ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the significant role of the mode and form of apology presentation and the ambivalent role of the international community in fostering politics of reconciliation. It demonstrates that even though collective apologies are commonly branded as meaningless rituals, the ceremonial frame and the public performance of apologies may be indispensable in the creation of meaningful apologies. The mode of apology shows that positively received Serb apologies to Croatia were delivered in the presence of the addressed representatives and were publicly performed on historic symbolic sites. In contrast, the Serb apologies towards Bosnia resulted from fierce negotiations and are mainly issued as parliamentary declarations and written communiqués. The chapter examines a description of the historical account of the 1991-95 War in former Yugoslavia. It analyses apology statements issued by the Republika Srpska authorities to Croatia, Bosnia and to groups within Bosnia. Throughout the analysis the apologies are evaluated with regard to their impact and effect on the reconciliation process.
