UN renews mandate of EU military mission in Bosnia, blocks top global envoy

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) voted unanimously on Wednesday to extend the mandate of the European Union military force in Bosnia. The agreement came after Russia blocked members from hearing a warning from Bosnia's top international official that the war-torn Balkan nation faces an "existential threat" from separatist actions by Bosnian Serbs. Russia, a close ally of the Bosnian Serbs, has repeatedly attempted to terminate the role of Bosnia's high representative, currently Christian Schmidt, and has succeeded in preventing him from delivering his latest report to the council, which warns that if the international community does not rein in the Bosnian Serbs, Bosnia and Herzegovina will face renewed division and conflict.

However, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres forwarded Schmidt's report to 15 council members, and following the vote on EU force, his warnings were echoed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Estonia, and other council nations that emphasised the importance of retaining the high representative. According to Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, the high representative was chosen in contravention of international law in Moscow and the position is still vacant. He was outraged that a report from a private person was being sent to council members, calling it an extremely prejudiced and anti-Serb paper the likes of which we haven't seen in a long time, AP reported. In 2004, the EU Force in Bosnia took over from a NATO peacekeeping mission.

The Bosnian conflict

The Bosnian conflict, which lasted from 1992 to 1995, pitted the country's ethnic Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats against each other and ended with the US-sponsored Dayton peace treaty, which established two areas, the Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat Federation. The two areas were granted broad autonomy while retaining some common institutions, including an army, top judiciary, tax administration, and a presidency that rotates among the three ethnic groups. Following the war, more than 60,000 troops were stationed across the country to ensure peace. The EU was given the peacekeeping mission in 2004, and the French-drafted resolution passed on Wednesday extended the term of the currently 600-strong force for another year.

(With inputs from AP)

Image: AP