Congresswoman Ann Wagner asked several direct questions to Gabriel Escobar during a hearing at the United States (U.S.)Foreign Policy Committee.
In her speech, she very critically asked Escobar what the U.S.administration is doing in terms of belittling the victims of the genocide, which is still being denied, and asked him what is happening with the electoral reform.
Also, Congresswoman Wagner asked about a draft of Matthew Palmer that leaked to the public commenting that it goes in favor of nationalist parties.
Escobar noted that the basis of U.S. action in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is the Dayton Agreement, which guarantees the territorial integrity and sovereignty of BiH.
However, he confirmed that Palmer’s document is authentic, but that the U.S. is working to make BiH a multiethnic, inclusive,and democratic state.
“We are working with our partners in the European Union (EU), EUFOR, and NATO, to preserve the integrity and sovereignty of BiH. I am traveling to BiH in November to convey that message. We have four of our men, envoys who are working onopen issues in BiH all the time. Palmer is our envoy for electoral reform. We will not support ethnic divisions, we are working to make BiH an inclusive society. “
Congresswoman Wagner told that Dodik is blocking BiH institutions, does not recognize the Office of the High Representative (OHR), and that he is doing all this with the support of Russia.
“Dodik is under U.S. sanctions, are we working to make it tougher?” Wagner stated.
Escobar replied that they are working to ensure that every move of disintegration has consequences.
Congressman Dan Mauser stressed that Dodik was announcing the army of Republika Srpska (RS) and that he had already formed a separate agency for medicines.
Escobar emphasized that it destabilizes the situation.
Further, he stressed that he had already talked to the leaders about it and that he had talked about it with his partners in the EU.
“We support the OHR, as well as EUFOR. We also have additional sanctions that we are ready to use in order to prevent anything that endangers the territorial integrity of BiH. “
Also, Escobar said that Dodik’s public support is weak.
“People from RS do not want what Dodik is doing and advocating. His political power is weakening, ” explainedEscobar.
Speaking about sanctions, Escobar mentioned that the U.S. is not giving up on them.
“With the use of sanctions, we managed to dismiss Milosevic.”
E.Dz.
Source: Raport.ba
