STATEMENT BY THE AMBASSADORS OF THE PEACE IMPLEMENTATION COUNCIL STEERING BOARD

Meeting today in Sarajevo the Ambassadors of the Peace Implementation Council condemned the escalation in irresponsible and inflammatory rhetoric witnessed during the last week. This kind of divisive rhetoric and action, which undermines inter-ethnic trust and further polarizes the political atmosphere, is counterproductive to BiH’s path toward Europe and harms the interests of its citizens.

The words and actions of political leaders, especially those who by virtue of their position have sworn to protect the constitution and uphold the Dayton Peace Agreement, carry a special weight locally, regionally, and abroad. The Steering Board Ambassadors therefore take this opportunity to once again remind these political leaders of their solemn obligations, and recalls that the Peace Implementation Council exists to insure that the Peace Agreement is upheld in its entirety.

In that light, the Steering Board Ambassadors once again underlined that BiH is an internationally recognised and sovereign state whose territorial integrity is guaranteed by international law, including the Dayton Peace Agreement, under which BiH consists of two entities. Statements or actions that undermine the basic features of the Dayton Peace Agreement for any purpose are unacceptable, and dissolution is not possible under this Agreement.