Owen-Stoltenberg plan

Owen-Stoltenberg plan. The Owen-Stoltenberg plan was a proposed peace agreement presented in August 1993 during the Bosnian War, a central conflict within the Yugoslav Wars. Co-authored by European Community envoy David Owen and United Nations envoy Thorvald Stoltenberg, it aimed to end the war by restructuring Bosnia and Herzegovina into a union of three ethnic republics. The plan represented a significant international diplomatic effort but ultimately failed to gain acceptance from all warring parties, notably the government of Alija Izetbegović.

Background and context

The plan emerged amidst the intense violence and ethnic cleansing that characterized the Bosnian War following the dissolution of Yugoslavia. Previous diplomatic initiatives, including the Vance-Owen Peace Plan, had collapsed, leaving the United Nations Protection Force struggling to manage a worsening humanitarian crisis. The international community, represented by the Contact Group and operating through the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia in Geneva, sought a new formula for peace. The co-chairmen, David Owen and Thorvald Stoltenberg, were tasked with bridging the deep divides between the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Army of Republika Srpska, and the Croatian Defence Council.

Key provisions

The core of the proposal was to transform Bosnia and Herzegovina into a decentralized state composed of three constituent "Republics": one for Bosnian Serbs, one for Bosnian Croats, and one for Bosniaks. This structure was a direct continuation of the "cantonization" concept from earlier plans. Map delineations granted the Serb republic roughly 52% of the territory, the Croat republic around 17%, and the Bosniak republic about 31%. The central government in Sarajevo would retain only minimal symbolic powers, such as foreign policy, while most authority resided with the ethnic entities. Critical provisions addressed the status of Sarajevo and the Goražde enclave, designating them as special districts under international administration.

Negotiations and reception

Formal negotiations took place throughout the summer of 1993 in Geneva and at sessions on the Greek island of Crete. The plan received immediate approval from the leadership of the Bosnian Serbs, including Radovan Karadžić, and the Bosnian Croats, represented by Mate Boban. However, the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina under Alija Izetbegović vehemently rejected the terms, arguing the map rewarded ethnic cleansing and dismantled a sovereign, multi-ethnic state. Key allies, including the United States administration of Bill Clinton, were also critical, favoring a more balanced territorial arrangement and stronger central institutions. This lack of unified international backing and the Bosnian government's refusal led to the plan's collapse by late 1993.

Aftermath and legacy

The failure of the Owen-Stoltenberg plan prolonged the war for another two years, culminating in events like the Srebrenica massacre and Operation Deliberate Force. Its principles of ethnic partition, however, heavily influenced subsequent negotiations, directly paving the way for the Washington Agreement in 1994 and the final Dayton Agreement in 1995. The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina established at Dayton created the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, entities that echoed the tripartite structure proposed in 1993. The plan remains a contentious subject in analyses of international diplomacy during the Yugoslav Wars, often cited as an example of realpolitik that legitimized wartime gains. Category:Bosnian War Category:Peace treaties Category:1993 in Bosnia and Herzegovina