Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SARAJEVO1673
2007-08-03 07:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:  

BOSNIA - SNSD CALLS FOR RIGHT TO REFERENDUM

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR BK 
pdf how-to read a cable
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RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVJ #1673/01 2150747
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 030747Z AUG 07
FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6762
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHINGTON DC
RUFOAOA/USNIC SARAJEVO
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 001673 

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TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA - SNSD CALLS FOR RIGHT TO REFERENDUM


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 001673

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA - SNSD CALLS FOR RIGHT TO REFERENDUM



1. (SBU) SUMMARY:In an interview with Republika Srpska (RS)
wire service SRNA, RS PM Milorad Dodik on August 1 stated
that the RS would condition its future participation in
constitutional reform talks to the inclusion of a specific
provision in the constitution granting the RS the right to
hold a referendum at a specified future date. Later the same
day, Dodik's SNSD party issued a press release echoing his
remarks to SRNA and adding that the continued existence of
the RS Police will be a condition for RS participation in
police reform talks. This marks the first time that Dodik or
his party have called for a referendum in writing. It is
also suggests a hardening of the SNSD position on police
reform. With many political leaders out of the country for
the August holidays and new High Representative in office,
Dodik may be testing to see how far he can push the envelope
in advance of the resumption of political talks in September.
END SUMMARY

Dodik on Referenda - The Montenegro Model
--------------


2. (SBU) During an August 1 interview with RS media outlet
SRNA, PM Milorad Dodik stated that SNSD would not agree to
any new constitutional reform talks unless RS citizens "are
allowed to later voice their opinion in a referendum on the
validity of the changes." Specifically, Dodik called for a
constitutional amendment permitting a referendum within three
to five years for citizens to voice their opinions on the
effectiveness of the new constitution. "If it is proved that
a decision on the Constitution is not right, citizens should
search for their own way," Dodik said. Dodik raised the
constitution of the Former Serbia and Montenegro and its
provision for an independence referendum by Montenegrin
citizens and suggested a similar provision should be included
in the Bosnian constitution.


3. (U) Dodik went on to discuss police reform talks promised
by the High Representative for September. "For us, the RS is
more important than Bosnia and Herzegovina and the RS police
are more important to us than European integration," Dodik
said. He questioned the utility of further negotiations with
Federation based politicians and that, although he would
return to the talks, he saw little benefit in doing so for
the RS, claiming that the goal of Silajdzic and others is
"not a more functional Bosnia and Herzegovnia but a Bosnia
without the RS." He added that Silajdzic and other
Federation-based leaders are "doing a very good job for us
who are sitting here and patiently waiting for you to prove
that BiH can not function."

SNSD Press Release
--------------


4. (U) Later the same day, SNSD headquarters in Banja Luka
issued a press release that summarized Dodik's interview
statements. The release reads:

SNSD shall participate in talks on constitutional changes
only provided that text of the new constitution shall
explicitly stipulate the possibility of holding referendum
within three to five years at which the citizens would
express themselves on such constitutional solution as a basis
of joint efforts to build democratic, decentralized, and
European BiH.

Referendum as a constitutional category is a signal that
state structures and all political subjects permanently have
an obligation to build feeling of safety, equality, and
dignity of Republika Srpska and its citizens within BiH.
That, at the same time, means that daily pressures on
Republika Srpska to give up on its original Dayton and
constitutional competencies have to stop as well as constant
semi-legal and unconstitutional establishing the so-called
state institutions with unitary competencies.
At the same time, SNSD hereby announces its explicit position
that Police of Republika Srpska shall be the condition for
all talks on police reform in BiH.

In this way, SNSD does not want to undermine talks and
reforms, but it insists that they are conducted on Dayton and
constitutional internationally verified and guaranteed basis
and wants to clearly present stands of Republika Srpska.

Comment
--------------

SARAJEVO 00001673 002 OF 002




5. (SBU) Dodik's recent comments have, for the first time,
linked the SNSD position on constitutional and police reforms
with his more problematic statements on referenda. Although
RSNA conclusions passed in April also called for a referendum
in the context of police reform, the August 1 interview and
press release are the first such statements with Dodik's
explicit imprimatur. The tactic of issuing a party press
release is also new as it provides Dodik with far less room
to disavow his statements as he frequently does after making
controversial pronouncements. Dodik may be testing the
international community, particularly the new High
Representative, while the summer holiday season has diverted
the attention of many Bosnians from politics.
MCELHANEY