Russian representative calls Inzko out as "Serbophobe"

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UNSC: Russian representative calls Inzko out as "Serbophobe" - World

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Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Vladimir Safronkov has accused the high representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) of Serbophobia.

Source: Tanjug Wednesday, November 8, 2017 | 14:23

 

(Getty Images, illustration purposes, file)

According to Safrankov, who spoke during a UN Security Council meeting, Valentin Inzko has also "lost touch with reality."

Inzko was submitting his new report on the state of affairs in BiH, which Safronkov assessed was "the least objective in the past eight years."

According to TASS, the Russian diplomat said the document speaks less about the implementation of the peace agreement, and represents more "a collection of attacks on the Serb Republic (RS, Serb entity in BiH)."

These attacks, Safronkov continued, have been chosen tendentiously and in a biased manner - "which, unfortunately, has already been accepted by some delegations in the hall."

According to him, only one thing proceeds from Inzko's report: that only Serbs are to blame for all the problems in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

"It is clear to anyone who is at all familiar with the situation in BiH, that the picture painted by the high representative is far removed from reality; it is misleading and shows that the author has lost touch with reality," Safronkov said.

It is worrying, he continued, that Inzko is leaning toward open Serbophobia, and that his daily activities have been reduced to clarifying relations with Banja Luka (RS) and lobbying in favor of Bosnia's Euro-Atlantic integration - "despite of his mandate and the internal political reality of the country where he resides."

Safronkov recalled that Inzko represents, by his own choosing, the international community as a whole, not its individual members. "He is under obligation to implement a harmonized line, not to execute somebody's individual orders, and be guided by personal animosities," Safronkov stressed.

According to him, the high representative should not engage in antagonisms, but in fulfilling his obligations in good faith. "This approach means encouraging the process of national reconciliation, internal political, mutually respected dialogue, compromise and consensus, and, of course, respect the opinions of all parties," Safronkov said.

Also on Wednesday in New York, Russia supported a UN Security Council resolution that extends EU's military operation in BiH, but once again strongly criticized the high representative.