Bosnia: Which way forward?

What has Lord Ashdown achieved in Bosnia?

In a Hardtalk interview on 24 June Tim Sebastian talks to Lord Paddy Ashdown about the prospects for peace and development in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

When Paddy Ashdown became the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia just over a year ago, he was charged with bringing peace and prosperity to a country that was torn apart by the war in the nineties.

The country still bears the scars of that bloody conflict. Unemployment stands at 40 per cent, and many war criminals are still at large, including the Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic.

The new constitution won't be written in an airbase or in a marble hall in Europe. It will be written by the Bosnian people. Lord Ashdown

Many believe that Bosnia-Herzegovina will never be united if crime statistics are not reduced and war criminals aren't put behind bars.

So what has Paddy Ashdown achieved since he arrived in Bosnia? When Lord Ashdown came to power he said he would be the last representative in Bosnia Herzegovina and he still believes this to be the case.

Bosnia in the EU?

He said when he steps down there will be a European appointed Representative whose role will be to make sure Bosnia Herzegovina becomes a member of the European Union.

"I think if Bosnia Herzegovina continues as it has done in the first decade of peace keeping we shall see the next phase - but it's quite likely there won't be the presence of a heavy weight interventionist such as the High Representative in Bosnia - but a European Representative that takes the country into Europe."

Lord Ashdown is keen that it will be the people of Bosnia Herzegovina who will determine their new constitution - it will not be him or any other westerner.

"The new constitution won't be written in an airbase or in a marble hall in Europe. It will be written by the Bosnian people."

Supporting the nationalists

Lord Ashdown has come under much attack for supporting nationalist parties in Bosnia Herzegovina - his critics believe that the country will never be united if support is given to the nationalists.

But Lord Ashdown says he has no right to tell people how to vote.

"Who governs this country is the choice of the people. I have no right to tell the people of Bosnia who to vote for. I won't be a protectorate - I have a job to do - to drive through reforms. The issues I deal with are - "can I get a job".

Lord Ashdown acknowledges the criticism and frustration the International Community is facing over the whereabouts of Radovan Karadzic, but remains confident that he will soon be brought to justice.

"Radovan Karadzic is one man walking through hostile territory where people support him. We are now attacking the roots of a tree. We are attacking a broad network of support.

"What I am clear about is that he will be in the Hague very soon - because we are making it more difficult for him. We now have an aggressive approach and political will to catch him."

Hardtalk can be seen on BBC World at 03:30 GMT, 08:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 18:30 GMT and 23:30 GMT.

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 03:30 GMT and 22:30 GMT