Silajdžić: Joe Biden has very important measures for BiH, which no one has taken so far

(Patria) - Haris Silajdžić, former member of the BiH Presidency, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Prime Minister, has been in political retirement for years, and in an interview for Hayat, he spoke about a document published by the Democratic candidate in the United States presidential elections, Joe Biden, in which he commits to "always be against hatred, and support the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and multi-ethnic character of Bosnia and Herzegovina".

"This document emphasizes that BiH must remain whole with full sovereignty and a multi-ethnic, civic state," said Haris Silajdžić, former member of the BiH Presidency, doctor of international law.

It is clear from this document that the US, under Biden's leadership, will engage in this region because it is strategically important for the US and for Biden himself, who is now a presidential candidate. It is important for us that he emphasizes he will work together with the EU and NATO. This is new compared to the previous US policy when that cooperation was not the best. This document emphasizes that BiH must remain whole with full sovereignty and a multi-ethnic, civic state.

Who participated in the preparation of this document, and is there your initiative behind it?

- Not directly, but I am proud that people who worked with me stand behind this document. A new generation has matured; those who have BiH in their hearts and those who persistently work against BiH should know this. There is a generation that can cope with anti-Bosnian propaganda, especially in Washington. Behind this is a strong, good group in BiH that gathers around Adnan Kape, a man who was a fighter, was in the US, returned here, and was my advisor in the BiH Presidency. Anti-Bosnian propaganda is well-paid in Washington.

You had close contacts with Biden in the past, as well as numerous world officials and politicians. What do they say about such a specific arrangement of BiH?

- Biden spoke more openly than I did; he was a senator then. He went to Belgrade and told Milošević that he was a war criminal and would be held accountable. He called this a planned genocide when they spoke about crimes on both sides. They speak indirectly when they think there is no interest in intervening and thus avoid responsibility. At that time, one could hear from all sides that it was a civil war. Now we have verdicts, and we know it was not a civil war. That's what Biden said.

How significant is the presence of the US in BiH and this region?

- How significant it is can be seen from the vacuum when American policy withdrew, i.e., its focus from this region. A great void. During the aggression, we had a friend in the US. I would like them to pay attention, and I am sure there will be full engagement. They should pay attention to the second part of Dayton, which is human rights, and which negates the first part of Dayton. For example, the judgments of the Court in Strasbourg, Sejdić Finci, should be implemented. Why hasn't it been done? It is not possible to implement the genocide that is happening now and implement human rights and the second part of Dayton simultaneously. That is why this judgment is not being implemented. The international community has not focused on this. Why is genocide being implemented now? It is peaceful now, and it should remain peaceful. The status quo remains. It does not help the future of BiH; it helps the consolidation of the genocide that happened throughout BiH.

Will there be a change among those who deny genocide?

- I doubt it. I hoped it would get better, that people, especially in Belgrade, would stop nurturing the Greater Serbia concept. People in Serbia are victims of that. The moment we become a NATO member, the protagonists of Greater Serbia will be able to do something in BiH, and then internal reckoning will follow.