As our plane was overflying the Balkans I remembered Bismarck's sarcastic remark that the Balkans "aren't worth the life of a sea fish". This remark sums up Europe's attitude to the Balkans and uncovers the reason behind its delay in intervening in its conflicts, the last of which followed the break-up of Yugoslavia. Three wars were waged by the Serbs against Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia – Herzegovina (henceforth B-H)