Enemy tensions simmer at Balkans 'friendly'

The first official football match between Bosnia and Yugoslavia since the end of the Bosnian War took place under high security.

The 200 Yugoslav fans came to the stadium in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo under heavy police escort.

They were jeered by home supporters and there were several minor scuffles outside the ground before the game even started.

Hundreds of extra police offices were deployed, backed up by dogs and water canon in case of any trouble between fans who, seven years ago, were at war with each other.

Positive step

Milorad Jokismovic, 26, a student from Belgrade, said he was in the area visiting friends and had decided to come to the game to support Yugoslavia.

"The Bosnian fans are angry because we have come to their stadium, but I am not scared," he said. "I suppose it is a positive thing that the game is taking place. But some things you cannot change."

"This is something special," said Emil Sehic, 25, a metal worker, and Bosnian supporter, from Sarajevo.

"It's special because of what has happened in the past," he said. "Personally, I think this game is too early. I do not think it should take place. But politically, for peoples' lives generally, then it is probably a good thing."

Playing the unthinkable

Most of the Yugoslav fans were Bosnian Serbs who live in the Serb half of Bosnia. During the match, they waved Yugoslav flags, sang provocative nationalist songs and chanted "Long live the kingdom of Serbia".

At one point, some Serb fans briefly chanted the name Ratko Mladic - the former head of the Bosnian Serb military who has been indicted by the UN War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague.

The mainly Muslim home crowd responded with their own songs, and sent a hail of missiles, mainly plastic lighters, into the Serb enclosure. Some waved Turkish and Islamic flags to provoke the Serbs.

The main violence occurred after the match, which Yugoslavia won 2-0. Whilst the Serb fans were kept inside the stadium, the police tried to disperse the 10,000 or so Bosnian fans.

But a hard core of several hundred tried to break through the police cordon and return to the ground to confront the Serbs. Bottles were thrown, and some cars were damaged.

The riot police responded relatively quickly and within half an hour the situation was under control. There were a few minor injuries and a number of arrests.

The team coaches left the ground with a large police escort. The Serb fans, still locked in the stadium, cheered the Yugoslav bus as it passed and even clapped the Bosnian team coach as it went by.

The organisers had hoped the game would help cement relations between the two countries, which have been gradually improving over recent years.

And although there was some violence, it was not as bad as many had been expecting. Just two years ago, such an event would have been unthinkable.