Dodik: Kosovo's independence would affect RS

Milorad Dodik says a unilateral declaration of Kosovo's independence would sway public opinion in the RS. The Republic of Srpska (RS) public opinion would change and nobody would be able to stop this, the Bosnian Serb entity prime minister said. Dodik: Kosovo's independence would affect RS “The question remains of how it would be expressed, but it must be expressed politically and certainly not through violence,” Dodik told a Belgrade television station late Friday. He added that "most people would want this to happen, to see the RS in some form outside of Bosnia-Herzegovina." Asked how soon Bosnian Serb entity could become independent in case of Kosovo's independence, Dodik said that he "could not assess when this might happen", but that it would be difficult to tell people why similar situations were solved in different ways. “Any violent reaction in the Republic of Srpska could cause a lasting damage to its interests, in view of the significant international presence,” Dodik said. Meanwhile, High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina Miroslav Lajcak and U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns in Washington vehemently dismissed all insinuations about a link between the situation in Bosnia and future status of Kosovo. The two described such notions as "irresponsible" and said that the international community was persistent in full observation of the Dayton Accords, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) said in a statement. After addressing the UN Security Council on Thursday, Lajcak met with Burns and informed him about the current political situation in Bosnia. Burns offered full support of the U.S. administration for the latest moves of the high representative, inviting Bosnian political party leaders to implement the measures without any delay, the statement said.

Dodik: Kosovo's independence would affect RS

“The question remains of how it would be expressed, but it must be expressed politically and certainly not through violence,” Dodik told a Belgrade television station late Friday.

He added that "most people would want this to happen, to see the RS in some form outside of Bosnia-Herzegovina."

Asked how soon Bosnian Serb entity could become independent in case of Kosovo's independence, Dodik said that he "could not assess when this might happen", but that it would be difficult to tell people why similar situations were solved in different ways.

“Any violent reaction in the Republic of Srpska could cause a lasting damage to its interests, in view of the significant international presence,” Dodik said.

Meanwhile, High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina Miroslav Lajčak and U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns in Washington vehemently dismissed all insinuations about a link between the situation in Bosnia and future status of Kosovo.

The two described such notions as "irresponsible" and said that the international community was persistent in full observation of the Dayton Accords, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) said in a statement.

After addressing the UN Security Council on Thursday, Lajcak met with Burns and informed him about the current political situation in Bosnia.

Burns offered full support of the U.S. administration for the latest moves of the high representative, inviting Bosnian political party leaders to implement the measures without any delay, the statement said.