New Allegations of Karadzic Deal with the West

The copy of the document, whose authenticity is almost impossible to prove, is dated May 5, 1996 and appears to bear Holbrooke’s and the former Bosnian Serb president’s signatures.



The newspaper claims that in addition to the money – intended to cover Karadzic’s living costs for six years - the deal required him to live at a secret location either in Republika Srpska or in Serbia.



The newspaper also alleges that Karadzic honoured his side of the deal and disappeared from public life in June 1996.



Several newspapers in Serbia and Montenegro have picked up the same report.



Karadzic’s brother Luka told Fokus this week that he himself was a witness to the agreement and that several international diplomats, including the then Russian foreign minister Yevgeny Primakov were also aware of the deal. He called on Holbrooke to admit the existence of this “gentlemen’s agreement” and to reveal its details in public.



Holbrooke has vehemently denied the allegations.



“This is a crude and obvious forgery," Ashley Bommer, Holbrooke’s chief of staff, told the AFP news agency on March 22.



Also this week, the Bosnian Serb authorities again denied that Karadzic was hiding in Republika Srpska, but did not comment on the newspaper report.