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First visit by Yugoslav leader to Bosnia since independence

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October 23, 2000 

TREBINJE, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) - Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica on Sunday made his first visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina that strained political sensitivities in the country ahead of elections next month.

He participated in the reburial ceremony of a Serb poet inside a church. The event was also attended by Serb politicians, church leaders and intellectuals from Bosnia and Serbia.

About 5,000 people were present at the ceremony. Among them were representatives of the Islamic and Jewish communities in Bosnia, along with the Muslim mayor of nearby Mostar, Safet Orucevic.

Ducic died in 1943 in the United States but wished to be buried in his native town.

After the ceremony, Kostunica had lunch with all Bosnian Serb leaders except pro-western Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, who left after the event ended.

Kostunica was scheduled to fly to Sarajevo for a meeting with the country's top officials.

Since succeeding Slobodan Milosevic on Oct. 7, Kostunica has been expected to ease tensions between Belgrade and Sarajevo, establish diplomatic relations and show support for pro-democracy Bosnian Serbs.

Kostunica accepted an invitation by Mirko Sarovic, deputy president of the Serb part of Bosnia to attend the reburial rather than visit Sarajevo, the capital, first.

The ceremony comes three weeks before national elections in Bosnia amid fears that Bosnian Serb extremists may use it to promote Serb nationalism.