LETTER : London conference on Bosnia: undefined aims in an old game

From Mr Edward de Bono

Sir: Your leader "Drawing a line in Bosnia" (21 July) and the London meeting are still within the old game. Now is the time to change the game. I propose an economic conference to plan the reconstruction of former Yugoslavia. This will cost about $8bn.

The funds will be allocated with a heavy weighting to multi-ethnic communities. This more positive approach will change the nature of the local game, so the power brokers and warlords will want to change games or be supplanted by those who do want to change.

The two fundamentals for dealing with the situation of the Bosnia sort are: break the continuity and change the game.

Of course, that requires the sort of thinking that cannot be expected from experienced politicians.

Yours sincerely,

Edward de Bono

London, W1