A regular meeting of the ambassadors of the member states of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) will be held in Sarajevo today, where one of the key topics will once again be the choice of a successor to High Representative Christian Schmidt.
As confirmed by sources close to the Office of the High Representative (OHR), it is a question of regular consultations of the ambassador, and not a formal session of the PIC. However, intensive diplomatic talks are expected to continue, since the members of the Board of Directors have not yet agreed on a common position on who should take over the post of high representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to information from diplomatic circles, the final decision still depends on reaching a compromise between the United States of America and European partners.
Two candidates in the race
There are two names in the focus of the conversation.
The United States of America and Italy support the candidacy of the experienced Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi, while France, Germany and Great Britain advocate the French diplomat René Troccaz, France’s special envoy for the Western Balkans.
Julian Borger writes for Britain’s The Guardian that Washington requested Schmidt’s departure back in May and began to lobby strongly for Landi’s appointment, which caused surprise among most of the other PIC members.
According to that newspaper, Landi has no significant experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina, nor was he previously directly involved in political processes in the country. During his diplomatic career, he served in Serbia, and is currently serving as ambassador of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta to the Holy See.
Italy is trying to win European support
At the same time, Italian diplomacy has intensified its efforts in recent weeks to convince its European partners that Landi represents the best solution for OHR.
According to earlier media reports, PIC members were also provided with an informal document (non-paper) in which the priorities of Landi’s possible mandate were presented.
According to the Guardian, in that document Landi promises that he will not overturn the decisions of previous high representatives, that he will consult PIC members on more important moves, and that he will not unilaterally close the OHR.
According to the information previously published by the domestic media, Landi is advocating a two-year mandate, with the possibility of an extension for another two, and his eventual appointment would not mean the closure of the OHR.
A dispute over American interests
However, the Guardian claims that European diplomats in Sarajevo believe that broader economic interests are behind the American insistence on Landi’s candidacy.
The newspaper states that in recent months, Washington has been paying special attention to the Southern Interconnection gas pipeline project, worth about one billion dollars, which was temporarily awarded to the American company AAFS Infrastructure and Energy.
According to the Guardian, this company does not have significant experience in large infrastructure projects, but has close ties to US President Donald Trump.
The paper reminds that the Trump administration presented a new policy towards the Western Balkans last month, according to which American involvement in the region will be aimed at achieving “direct returns” for American companies, instead of, as stated, “an open process of institution building”.
Former American diplomat Jim O’Brien assessed for the European Council on Foreign Relations that such an approach weakens the international institutions that have been the guarantor of stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina for three decades.
European reserves
Additional disagreements were caused by the way in which Landi’s candidacy was promoted.
France, Germany and Great Britain, according to diplomatic sources, believe that Italy, with the support of the USA, tried to present his appointment as almost a done deal without prior consultation with European partners.
At the same time, there is a fear that the new high representative could follow American rather than European political priorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Because of this, London, Paris and Berlin jointly supported René Troccaz’s candidacy, although some diplomatic sources have stated in recent days that his chances have weakened after intensive Italian lobbying.
Connection with the issue of state property
The Guardian also states that some officials in Sarajevo believe that the possible arrival of Landi could have a significant impact on the issue of state property.
According to one scenario discussed in diplomatic circles, the new high representative could pass a special law that would divide state property between the Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which, according to the paper, would remove one of the biggest obstacles to the realization of the Southern Interconnection project.
Landi himself did not want to comment on the diplomatic negotiations, telling the Guardian that it would not be wise to get involved in a “heated debate”, but emphasized that the positions from his program are “fully aligned with European positions”.
The decision is not certain yet
At the last meeting of the PIC, no agreement was reached on Schmidt’s successor, which is why the consultations continued this week.
We remind you that the United States of America warned that it could reconsider its role in the international presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina if its candidate does not receive support, while European capitals continue to look for a joint solution.
For now, it remains uncertain whether the members of the PIC will reach a compromise on one of the two candidates or whether a third, compromise name will be proposed. It is expected that the ambassador’s consultations today could show whether there is room for convergence of views or whether the decision will be postponed again.
