ICFY. They urged the Bosnian parties to reach an agreement on the
concept of a territorial compromise based on 51 per cent for the Bosnian-Croat
Federation and 49 per cent for the Bosnian Serb entity.

In July, the Contact Group presented its territorial proposal, which was accepted by
the Bosnian Federation, Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, but rejected
by the Bosnian Serb party.

In November-December, the Secretary-General went to Sarajevo and other European

capitals, continuing high-level diplomatic efforts to reach a negotiated settlement to
the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. On 31 December, the parties to the Bosnian
conflict signed a four-month cessation of hostility agreements. The agreement broke
down in March and expired on 1 May.

In March 1995, the Secretary General recommended that UNPROFOR be replaced by

three operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the former Yugoslavia
Republic of Macedonia. Such an arrangement would respond to the wishes of the
three countries, without compromising the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of an
integrated United Nations peacekeeping presence.

Replacement of UNPROFOR

On 31 March, the Security Council replaced UNPROFOR with three separate but
inter linked peacekeeping operations: UNPROFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the
United Nations Confidence Restoration operation in Croatia (UNCRO}, and the
United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) in the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia. Diplomatic efforts to and the war also heated up in spring
and summer 1995. After the death of three diplomats involved in the peace efforts ,
the peace mission went into even higher gear. Richard Holbrook who emerged as a
major player scripted a treaty of peace.

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The Dayton Agreement

On September 8 the warring parties agreed to participate in peace talks, based on an

accord issued in Geneva. Its basic provisions were (1) Bosnia-Herzegovina would
continue to exist as a legal entity (2) it would consist of two parts- the Muslim -Croat-
federation that had been established in March 1994, and the Serbian Republic of
Bosnia -Herzegovina, each having its own constitution and the right to establish
separate relationships with neighboring states. The Dayton agreement or otherwise
known as "American Peace" was concluded on November 22,1995. The "American
peace" Agreement confirmed the sovereignty and independence of Bosnia
Herzegovina, now a dual or two parts state.

The Muslim Croat federation would contain 51 percent and the Serbian Republic 49
percent of Bosnian land. This agreement became remarkable, as it not only
acknowledged a new relevance for International community but affirmed US
leadership of International community in the post-cold war period. The Balkan Peace
(Bosnian Peace) produced the framework for a new international order few years.
After the signing of the Dayton Peace accord, another issue flared up in the same
Balkan region.

Post After Dayton Peace

In the Serbian province Kosovo, Violence between the ethnic Serbs and Albanians
left more than 10,000 people dead and many homeless. The refugee flow surged to a
great extent. In order control that situation the UN along with the European Union
scurried to rescue. Before they could do anything USA led NATO attacked that lead.
At the outset, the NATO campaign focused on destroying, isolating and interdicting
the Serbian forces in and around Kosovo and preventing a continuation of their
aggression or its intensification. Openly supporting the Albanian Muslims, they
targeted the Serbs and conducted the most destructive bombings on the Kosovo Serb
positions.

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Question On Role Of Security Council

The NATOs attack clearly violates the NATOs basic founding treaty and breaches
the UN charter to which all NATO members are signatories. NATO was established at
the beginning of the cold war to provide collective self-defense against the Soviet
attack. The alliance in order to justify existence unleashed attacks against a sovereign
state, which has not threatened it any way. The illegal bombing in Yugoslavia also
violated the UN charter. The charter clearly prohibits any use of force, except in self-
defense, unless the Security Council has authorized it. Thus, this illegal act cannot be
justified on any ground. This was the first NATO "out of area" offensive against a
small Balkan Country which did not threaten the security of any of its allies.
Yugoslavian forces have taken strong measures to counter the Kosovo Liberation
Army and Kosovo Albanians. Peacekeeping forces comprising outside troops under
the UN authority could have been offered instead NATO forces.

The war was won by the NATO forces victory was only military in nature. Politically
it had lost the war. The UN, at the same time, lost its past relevance.lt had solved
many ethnic issues, but its silence during this crisis contributed to deepening the
crisis. In order to make the UN an active rather than a mere spectator, reforms should
be brought. The reforms should enhance its effectiveness for ensuring internal peace
and stability.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Sites
1. https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/boshtml/bos145.htm.
2. http://encyclopedia.1914-1918-online.net/article/balkan_wars_1912-
1913
3. http://www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/missions/past/unmibh/background.
html

Articles
1. Erjada Progonati, The Chronicle Of The First World War And Its
Impact On The Balkans, Akademik Bak Cilt 7 Say 14 Yaz 2014.

Books
1. Richard C.Hall, THE BALKAN WARS 19121913 Prelude to the First
World War , London and new york,2000

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