Mr. President,
I thank the High Representative, the members of the Security Council and the other speakers for their statements.
This meeting of the Security Council on the report of the High Representative takes place at a time when the international community is facing many challenges, and when the importance of respecting and adhering to the principles of the international law is being fully reaffirmed. Serbia is a staunch supporter and a firm advocate for the full respect of the international law.
Mr. President,
The peace and stability in our region and the development of good relations and cooperation in all areas with our closest neighbors are the top foreign policy priorities of my country. We believe that these are the goals that are for the benefit of our citizens and all the peoples in the region, and we consider Bosnia and Herzegovina to be our key partner in achieving these priorities.
Unfortunately, lately, the region of the Western Balkans has been burdened with unnecessary political tensions, messages and retrograde political narratives that represent an obstruction to any constructive solution. This has significantly marked political situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the recent period, including the relations between its two entities and three constituent peoples.
Serbia firmly believes that its active policy contributes positively to the process of reconciliation in the Western Balkans and to the strengthening of the good neighborly relations. The dialogue with mutual appreciation and respect of the legitimate interests of all the parties involved is the most effective way to preserve the peace and stability of the region, in order to build a better future for all.
Our region has a common past which we need to learn from, but the future we must patiently build together, as we have a duty to ensure lasting and sustainable peace for the generations to come.
Mr. President,
The Republic of Serbia takes this opportunity to once again confirm its respect for the territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the territorial integrity of Republika Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina. A guarantor of the Dayton Peace Agreement, Serbia wishes to point out, 27 years since its signing, that it is important to reaffirm the validity of and full respect for the Agreement which put an end to the civil war and provided the basis for stability both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the entire region. That has been and will continue to be our principled position.
Unilateral interpretations and unilateral revisions of the agreement must not be allowed as this would undoubtedly jeopardize the existing peace and stability.
At the same time, Serbia’s policy towards its neighbors is clear and unequivocal – noninterference in the internal affairs of other countries. The peoples of the Bosnia and Herzegovina should decide freely their own future without pressure and outside interference. We are explicitly against the impositions of the solutions that are not the results of the consensus and we consider that such attempts pose a threat to the stability of both Bosnia and Herzegovina and the whole region.
Serbia supports the active dialogue on solving all outstanding issues within Bosnia and Herzegovina. We believe that key decisions relevant for its future are to be taken following a dialogue and agreement between its entities and among the three constituent peoples. We believe this is the only way to find the solution that is acceptable to all.
We are convinced that all the parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina need to make a joint effort in making a sincere and consistent contribution in building mutual trust, which will further enable a more efficient cooperation within the joint institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Republic of Serbia is ready to wholeheartedly assist in that process, reiterating our position that these are the internal issues of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
I would like to take this opportunity to once again confirm our commitment to peace, stability and reconciliation. All victims of the conflict in BiH, regardless of their nationality, deserve our respect, empathy and sincere condolences to all their families. Sadly, they cannot be brought back to life, but what we can and should do is to restore confidence in our future by condemning all crimes and bringing their perpetrators to justice. It is necessary to avoid politicization and misuse of this painful issue, and, in that context, to avoid attempts to revise the achieved peace solutions.
Mr. President,
Serbia, in principle, does not support the imposition of sanctions as a way of resolving political crises. In that context, we do not support the possible sanctions against Bosnia and Hercegovina. Serbia will not, in any way, impose sanctions on its people and the representatives of the Serbian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska.
Instead, Serbia will continue to build trust by strengthening the economic, political, cultural and other forms of cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina as neighbors and partners.
We believe that the Open Balkans Initiative is an example of a successful regional cooperation and efforts to achieve common goals, including the European Union membership.
Serbia fully supports the activities within the Berlin Process and the Action Plan for establishing of the regional market. The Open Balkans Initiative represents the more focused way of putting these ideas into practice. Commitment of all the Western Balkans countries to establishing the Common Regional Market would greatly contribute to their and regional stability and security, and thus to the vital interests of all their citizens.
We call on the international community to support the initiatives that will not only contribute to the preservation of the peace and stability in the region, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also build a more prosperous future for the new generations of the Western Balkans.
I thank you.