Dodik denied genocide, Markale and aggression, thanked Komšić for Kosovo

(Patria) – Member of the Presidency of BiH Milorad Dodik held a press conference in East Sarajevo after today's meeting of Presidency members with American diplomat Matthew Palmer and US Ambassador Eric Nelson.

Dodik stated that he had no objections to today's meeting and that Palmer pointed to the need for a partnership between the US and BiH, to establish leadership in BiH, and to reach decisions by consensus, seeing this as a way BiH can be built in the future. 

„There was talk about marking the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement and that the Presidency should devise a program that would coordinate with all entities. We should approach certain things for that program, and I said that the statement should contain consent for the termination of the mandate of the High Representative, who is only a disruptive factor here,“ Dodik said. 
He said he does not shy away from expressing piety towards all victims on all sides.

„And that finally, after 25 years, various speculations about how to qualify the conflict should be rejected. The Dayton Agreement qualified it as a tragic conflict. Today also marks the beginning of NATO aggression against Serb positions where civilians were killed. NATO's engagement was based on false information about Markale, and now we know that was false and NATO's action unnecessary. That bombing with depleted uranium left consequences. On this day, that shameful NATO bombing began. We have no reason to forget such an act. The fact is that in the Federation of BiH they celebrate it triumphantly, while for us it is a day of mourning, and that is why the marking of Dayton will be in focus in different views of these events,“ Dodik said.

He added that there was discussion about NATO and that there is no consent to form a Commission for NATO integration, but rather a Commission for cooperation with NATO. 
There was talk about human trafficking in BiH, which could fall into the third tier of countries. 

„Now we see that police authorities arrest people involved in human trafficking, but the judiciary does not work adequately and does not prosecute. That is something beyond the political structure,“ Dodik emphasized.  

The Presidency member said he requested that the initiative for joining the mini-Schengen be placed on the agenda, as well as moving the BiH embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. 
Regarding Komšić's initiative for the Presidency to declare itself on the recognition of Kosovo, Dodik said it is legitimate.

„Presidency members have the possibility to propose agenda items. Those items should be on the agenda. I see no problem with the topic of Kosovo recognition being on the agenda, and I will vote against and will again invoke vital national interest. And that way we will reach a decision, which we currently do not have, neither that we have recognized it nor that we haven't. This is a good opportunity, and I can thank Mr. Komšić for this initiative. The man did it for rational reasons, and it can be good to define things. Just as I am aware that two members will be against moving the Embassy to Jerusalem,“ he added. 

He said that the Americans recognized Kosovo and they have their own stance on it, and they believe that implies normalization of relations between BiH and Kosovo. 

„For some of their reasons, they talk about that topic. I said I understand the US position but that I will not stop asking how the large international community and the US have different approaches and standards. How is it possible that in the region, one set of rules applies to some and not to others,“ Dodik said.

The SNSD president today repeatedly denied the genocide in Srebrenica, the Markale massacre, and the aggression against BiH.