OFFICE OF HIGH REPRESENTATIVE HAS BEEN VACANT SINCE INZKO

SARAJEVO, JULY 1 /SRNA/ - Russia remains consistent in its principled position that, after Valentin Inzko, the position of High Representative in BiH is vacant, and that a new High Representative can assume office only after receiving approval from the UN Security Council, the Russian Embassy in BiH told SRNA.

"Russia has nothing to do with the Steering Board meeting of the Peace Implementation Council /PIC/ in BiH held yesterday in Sarajevo, nor with the decision regarding the so-called acting High Representative," the Embassy of the Russian Federation in BiH stated. They added that Russia is one of the guarantors of the Dayton Peace Agreement and retains its membership in the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council /PIC/. "The suspension of our activities in this body is a consequence of our disagreement with the manner of the `selection` of Mr /Christian/ Schmidt and the fact that he was not a legitimate High Representative," the Embassy of the Russian Federation in BiH said. EU countries and the United States did not reach agreement on the name of the new High Representative at yesterday’s session of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council /PIC/; Louis Crishock was formally appointed Acting High Representative until the final appointment of a new High Representative.