Hope is not a plan: In search of a Western strategy in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The deteriorating political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where secessionist calls from one of the entities created at Dayton in 1995 have recently resurfaced, has not yet triggered any appropriate reaction from the "international community". Division among Western powers and international fatigue towards Bosnia have to date prevented any meaningful and coherent response to repeated provocations from different parties in Bosnia. In an attempt to determine what strategy could best confront the downward spiral in the country's political climate, the Clingendael Institute and the Democratization Policy Council convened over 40 international policymakers (representing both governments and IOs) and analysts from Europe and North America for a all-day roundtable on October 1st, 2009. The debate was passionate, and divergent perceptions led to a plethora of different prescriptions - a flavour of the then soon-to-be-announced Butmir process.