- Title: Santions complicate relations with Bosnia, Serbian PM
- Date: 18th January 2017
- Summary: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF DAVOS CONGRESS CENTRE DELEGATES WALKING CONGRESS CENTRE SECURITY AT GATE SIGN FOR HOTEL DAVOS SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER ALEKSANDAR VUCIC SEATED WITH JOURNALIST CLOSE OF VUCIC (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER, ALEKSANDAR VUCIC SAYING: "I am not a big proponent of sanctions and I do not think sanctions can solve anything, this will only additionally complicate relations in Bosnia, I am hoping together we will be able to overcome problems and secure stability in the region. Those who introduced sanctions should know why did they do that and I don't know what is the ultimate goal of that. Clearly, I think that things are solved through talks and dialogue, and I would say, greater understanding between Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats, and I will strive for that in talks with the head of the Bosnian Council of Ministers Mr. Zvizdic who is arriving to Belgrade on Monday, and I am expecting additional drop of tensions between Serbs and Bosniaks, although we did a lot that there are no such tensions at all. I believe we are on the right path about that." CLOSE OF VUCIC'S EYES (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER, ALEKSANDAR VUCIC SAYING: "Regional stability and the peace in the region are key things we must achieve, we have invested a lot in that, we remained silent about numerous insults. Maybe, one can only smile at the hypocrisy when someone is saying there's a problem about the train and they didn't even see the train, the train didn't even come close to them. But they say, it was not a problem about sending special units armed to the teeth with light and heavy weapons. That they have sent 17 armoured vehicles and that's not a problem, but the problem is in the train that I personally stopped 50 kilometres away from them. Hence, when you see all that you feel concern for stability as you realize that this does not depend on you but from some other factors, in the Balkans itself and in the international community which behaves irresponsibly." CLOSE OF VUCIC (SOUNDBITE) (Serbian) SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER ALEKSANDAR VUCIC SAYING: "Yes, I will meet here with the Prime Minister Plenovic, I don't have big expectations, I think it is very important that we talk, I think talking is always good, I can see up front there are topics present that makes them dissatisfied, that they want solved. We have a longer and wider list of things with which we are dissatisfied, but I have no intention of presenting them in that way. I want issues to be solved through dialogue, through serious talks and not, I would say, through political blackmailing. We want good relations with Croatia, we will invest a lot of effort in that, a lot of energy. I believe it is important that we talk as neighbours who have many open issues from the past and also, I think, we should be looking into the future much more. That look into the future is what I am expecting from the Croatian side. I believe that in that case we could find common ground more easily." VUCIC SEATED WITH JOURNALIST
- Embargoed: 1st February 2017 12:21
- Keywords: Serbia Bosnia Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic Milorad Dodik
- Location: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND
- City: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0015ZLXYYH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday (January 18) that the sanctions imposed by the United States on Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik will only complicate relations in Bosnia.
Speaking from Davos, Switzerland at the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Vucic said he supported dialogue over sanctions.
"I am not a big proponent of sanctions and I do not think sanctions can solve anything, this will only additionally complicate relations in Bosnia, I am hoping together we will be able to overcome problems and secure stability in the region. Those who introduced sanctions should know why did they do that and I don't know what is the ultimate goal of that. Clearly, I thing that things are solved through talks and dialogue, and I would say, greater understanding between Serbs, Bosniaks and Croats, and I will strive for that in talks with the head of the Bosnian Council of Ministers Mr. Zvizdic who is arriving to Belgrade on Monday, and I am expecting additional drop of tensions between Serbs and Bosniaks, although we did a lot that there are no such tensions at all. I believe we are on the right path about that," said Vucic.
The United States imposed sanctions on Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik on Tuesday (January 17) for actively obstructing efforts to implement the 1995 Dayton Accords that ended the more than three-year war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Dodik is the president of Republika Srpska, the autonomous Bosnian Serb half of the country established by the agreements.
Once praised as a democratic reformer, Dodik oversaw the holding of a referendum in September on celebrating "The Day of Republika Srpska" on January 9 in defiance of a Constitutional Court ruling banning the vote for discriminating against non-Serbs.
U.S. officials condemned the vote as breaching the rule of law and an attempt to undermine the peace accords.
The United States and the European Union opposed the referendum. The vote was praised by Russia, with which Dodik advocates closer ties.
Dodik has called for independence for Republika Srpska, questioned the legitimacy of the judiciary, threatened to hold a referendum on the status of the court system as well as withdraw Republika Srpska soldiers from the country's unified military.
The sanctions imposed by the Office of Foreign Asset Control, part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, enable U.S. authorities to block access by Dodik to any of his property or assets that are under U.S. jurisdiction.
The sanctions came several weeks after Dodik said he had been invited to Friday's swearing-in of President-elect Donald Trump, but was refused a diplomatic visa by the U.S. embassy in Sarajevo.
As it turned out, the invitation was to a private ball sponsored by religious and conservative groups. He said he would seek a regular U.S. visa. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
