Ambassador sparks new war of words in Bosnia

The Russian ambassador’s call for “ethnic identification of entities” has sparked varying reactions in Bosnia.

Izvor: Beta

Friday, 05.09.2008.

12:29

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The Russian ambassador’s call for “ethnic identification of entities” has sparked varying reactions in Bosnia. Party of Democratic Action (SDA) deputy leader Bakir Izetbegovic told daily Dnevni Avaz that Konstantin Shuvalov’s statement was “direct interference in Bosnia-Hercegovina’s internal affairs”. Ambassador sparks new war of words in Bosnia “Such a construction runs counter to the decision of the Constitutional Court, and I don’t know why it was necessary. He’s interfering in sensitive international relations. We know what genesis and history we’ve had in Bosnia, and what kind of ethnic cleansing took place here. What does that mean—that we should go back to our national pens, with [the Republic of] Srpska belonging to the Serbs, and the rest to non-Serbs,” said Izetbegovic. Bosnian Patriotic Party leader Sefer Halilovic said that the ambassador’s remarks were “contrary to the principles of the Dayton Accords”. Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) leader Mladen Ivanic did not see anything contentious in Shuvalov’s statement, stating that “ethnic identification of entities” was a reality. “Our entities are realistically ethnically dominant, the vast majority of Bosniaks and Croats live in the Bosnian Federation, and the vast majority of Serbs live in Srpska. Whether they have to be called that is another matter,” surmised Ivanic. Velimir Jukic of the Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ) said that the ambassador’s comments were nothing “spectacular”, but contained a message that “what has already been ethnically identified must not be touched.” He said that “ethnic identification already exists in one entity, while the Bosnian Federation doesn’t have that in its name”. According to Party for Bosnia-Hercegovina (SBiH) deputy leader Safet Halilovic, the statement was “badly formulated and counter-productive” and ran counter to international law. Halilovic added that Shuvalov’s words were “a complete gaffe, in an attempt to draw some sort of parallel with the unfortunate situation in the Caucusus.“

Ambassador sparks new war of words in Bosnia

“Such a construction runs counter to the decision of the Constitutional Court, and I don’t know why it was necessary. He’s interfering in sensitive international relations. We know what genesis and history we’ve had in Bosnia, and what kind of ethnic cleansing took place here. What does that mean—that we should go back to our national pens, with [the Republic of] Srpska belonging to the Serbs, and the rest to non-Serbs,” said Izetbegović.

Bosnian Patriotic Party leader Sefer Halilović said that the ambassador’s remarks were “contrary to the principles of the Dayton Accords”.

Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) leader Mladen Ivanić did not see anything contentious in Shuvalov’s statement, stating that “ethnic identification of entities” was a reality.

“Our entities are realistically ethnically dominant, the vast majority of Bosniaks and Croats live in the Bosnian Federation, and the vast majority of Serbs live in Srpska. Whether they have to be called that is another matter,” surmised Ivanić.

Velimir Jukić of the Croatian Democratic Community (HDZ) said that the ambassador’s comments were nothing “spectacular”, but contained a message that “what has already been ethnically identified must not be touched.”

He said that “ethnic identification already exists in one entity, while the Bosnian Federation doesn’t have that in its name”.

According to Party for Bosnia-Hercegovina (SBiH) deputy leader Safet Halilović, the statement was “badly formulated and counter-productive” and ran counter to international law.

Halilović added that Shuvalov’s words were “a complete gaffe, in an attempt to draw some sort of parallel with the unfortunate situation in the Caucusus.“

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