22 years since Washington Agreement:It called a halt to the armed conflict between RBiH Army and HVO

Friday, 18 March will see 22 years since Washington Agreement which halted the armed conflict between RBiH Army and Croat Defense Council (Hrvatsko vijeće obrane – HVO).

The agreement was signed between BH Prime Minister at the time Haris Silajdzic, Croat Minister of Foreign Affairs Mate Granic and President of Herceg-Bosna Kresimir Zubak.

Besides agreed cease-fire between RBiH Army and HVO, Herceg-Bosna also ceased to exist and making of Federation BiH was agreed upon. Federation was divided into 10 cantons. Cantons were introduced so as to prevent from domination of one nationality over another (Bosniaks – Croats and vice versa).

Washington Agreement was meant to be the first phase of an agreement among three peoples in BiH, while the second phase was planned to include Republika Srpska in the negotiations. The plan was for RS to be abolished and that the entire BiH is divided into cantons. However, that plan was not implemented.