PIC Ambassadors' Session in Sarajevo

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – A session of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the ambassadorial level will be held today in Sarajevo, while the regular semi-annual session of that council - at the level of political directors - will be held in the middle of next month, reports the Patria agency.

Today's PIC session is the first session of that body of the international community in Bosnia and Herzegovina after High Representative Valentin Inzko received support from major powers at the UN Security Council earlier this month for the use of the Bonn Powers, with the exception of Russia, which opposes this type of influence of the international community in BiH.

Inzko, while submitting his regular semi-annual report to the UN Secretary-General on the state of peace implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, warned of secessionist threats coming from Milorad Dodik, the current Chairman of the Presidency of BiH, warned of the rejection and disrespect of verdicts for war crimes committed during the war in BiH, and warned of other forms of undermining the legal order and peace in the country.

The Bonn Powers enable the High Representative to impose legal regulations if domestic politicians are unable to reach an agreement, while these powers also include the possibility of dismissing politicians or organizations that violate the Dayton Peace Agreement, reached in 1995 to stop the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Peace Implementation Council in Bosnia and Herzegovina consists of 55 countries and organizations that provide support to the peace process in various ways – by providing financial resources, contributing troops to EUFOR, or directly implementing operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. A number of observers are also included in the PIC, and they are rotated.