Dayton is hosting the session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, during which the 30th anniversary of the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement is being commemorated. Members of our country’s Presidency held a series of bilateral meetings with numerous diplomats. From these meetings and panel discussions, an almost unanimous message was conveyed: the United States (U.S.)and the West will not allow the undermining of the Dayton Peace Agreement, nor the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
In the U.S. city of Dayton, the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is taking place. As part of the session, the 30th anniversary of the signing of the peace agreement, which ended the war in BiH, is being marked. On the sidelines, several panel discussions dedicated to our country, as well as important messages. The idea of BiH‘s dissolution cannot proceed peacefully, stated Michael Murphy, former U.S. ambassador to BiH, during the discussion titled “Dayton Dialogue: Conversations on Peace and Security in the Balkans.”
“If the country falls apart, there probably won’t be an agreed separation. And if there isn’t an agreed separation, it will likely affect the region,” said Murphy.
Several U.S. diplomats believe that the security and territorial integrity of Western Balkan countries, especially after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, should be a priority for both Europe and the U.S. They say there are many similarities between the situation in Ukraine and the war in BiH – primarily, the lack of a strong and unified international response.
“I see a shaky response from the West, as in the early days of UNPROFOR. Ukraine is fighting for the freedom of all of us, and the international response is inadequate,” emphasized retired U.S.General Wesley Clark.
In Dayton are also members of the Presidency of BiH, as well as our country’s foreign minister. It was an opportunity for a series of, of course, separate bilateral meetings. Member of the Presidency of BiH Denis Becirovic met with the French special envoy for the Western Balkans, Rene Troccaz, as well as the Special Envoy of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK) for the Western Balkans, Karen Pierce. He informed them about the current situation in our country, emphasizing that the attack on the constitutional order of BiH by the authorities of the Republika Srpska (RS) entity continues.
“In times of serious threats to the constitutional order of BiH, strong and coordinated action by democratic forces is necessary, with proactive and constructive action by the UK being of great importance,” Becirovic stated.
On the other hand, the Chairwoman of the Presidency of BiH, Zeljka Cvijanovic, during the meeting with Troccaz, deemed the ‘non-paper’ on BiH, co-authored by France, unacceptable, stating that it is not based on real foundations and contributes to further destabilization of the situation in BiH.
“The future of BiH cannot be based on the dominance of one but on the equality of all constituent peoples, as provided by the Constitution and the Dayton Agreement,” said Cvijanovic.
Cvijanovic believes that the process of European integration of BiHis possible only if all levels of government are included, without, as she said, the interference of foreign bureaucrats who, through illegal activities, undermine the work of domestic institutions and democratically elected representatives. For the members of the Presidency, foreign diplomats had an almost unanimous message – they will not allow the undermining of the Dayton Peace Agreement and will remain a firm partner of BiH in protecting peace and democratic institutions.
