Cvijanović sends letter to permanent missions, delegations and bodies at the UN

(Patria) - BiH Presidency member Željka Cvijanović sent a letter to permanent missions, delegations and bodies at the UN, in which she pointed to "manipulative circumstances" regarding the draft resolution on Srebrenica submitted by the missions of several countries to the UN, including the BiH Mission, the country she represents as an equal member of the Presidency, the collective head of BiH.

Cvijanović pointed out that this resolution proposes to the UN General Assembly to establish July 11 as the "International Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide of 1995," and that this issue has never been considered or agreed upon within the competent institutions in BiH.

"Therefore, I must emphasize that neither the presentation of the said resolution scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 4:00 PM, nor any further activities in terms of considering or adopting this resolution have any support from the institutions or the people of BiH," Cvijanović stressed.

She explained that the reason for directly addressing the missions and delegations at the UN is not an attempt to bypass official and established communication channels; on the contrary, the diplomatic channels of BiH at the UN have been usurped by ambassadors and political representatives who speak on behalf of only one of the three constituent peoples that make up BiH, she stated.

"Moreover, the selective approach - forwarding letters from (Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Denis) Bećirović while regularly blocking my correspondence - indicates unequal and discriminatory treatment of peoples in BiH, and further deviation from the BiH Constitution. The decision of certain diplomats to block my right to communicate with you through the BiH mission to the UN, thereby preventing me from using my constitutional capacity as a member of the Presidency, as well as the lies used by representatives of the BiH Mission (such as the claim that we use resources of other states to communicate with UN member states), are just some of the challenges we face daily, which clearly illustrate their intolerance and intention to marginalize and belittle the people I represent, which, understandably, I cannot and will not allow," Cvijanović emphasized.

In the letter, she stated that according to the BiH Constitution, which is part of the Dayton Peace Agreement that established peace in BiH more than 28 years ago, it is clearly defined that the three-member BiH Presidency is responsible for conducting foreign policy and representing BiH in international organizations.

According to her words, the three members of the Presidency represent the three constituent peoples, reflecting the principle of equality of the state-forming peoples of BiH, but also presupposing the obligation of unity in making decisions of importance.

"It is important to emphasize that it is precisely the respect for this formula of unity and consensus that has preserved peace for almost three decades. Also, the Constitution prescribes protective mechanisms that are used when consensus is absent, which in this case could not even be used because the issue of the said resolution was never on the agenda of the Presidency, but was worked on in secret, ignoring and bypassing the institutions of BiH," Cvijanović pointed out.

She stressed that through the manipulation of Ambassador Zlatko Lagumdžija, who unilaterally acted towards a group of countries pursuing his own agendas, as well as the subsequent, also illegal, "support" of the current Chairman and Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Denis Bećirović, the Constitution and regulations of BiH have been seriously violated, and the principles on which its peace and functionality rest have been undermined, for which proceedings to determine criminal responsibility will be initiated before the domestic judiciary.

"As I already warned during the meeting with the President of the UN General Assembly in Baku on March 15 this year - according to the BiH Constitution, no single member of the three-member Presidency is or can be authorized, without achieving consensus, to authorize unilateral action by diplomatic staff on behalf of the entire country and all its peoples. Therefore, the Bosniak member of the Presidency Bećirović and Ambassador Lagumdžija have usurped the rights of the three peoples and violated not only the provisions of domestic law but also the principles of international law," Cvijanović pointed out.

Given the sensitivity of the issue under consideration, Cvijanović emphasized that it is her duty to draw attention to the potentially destructive effect not only of the actions of individuals from BiH but - which would be much more serious - of any support from UN member states for the unilateral actions of such individuals who do not represent the position of BiH institutions and who do not respect their own Constitution.

"BiH needs peace, stability and internal dialogue, not only in the upcoming accession negotiations with the European Union but also in the process of strengthening internal trust. The abuse or turning of the UN General Assembly into a tool for internal political scores in BiH will not help its further development, but quite the opposite. Your Excellency, with expressions of the most sincere respect, I repeat the request that you give this issue due attention and that your country does not accept placing the proposal of the said resolution on the agenda of the UN General Assembly, nor its consideration and adoption," Cvijanović stated.

She warned that a different approach would draw their countries into manipulations that undermine the procedures prescribed by the BiH Constitution regarding appearances and actions in international organizations.

"Such manipulations undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement itself and the compromise, and fuel intolerance in BiH and the Western Balkans region," Cvijanović said in the letter addressed to permanent missions and delegations at the UN, as reported by BHRT.