Ukraine and BiH Foreign Policy Are Not Dodik's Competence!

BiH's foreign policy is within the competence of BiH institutions, including the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, not entities or their leaders, the US Embassy in Sarajevo told the BiH news agency Patria (NAP).

They reacted to a request to comment on the statement by the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, who claimed that the referendum in Crimea, Ukraine, was legal and legitimate.

- Regarding the opinions of local political leaders, we only wish to emphasize that, according to the Dayton Peace Agreement, the foreign policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina is within the competence of BiH institutions – the Embassy stated.

Furthermore, on this occasion, they emphasize that the United States strongly supports the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Ukraine since its declaration of independence in 1991.

- We do not recognize the "referendum" held on Sunday in the Crimea region of Ukraine. The referendum is contrary to the Constitution of Ukraine, and the international community will not recognize the results of a poll conducted under threat of violence and intimidation by Russian military intervention, which constitutes a violation of international law. We reject Russia's illegal activities aimed at annexing Crimea. The annexation of Crimea would be a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, Russia's obligations under the Helsinki Final Act, obligations to Ukraine arising from the 1997 Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership, obligations from the 1997 Russian-Ukrainian Basic Agreement, as well as their obligations from the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. No decision on the future of Ukraine can be made without the participation of the Government and people of Ukraine – concluded the Public Affairs Office of the US Embassy in Sarajevo, NAP reports.