Bosnian Serb Leader Warns US: ‘Stay Away’

The Premier of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska has warned the United States of America to refrain from appointing a special envoy for the troubled country.

“Dodik warns Americans: stay away from the adventure,” Bosnia’s news web portal Pincom reported, quoting Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik’s statement given to journalists in Banja Luka on Wednesday.

Dodik’s warning comes after Bosnia has been discussed at a series of conferences, round tables, and official and unofficial meetings between some of the top US and EU officials, experts and analysts.

Even US President Barack Obama, at the EU and US summit in Prague on Sunday, urged the EU “not to forget the Balkans”. In addition, the Balkans has been discussed at the NATO summit in Strasbourg on Saturday, at the US Institute for Peace, USIP, conference last Friday, and US Congress’ Helsinki Commission hearing last Thursday.

Balkan expert Kurt Bassuener, who participated at the hearing and USIP conference in Washington, told Balkan Insight that both events achieved a “wake up” for the US government towards understanding the need for its greater engagement in the region.

The idea of the new US administration appointing a new envoy for the Balkans has been increasingly getting broader local and international support, and the US State Department continues to contemplate this possibility, several diplomatic sources told Balkan Insight.

“Washington has the question under consideration, and has heard a number of opinions on the subject, all of which are being reviewed in the process. No decision has yet been made, “ US embassy said in the statement for the Balkan Insight.

America has mostly withdrawn its military and political engagement in Bosnia, leaving safeguarding the country to the Europeans. Yet, without a united and thoughtful approach, the EU has appeared incapable of controlling Bosnia’s radical leaders – such as Bosnian Serb leader Dodik and Bosniak leader Haris Silajdzic. The EU has stood idly as the two pulled the country towards its worst political crisis since the end of the war.

In light of that background, it is understandable why Dodik is one of the few to dislike the possibility of renewed American political pressure and diplomatic arm-twisting, analysts say.

“Solutions should be sought within the boundaries of local institutions and that should be possible unless requests for general changes are irrational and unrealistic,” Dodik told media in Banja Luka.
“I count on rationality of the American government,” he added.