UK DIASPORA WROTE TO STARMER

BH UK Network continues its activities in the fight against Milorad Dodik’s secessionist moves. In this context, among other things, we sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Great Britain, Keir Starmer.

We received a response from the Prime Minister’s Office today, through Stephen Doughty, Secretary of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories. The letter clearly reaffirms the UK Government’s strong commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and details the specific actions the UK is taking to counter the irresponsible and unconstitutional actions of the President of Republika Srpska (RS), Milorad Dodik, and the wider RS ​​leadership, which constitute a direct attack on the Dayton Peace Agreement and the constitutional framework of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We would like to remind you that, as part of the systematic fight against Milorad Dodik’s secessionist activities, the Bosnian diaspora in the UK has sent letters to all levels of government in the UK. So far, we have received dozens of letters of support from British parliamentarians, as well as a letter from the UK Foreign Office.

We invite the BiH diaspora worldwide to contact us if they would like to implement similar activities in the countries they live in. BH UK Network will be happy to help and share its experiences. Contact us via e-mail: uknetwork@btconnect.com.

We transmit the translation of the complete letter in its entirety:

Zaim Pasic

President

Bosnia and Herzegovina UK Network

Bosnia House

639-641 Stratford Road

Birmingham B11 4EA

Dear Mr. Pasic,

Thank you for your letter of March 8 to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom about Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). I answer to you as the Minister for Europe, North America and the Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom remains committed to preserving peace and stability in BiH and the Western Balkans region, together with the institutions and structures created by the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) to achieve that goal. We also support BiH on its path to greater prosperity and reconciliation, including its Euro-Atlantic path. BiH has made significant progress since 1995, but its hard-won peace remains fragile and under pressure. I share your concern about the irresponsible and unconstitutional activities of the President of the Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik and the wider leadership of the RS, which represent a direct attack on the DPA and the constitutional framework of BiH.

The UK, together with our US and European allies, issued strong statements in response to Dodik’s actions, stressing the importance of respecting the rule of law, our commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH, and our support for the DPA and the role of the High Representative. I reiterated these messages to the BiH Foreign Minister, Elmedin Konaković, as well as to the High Representative, when I met with both of them on 12 April. The UK Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Dame Karen Pierce, also contacted the High Representative on 13 March to convey our support, and visited BiH on 27–28 March to hold talks with senior Bosnian and international officials.

The UK government will remain in close contact with the EU Delegation, the US and wider international partners as the situation develops.

Beyond BiH, we are committed to engaging with regional leaders, calling on them to use their influence to encourage constructive action by BiH politicians and to refrain from actions that could undermine BiH’s constitutional framework. In particular, in our relations with Belgrade, we have consistently stressed at the highest level the importance of Serbia’s role in building and supporting regional stability. I reiterated this during my visit to Serbia in January. In the weeks following the first-instance verdict in the Dodik trial before the Court of BiH, we have continued to encourage positive action and foster dialogue between Belgrade and Sarajevo on current developments. Most recently, the UK Foreign Secretary visited Belgrade on 2 April and reiterated these messages during meetings with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Foreign Minister Marko Đurić.

We have also worked to counter destabilising responses from other countries, including Russia’s efforts to reinforce Dodik’s unfounded narrative that the RS is allegedly under attack on the international stage. During discussions in the United Nations Security Council and the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the UK Government has been vocal in defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of BiH, the DPA and the rule of law. We have also reiterated that the signatories to the DPA are legally obliged to respect the political independence of BiH, and have called on the international community to refrain from unwarranted interference in its internal affairs.

In addition, the UK supports local actors, including the Constitutional Court of BiH, in taking steps to repeal unconstitutional laws and protect state institutions from attempts to undermine them. Dodik remains under UK sanctions for his past attempts to undermine the legitimacy and functionality of BiH, and we will continue to challenge those who seek to destabilise it.

In the meantime, we strongly support all political actors, at state and entity level, who are working to deliver benefits for the citizens of BiH. The best response to Dodik’s rhetoric and actions is to deliver concrete results that improve the lives of citizens, while strengthening the integrity and stability of the state. This is crucial as BiH progresses on its Euro-Atlantic path. The UK, US and EU are united in their support for a more secure, stable and prosperous BiH, and will continue to actively cooperate to achieve this goal.

Together with my French colleague, on March 28, I convened a meeting of “Quint” to discuss exactly these issues.

Respectfully,

STEPHEN DOUGHTY MP

Minister for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom