Russia sees no Dayton deal violations in Bosnian Serb referendum

VIENNA (Itar-Tass) - Russia said on Thursday it sees no
violations of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement in the plan of Bosnian Serbs
to hold a referendum in summer on internationally-imposed laws and central
judicial bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
"We see no violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement. We draw your
attention to the fact that the leadership of the Serb Republic makes no
actions that go beyond the limits of its competence," Russian Ambassador
to the OSCE Anvar Azimov told the OSCE Permanent Council.
He added Russia "is against the use of extraordinary powers (of the
international administrator) to annul the recent decision of the
parliament of the Serb Republic to hold the referendum to assess the
decisions of the High Representative, in particular, on the creation of
the court and prosecutor's office in Bosnia and Herzegovina."
Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik wants to hold a mid-June vote to
reflect what he says is a widespread rejection of Bosnia's federal
institutions, especially the war crimes court. He accused the court of
bias.
The international administrator, Valentin Inzko, can annul the
referendum as he claimed it may jeopardize the entire 1995 peace agreement.
Bosnia and Herzegovina failed to form a government since October
elections and Azimov said it happened because of the violation of the key
provision of the Dayton agreement about the equality of the three peoples
in the country - Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats.
"The Russian side is concerned by the interference of the
international community into the process," Azimov said adding Russia can
neither agree with "the decision of the High Representative who suspended
the resolution of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and
Herzegovina on the unlawfulness of power formation in the Federation."
"Thus, pressure is exerted on the bodies of the Bosnia and Herzegovina
Federation in favor of one side. A mine is laid under the process of new
government formation on the state level," the ambassador said.
"Unfortunately, we have to state that at the current stage strict
international patronage only impedes normal development of Bosnia and
Herzegovina. Russia stands for a balanced and unbiased approach of the
international community, including the OSCE mission, to Bosnia's parties
and for objective assessment of their actions," Azimov said.