From: Judd Ginsberg/CNN
In: Washington
Posted 8-26-97

Subject: U.S. Putting Pressure On Milosevic

The United States is putting pressure on a key leader in the Balkans in an attempt to bolster the authority of Bosnian Serb President Biljana Plavsic.

A State Department official told CNN today that special Bosnian envoy Robert Gelbard will visit Serbia later this week to meet with President Slobodan Milosevic. Gelbard intends to tell Milosevic that he should use his leverage with Bosnian Serb military leaders to urge them to support Plavsic.

Plavsic is locked in a power struggle with indicted war criminal Radovan Karadzic. She held a meeting with generals today in an apparent attempt to judge their loyalty. At least four generals went to a meeting with NATO officials instead and did not attend.

The United States believes Milosevic wields great influence among the Bosnian Serbs. Gelbard is expected to tell Milosevic that the integration of the former Yugoslavia into the international community hinges on his implementation of the Dayton peace accords.

A test of that, U.S. officials say, is whether Milovesic uses his power with the Bosnian Serbs. One official suggests Milosevic could urge the military commanders to support Plavsic, thereby undermining Karadzic's power without actually attacking Karadzic, a longtime Milosevic ally.

In Other News:

Tuesday Aug. 26, 1997

E-mail From Washington:
• U.S. Putting Pressure On Milosevic