Inzko Expects New Leaf from Biden: His Team Includes Experts on the Balkans and Bosnia and Herzegovina

SARAJevo, (Patria) - High Representative Valentin Inzko extended his heartfelt congratulations to Joe Biden on his election as the 46th President of the United States of America and wished him success in performing this important function.

“The newly elected US President Biden knows the situation in the Balkans very well and for a long time. He visited this region even during President Tito's time, and visited the region as Vice President of the United States of America and was actively involved in the efforts of the wider international community in supporting its Euro-Atlantic aspirations. He visited Sarajevo in 1997 with President Clinton, and he also visited BiH as Vice President in 2009.

In line with this, his team includes a number of excellent experts, especially in the field of foreign policy, and among them are experts on the Balkans and Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of them is certainly Professor Bill Burns, who was Deputy Secretary of State during Hillary Clinton's term, with whom I had two meetings in my capacity as High Representative. Another strong political figure in the Democratic Party is Susan Rice, who was the US Ambassador to the United Nations at the time when numerous resolutions on Bosnia and Herzegovina were adopted. An equally exceptional Democratic diplomat is Samantha Power, also a former UN Ambassador. Of particular interest for Samantha Power is the fact that she wrote a 640-page book titled “A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide”. The book is of a principled nature and discusses the consequences of genocide and international presence in places where it occurred, but Samantha Power also focuses on individual countries and the American response to crises such as those in Cambodia, BiH, Rwanda, and Kosovo.

There is, of course, Elvir Klempić, the highest-ranking Bosnian in Biden's team and a long-time advisor. President Biden faces hundreds of issues that require solutions, both abroad and at home, including the crisis caused by the pandemic. But it is encouraging that he knows this region and that he has a number of highly qualified and motivated people around him who have dedicated their lives to southeastern Europe.

Since I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Biden personally during his visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 2009, I am convinced that he is a true friend of this country and that, together with his European partners, he will turn a new page in this part of Europe,” said the High Representative.