Glossary

BALKANS
the countries in the Balkan Peninsula: Yugoslavia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia, Rumania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, and the European part of Turkey
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVIA
a republic in South-East Europe, formarly part of Yugoslavia. Cap.: Sarajevo
CROATIA
a republic in South-East Europe: includes the historical regions of Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia: formerly a part of Yugoslavia. Cap.: Zagreb, Serbo-Croatian, Hrvatska.
GENOCIDE
the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national or racial group.
HIGH REPRESENTATIVE
organization designated to facilitate civilian aspects of the peace treaty; will chair Joint Civilian Commision consisting of political representatives of the parties, the IFOR Commander and representatives of civilian organizations; has no authority over IFOR.
HOLBROOKE,RICHARD
Assistant Secretery of State, an architect of Dayton Peace Accord and a top U.S. mediator for Bosnia
IFOR (IMPLEMANTATION FORCE)
multinational military force under the command of NATO, authorized by the UN to monitor compliance with the agreement on military aspects of the Dayton Agreement.
IZETBEGOVICH, ALIJA
Bosnia's Muslim president,who tried to find ways to maintain a reformed union of sovereign Yugoslav states, but supported independence if Croatia and Slovenia were to leave the union.
KNIN
a region in Croatia were Serbian insurgents formed the autonomous districts in fall of 1990 and eventually in 1991 armed guerrillas with big support launched an offensive against Croatia.
MACEDONIA
a republic in South-East Europe: formarly part of Yugoslavia. Cap.: Skopje.
MESIC, STIPE
the first ever moderate non-Communist presidential candidate to be nominated by Croatia, his candidacy was rejected by Serbs and Montenegrins.
MLADIC, RATKO
general of Serbian illigal armed organization, who engaged in genocide, ethnic cleansing and other violations of human rights in eastern and northern parts of Bosnia.
MILOSEVIC, SLOBODAN
president of Serbia who supported and tried to enforce the union of former Yugoslav states.
MONTENEGRO
a constituent republic in former Yugoslavia, formerly a kindom. Cap.: Cetinje.
NATO
an organization formed in Washington, D.C. (1949), comprising the 12 nations of the Atlantic Pact together with Greece, Turkey, and the Federal Republic of Germany, for the purpose of collective defense against aggression.
REFERENDUM
the principle or practice of referring measures proposed or passed by a legislative body to the bote of the electorate for approval or rejection.
REFUGEE
one who flees for refuge or safety, especially to a foreign country, as in time of political upheaval, economic hardships, war, etc.
SECURITY COUNCIL
the division of the United Nations charged with maintaining international peace, composed of five permanent members (U.S., Russian Federation, France, United Kingdom, and the People's Republic of China) and ten temporary members, each serving for two years.
SERBIA
a former kindom in South Europe; now, with revised boundaries an independent republic, formerly part of Yugoslavia. Cap.: Belgrade.
TITO, JOSIP BROZ
president of communist Yugoslavia from 1953-1980, whose dictatorship held the republic together; following his death separatist movements started in the formar parts of Yuogoslavia.
UNPROFOR
UN mission (United Nations Protection Force) launched in March of 1992 initially in Croatia; later the mission's influence spread throughout former Yugoslavia;commander Genral Bertrand de Sauville de La Presle (France).

Back to the Homepage