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STORY: UN / BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
SOURCE: UNTV
TRT: 1.20
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ FRENCH/ NATS
DATELINE: 9 MAY 2011, NEW YORK CITY/ FILE
FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior UN building
9 MAY 2011, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (French) Valentin Inzco, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina:
“The political situation has continued to develop negatively in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Today, regrettably, we face the most serious and most direct challenges to the Dayton-Paris Agreement since it was signed 15 years ago.”
5. Med shot, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Valentin Inzco, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina:
“In addition to the conclusions and the decision of the referendum, the authorities of Republika Srpska and in particular its President, have continued openly to question the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina by repeatedly threatening the sustainability of Bosnia and Herzegovina and by frequently advocating the dissolution of the country.”
7. Med shot, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (French) Feodor Starčević, Permanent Representative of Serbia to the United Nations:
“We consider that the announced referendum of the citizens of Republika Srpska on the Court and the Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina has nothing to do with the territorial integrity of the country and is not in contravention of Dayton Peace Accords.”
9. Wide shot, Security Council
Bosnia and Herzegovina is facing its worst crisis since fighting stopped in 1995, with no prospect of a new state government being formed, a stalled economy and a direct threat from Republika Srpska to the country’s very existence, the Security Council heard today (9 May).
Valentin Inzko, the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, told a Council debate that Republika Srpska – one of two semi-autonomous entities that comprise the country – has taken “the most serious and most direct challenges to the Dayton-Paris Agreement” since the pact was signed at the end of 1995.
That agreement, created after almost four years of deadly inter-ethnic fighting, established Bosnia and Herzegovina with two constituent entities – Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – with each entity having significant autonomy in their respective area.
Last month Republika Srpska’s National Assembly decided to hold a referendum in June on the validity of the powers of the High Representative and many state-level institutions, including the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The High Representative noted that Republika Srpska’s authorities, particularly President Milorad Dodik, have also “continued openly to question the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina by repeatedly threatening the sustainability of Bosnia and Herzegovina and by frequently advocating the dissolution of the country.”
Inzko warned today that unless Republika Srpska authorities withdraw the referendum, he will have no choice but to repeal the conclusions and referendum decision.
Serbian Ambassador Feodor Starčević disagreed with these conclusions and told the Council that the announced referendum “has nothing to do with the territorial integrity of the country and is not in contravention of Dayton Peace Accords.”
Different speakers at the Council noted that as a consequence of these divisions, the legislative process in Bosnia Herzegovina has stalled, resulting in no progress towards integration with the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and the economy is under severe pressure.
