Anti-Corruption Watchdog Group in Bosnia Recommended

DAYTON, Ohio — Seeking ways to meet goals of the 1995 Dayton peace accord, Bosnian leaders and U.S. diplomats on Saturday recommended a commission to fight corruption and sought more aggressive NATO pursuit of war criminals.

The announcement came after two days of private talks following up on the agreement that ended fighting four years ago but left Bosnia-Herzegovina divided among ethnic groups, with a weak economy and millions of refugees.

U.S. Ambassador Robert Frowick applauded the new agreement, saying reducing corruption is essential to Bosnia becoming economically self-sufficient.

Pro-Western Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik and his counterpart in the Muslim-Croat Federation, Edhem Bicakcic, agreed to establish a joint anti-corruption group.

Since the war ended, the international community has pledged $5.1 billion for the reconstruction of Bosnia. But the Bosnian government has lost millions of dollars, much of it from failing to collect tax and customs revenues.

The group also recommended that North Atlantic Treaty Organization peacekeeping forces in Bosnia be more aggressive about finding and arresting war criminals.