CIA Director on Official Visit to Sarajevo, Several Meetings Planned

(Patria) - William Joseph Burns, director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), arrived today on an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Istraga.ba has learned.

He will only be in BiH for a few hours. Burns will have lunch with the director of the Intelligence-Security Agency of BiH, Almir Džuvo, and will also hold brief meetings with members of the Presidency of BiH and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH, Elmedin Konaković. Željka Cvijanović, who is under US sanctions, will also attend the meeting with Burns at the Presidency of BiH.

Burns, in addition to leading one of the world's most powerful agencies, is among the most powerful people in the US. He came to the position of CIA director as a proposal from President Joe Biden and was unanimously supported by the Senate. He was previously ambassador to Russia. He is the first career diplomat to hold the position of CIA director and has served under both Democrats and Republicans.

William Burns knows the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina extremely well and in detail. As Deputy Secretary of State of the US in 2012, he visited our country and spoke with members of the Presidency of BiH – Bakir Izetbegović, Željko Komšić, and Nebojša Radmanović, as well as with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Although not much is known about his visit, it is clear that Burns did not come for a courtesy visit without a reason. The fact is that during a previous visit, he expressed strong support for our country's Euro-Atlantic path, particularly emphasizing the importance of resolving the issue of military property and moving closer to NATO. It is certain that this visit also has similar goals – providing support for the work and strengthening of state institutions. Furthermore, this visit is also a sign of partnership and support for the domestic Intelligence-Security Agency (OSA). We remind you that in the past, during the tenure of the former OSA director, cooperation between the two agencies was at an extremely high level.

Burns will leave Sarajevo in the afternoon.