"OHR closure depends on conditions being met"

Miroslav Lajcak says it's necessary to resolve issues of state and military assets and settle the status of Brcko district before his post can be scrapped. “The conditions for scrapping the post of international high representative to Bosnia-Hercegovina are the creation of a tax committee at state level, and resolving war crimes cases,” Lajcak told journalists after presentations and a debate at the EU’s Political-Security Committee, and a meeting with European Commissioner Olli Rehn. "OHR closure depends on conditions being met" The international high representative stressed that it was important for this whole process to be wrapped up in a “quality and thorough” manner. He underlined that the closure of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia-Hercegovina would neither be accelerated nor slowed down. Lajcak said that he thought that the steps towards closing the OHR could be carried out within a few months if the will existed. Responding to journalists’ questions, the high representative pointed to the fact that Russia still believed that an exact time frame should be set for the abolishment of the OHR. He said that Russia supported a strategy that the Council for the Application of Peace (Dayton Accords) adopted in February when two conditions and five aims were set for the transition of the OHR. According to Lajcak, Russia is seeking guarantees that the OHR’s closure will be precisely established in November. The high representative said this was unacceptable for the majority of countries guaranteeing the application of the Dayton Accords. He claimed that this position went contrary to the strategic viewpoint that it was first necessary for the aforesaid conditions to be met before the OHR could be closed. Miroslav Lajcak (FoNet, archive)

"OHR closure depends on conditions being met"

The international high representative stressed that it was important for this whole process to be wrapped up in a “quality and thorough” manner.

He underlined that the closure of the Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia-Hercegovina would neither be accelerated nor slowed down.

Lajčak said that he thought that the steps towards closing the OHR could be carried out within a few months if the will existed.

Responding to journalists’ questions, the high representative pointed to the fact that Russia still believed that an exact time frame should be set for the abolishment of the OHR.

He said that Russia supported a strategy that the Council for the Application of Peace (Dayton Accords) adopted in February when two conditions and five aims were set for the transition of the OHR.

According to Lajčak, Russia is seeking guarantees that the OHR’s closure will be precisely established in November.

The high representative said this was unacceptable for the majority of countries guaranteeing the application of the Dayton Accords.

He claimed that this position went contrary to the strategic viewpoint that it was first necessary for the aforesaid conditions to be met before the OHR could be closed.