A fractured peace: the former Yugoslavia. Debates

A fractured peace: the former Yugoslavia. Debates
This slim volume is based on essays contributed by the committees of the Parliamentary Assembly, which is the consultative organ of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. The essays consider first the period of war in the former Yugoslavia, with chapters on the period from the outbreak of war to the Dayton Agreements; humanitarian aid and embargoes during the conflict; human rights violations, and the war and the media. The second section covers the period of reconstruction, looking at aid for reconstruction; implementing the Dayton Agreements; the institutions for the protection of human rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the return of the refugees. A final section considers the nature of the peace, looking particularly at the resumption of hostilities in Kosovo and how this has affected neighbouring countries.

The book consists of short summaries of major events in the region, and creates coherent historical and thematic narratives out of events that are complex to untangle. There are also strong arguments here for courses of action that should be taken to try to redress the problems. It is additionally a useful reference volume, including a list of texts on the former Yugoslavia adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, and brief descriptions of the roles of individuals and organisations working in the area. It would, however, have benefited from the inclusion of an index.