Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SARAJEVO2236
2007-10-19 17:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:  

BOSNIA - HIGHREP IMPOSES FIRST MEASURES; DODIK

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR EU BK 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4577
OO RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHVJ #2236/01 2921723
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 191723Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7231
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUFOAOA/USNIC SARAJEVO
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 002236 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR(DICARLO),EUR/SCE (FOOKS/STINCHCOMB);
NSC FOR BRAUN; OSD FOR BEIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EU BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA - HIGHREP IMPOSES FIRST MEASURES; DODIK
THREATENS CONFRONTATION

REF: A. SARAJEVO 2195

B. SARAJEVO 2041

Classified By: Ambassador Charles English. Reason 1.4(b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SARAJEVO 002236

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR EUR(DICARLO),EUR/SCE (FOOKS/STINCHCOMB);
NSC FOR BRAUN; OSD FOR BEIN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/01/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR EU BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA - HIGHREP IMPOSES FIRST MEASURES; DODIK
THREATENS CONFRONTATION

REF: A. SARAJEVO 2195

B. SARAJEVO 2041

Classified By: Ambassador Charles English. Reason 1.4(b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: On October 19, High Representative Lajcak
publicly announced three measures designed to improve
decision-making in and the functionality of state-level
government. After Republika Srpska (RS) PM Milorad Dodik was
briefed by OHR in advance of the actions, he called the
Ambassador in an effort to blunt their impact. Dodik
complained that the measures "favored the Bosniaks" and
threatened a confrontation if they were enacted. The
Ambassador warned Dodik against embarking on a confrontation
with the international community and stressed that the U.S.
expected all parties to respect the HighRep's measures.
Earlier in the day, the Russians signaled that they opposed
the HighRep's actions and accused Lajcak of abandoning OHR's
"local ownership" policy. We have issued a statement making
clear our support for Lajcak. We anticipate participating in
a public diplomacy campaign with other Peace Implementation
Council (PIC) Ambassadors over the next two days to
underscore the international community's unity. From our
perspective, it is critical that we stand firm with Lajcak
and support this and subsequent uses of the Bonn Powers
designed to confront the political problems we face in Bosnia
and get the country back on track. END SUMMARY

HighRep Measures to Improve Government Functionality
-------------- --------------


2. (SBU) On October 19, the HighRep announced three measures
designed to facilitate decision-making by the Bosnian Council
of Ministers (CoM) and the Parliamentary Assembly. The
first, a decision amending the Law on the Council of
Ministers, would: 1) ensure that a Ministry would continue to
function in the event of the resignation, dismissal, or
permanent inability of a Minister to perform his or her
duties; 2) ensure that CoM sessions are held at least once a
week; and, 3) allow the CoM to pass issues to Parliament by a

majority of those present and voting and take final decisions
by a majority of those present and voting provided
affirmative votes include at least one representative from
each constituent people. These changes go into effect
immediately. The HighRep also tabled two sets of amendments
to the quorum rules for the House of Representatives and the
House of Peoples and gave the two bodies until December 2 to
adopt them, warning that if they did not do so, he would
impose them. All three measures would make it more difficult
for a small group of ministers or parliamentarians to
obstruct actions of government institutions.

Dodik Cries Foul; Threatens Confrontation
--------------


3. (C) Having been briefed in advance by OHR's Banja Luka
Office, RS PM Dodik called the Ambassador about the HighRep's
measures. (Note: OHR, mindful of the lessons from the botched
Potocari imposition, briefed party leaders in advance of the
HighRep's public announcement. End Note) Dodik told the
Ambassador that the HighRep's proposals "favored the
Bosniaks" and claimed that they constituted a betrayal of
Serbs. Dodik was most upset about the proposed changes to
the Law on the Council of Ministers. He asserted that the
imposition was unconstitutional, arguing he supported efforts
to improve the functionality of state government, but opposed
using the Bonn Powers to do so. Specifically, Dodik
complained that Lajcak's proposal would allow the CoM to pass
measures with the vote of a Serb from the Federation rather
than a Serb from the RS. Dodik urged the Ambassador to
contact Lajcak, relay his concerns, and propose an
alternative. (Note: The essence of Dodik's "compromise" was
to introduce entity voting into the CoM, which we and OHR
agreed would make the CoM less functional than it already is.
Lajcak rejected it. End Note) Dodik threatened a
confrontation if the HighRep went ahead.


4. (C) After consulting with the HighRep and Washington, the
Ambassador called Dodik again. Dodik told the Ambassador
that Lajcak's decision had backed him and the RS into a
corner. His only option was to react, Dodik said. Dodik
predicted "trouble in Banja Luka" and, claiming to have

SARAJEVO 00002236 002 OF 002


consulted with Serb member of the Tri-Presidency Radmanovic
and PM Spiric, warned that the HighRep would have to "replace
all the Serbs in the CoM and elsewhere in the government."
Dodik said that he was "profoundly disappointed with the
U.S.," explaining that he had "expected the U.S. to protect
Dayton, not allow its violation." The Ambassador replied
that the HighRep had the full backing of the USG and
cautioned him against embarking on a confrontation with the
international community. He stressed that the HighRep's
actions were fully consistent with Dayton, adding that OHR
and Washington expected all parties to comply with the
HighRep's decisions and fulfill their responsibilities under
Dayton.

Russians Signal Opposition; Other PIC Members Supportive
-------------- --------------


5. (C) The HighRep briefed the Steering Board Ambassadors
(SBA) in the morning on October 19 of the measures he
announced later in the day. Ambassadors from Turkey, The
Netherlands, the EC, Spain, and Canada expressed their
appreciation for the HighRep's efforts to resolve Bosnia's
political problems and supported for his measures. The
Russian Ambassador criticized the HighRep and his approach.
Later in the day, the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Titov,
who is visiting Sarajevo, accused the HighRep in a private
exchange of making a "radical change" to OHR policy by
abandoning the "local ownership" policy that had been the
hallmark of his predecessor. Titov also accused Lajcak of
not trying hard enough to broker a police reform deal. The
HighRep rejected Russian criticisms, stressing that his
mandate was to secure Bosnia as a multiethnic, functioning
and self-sustaining state. OHR had to take action to advance
this goal because the Bosnian politicians were unwilling to
do so, Lajcak observed. At the SBA, Lajcak also signaled
that he wanted the October 30-31 Peace Implementation Council
to have a "strategic discussion" about the mission in Bosnia.

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


6. (C) We have already issued a public statement expressing
our strong support for Lajcak and the measures he announced
(both of which were contained in the USG non-paper provided
to him several weeks ago). We anticipate participating in a
series of coordinated press activities with other SBA
Ambassadors over the next two days to explain Lajcak's
measures to the Bosnian public and make clear that he has the
backing of key PIC countries (minus Russia, of course). We
will also make clear that we expect all Bosnian political
leaders and their parties to respect the HighRep's decisions.
Though Dodik left himself with a enough wiggle room in his
exchanges with the Ambassador to back away from a
confrontation, we are not optimistic that he will. The
HighRep anticipated that the risk of a confrontation over his
plans to use the Bonn Powers (Ref B) were greatest with the
RS and Dodik, and OHR has shared with us a scenarios paper
outlining how Lajcak plans to respond to specific
provocations (e-mailed to EUR/SCE). From our perspective, it
is critical that we stand firm with Lajcak and support this
and subsequent uses of the Bonn Powers designed to confront
the political problems we face in Bosnia and get the country
back on track.
ENGLISH