The United States will be committed to practical and realistic solutions for Bosnia and Herzegovina, said Christopher Landau, the US Deputy Secretary of State, during a session dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The conference was held in Dayton, the city where the agreement was concluded, within the framework of the NATO Assembly.
“The US does not offer unlimited funds for undefined, uncertain and unrealistic plans. We can be a willing partner with significant political capital, we can work hard, but we will be committed only to those who are committed to practical and realistic solutions for their countries,” said Landau.
According to him, agreements must be respected, but they must be flexible to adapt to changes.
BiH Foreign Minister Elmedin Konaković assessed that the crisis in the country has crossed the boundaries of ethnic divisions.
“This is no longer an ethnic crisis, but a conflict between legal institutions and a corrupt individual. We need a constitutional reform that will prevent the abuse of the veto and political blackmail. It is time to move beyond Dayton and create a state of equal opportunities,” said Konaković.
The foreign ministers of Croatia and Serbia stressed the importance of preserving the structure established by Dayton. Goran Grlić Radman emphasized that legitimacy stems from the trust of the community.
“The right to representation is not a privilege, but a prerequisite for stability and peace. Calls for a civic and unitary BiH are nothing more than a cover for the political domination of the majority people,” he said.
His Serbian counterpart Marko Đurić warned against attempts to create a unitary state.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina is not a mono-ethnic state. The only sustainable path is one that respects its unique structure and the autonomy of its constituent peoples. Anything else threatens to undo the peace that Dayton brought us.”
High Representative Christian Schmidt warned of attempts by Republika Srpska to undermine the constitutional order, and stressed that these positions do not represent the entire entity.
“All those who talk about the original Dayton should respect the original Dayton, which includes Annex 4. European integration is the only way out. Yes, it may not be easy, but it is necessary. Step by step.”
Conference participants expressed gratitude to the United States for its key role in establishing peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also stressed the need for an agreement on the future that would go a step further than what was agreed three decades ago, BHRT writes.
