The secessionist aspirations from the Republika Srpska (RS), as well as the general political insecurity and blockade of state institutions drastically worsen the security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Mentioning some form of conflict has become usual and analysts go so far as to warn of the possibility of engaging private foreign armies.
Ahead of a congressional hearing on the United States (U.S.)engagement in the Balkans which was held on Thursday, Congressman Bill Keating, a Democrat from Massachusetts who chairs the congressional subcommittee, spoke to the Voice of America (VOA). The part in which he talks about the potential military threats to BiH and the engagement of notorious foreign private armies is particularly interesting and in connection with this the need to strengthen NATO’s presence in the region.
VOA journalist noted that a large part of the Dayton Agreement is “a huge deterrent of NATO” and that Annex 1A instructs NATO to take care of preserving security throughout BiH. Ittransferred that responsibility to the European Union (EU) in 2004, which has since reduced its contingent to approximately 700 troops – 4.300 fewer than EUCOM (U.S. European Army Command) deems necessary. Keating was also told that many, including analyst Kurt Bassuener, have long argued that increasing deterrence capacity is crucial, especially given the events in Ukraine in 2014 and the attempted coup in Montenegro in 2016.
“I think that if there was an increase in the military presence at the time of the diplomatic effort, it could harm the things I’m talking about, like our rule of law efforts. So, in my opinion, at this point we should move forward through diplomacy, move towards the EU enlargement and inclusion, make economic progress, and see if we can open more doors for economic ties with the EU and the U.S. If there really is any threat from groups like the ‘Wagner Group’ or the ‘Little Green Men’, I thinkwe will be vigilant and ready to act quickly, ” he pointed out.
Also, he added that he would not do anything to upset or cause those who talk about secession and separatism to incite.
“I don’t think the threat is of a military kind at the moment, but after Ukraine, we are more cautious about such actions than we were before. However, I think our focus should remain diplomatic and economic,” he said.
I believe an escalation of the military could, in theory, calm things down, but it could also provoke a greater reaction from those who would like to use it for propaganda purposes, ” he added.
“That is why I consider it an unnecessary risk, but I still want to emphasize this: we have learned lessons from Ukraine. We have learned to be very careful. I do not think that the EU, NATO, and the U.S. will tolerate that kind of aggression,” Keating concluded.
”The Wagner Group” is a private Russian military company that has participated in military operations on a number of modern battlefields, from Syria to Ukraine. “Little Green Men” refers to masked soldiers of the Russian Federation in unmarked green military uniforms, who carry modern Russian military weapons, and who appeared during the 2014 Ukrainian crisis.
E.Dz.
Source: Klix.ba
