Germany slams Bosnian Serb leader for threatening to arrest international peace envoy

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Friday condemned Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik for threatening to arrest a top international official overseeing peace in Bosnia, if he enters the Serb-controlled regions in the Balkan state.

Speaking to media representatives in Berlin, Christian Wagner, the Foreign Ministry’s deputy spokesman said Dodik’s threats against the high international representative Christian Schmidt were “completely unacceptable.”

“Such an order would be illegal and would also be a violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement,” he added.

On Wednesday, Dodik said that a decree is being prepared for “the arrest and deportation” of the high international representative in case he tries to enter Republika Srpska.

“If he (Schmidt) comes for a meeting to Republika Srpska, he will be kicked out,” Dodik said.

Bosnian Serbs say they do not recognize Schmidt as Bosnia’s international high representative because he was not endorsed by the UN Security Council.

The post of the international envoy was drawn up in the Dayton peace accords that ended Bosnia’s devastating war in the 1990s to oversee peace in the Balkan country, split into two autonomous regions – the Serb Republic and the Federation dominated by Bosniaks and Croats.