The delegation of Republika Srpska considered its multi-day official visit to the United States of America successful, during which it attended a prayer breakfast and had a series of meetings with representatives of the American administration and Congress, it was said today at a press conference at Banja Luka Airport, after returning from Washington.
Acting President of Republika Srpska Ana Trišić Babić assessed that this was one of the best and most productive visits of the RS delegation to the United States so far.
“The representatives of the American administration show understanding for the positions of the RS, and our delegation had the opportunity to present its arguments without imposition or instructions. They listened to us. They did not give orders,” said Trišić-Babić.
She pointed out that the visit is part of the broader diplomatic engagement of the RS, after the recent visits to Israel and Hungary, and expressed her belief that in the coming period, additional positive news will follow for the citizens of the RS. Trišić-Babić singled out US President Donald Trump’s speech at the Prayer Breakfast, which was attended by the RS delegation, evaluating it as encouraging.
The president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, Milorad Dodik, said that the visit to the USA was not a protocol, but an essential one.
“This shows that, after a period of sanctions and boycotts, the RS managed to restore political communication and present its views to relevant interlocutors in the USA,” claims Dodik.
According to him, the RS delegation spoke with several senators and congressmen, as well as other important political actors in Washington, stressing that they appeared in the US exclusively as representatives of the RS, not Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The goal of the visit was the affirmation of the RS and its political status,” Dodik stated.
Dodik added that during their stay in the USA they also spoke with the spokesman of the White House, and that, according to him, the American political scene today is different than in previous years.
“This is America that can respect itself. At the beginning of March, we will most likely go to the USA again,” said Dodik.
He also recalled that before leaving for the USA, he stayed in Israel where he “found understanding”, claiming that he has good cooperation with Russia and Hungary at the same time.
“Our path should be America, Russia, Israel and Serbia,” assessed Dodik.
The RS delegation stayed in Washington for several days, during which it participated in the Prayer Breakfast and held a series of meetings with representatives of American political and institutional structures.
