The Ambassadors of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council met today in Sarajevo. The Ambassadors of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, United States, Sweden as the Presidency of the European Union, the European Commission, and Turkey concluded that the RS Government’s Conclusion of its 124^th Session held on 24 September 2009 seriously challenge aspects of the General Framework Agreement for Peace (Dayton Peace Agreement).

Calling on the RS Government and especially the RS National Assembly to reconsider this course at the session planned for 30 September, the Ambassadors noted today that the ensuing downward spiral in political relations and challenges to the GFAP would only damage the interests of the citizens of the Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and they made clear that the RS government’s actions threaten to delay the fulfilment of the 5 objectives and 2 conditions necessary for transition. They also acknowledged that challenges of this kind to the GFAP damage BiH’s credibility as a potential future member of EU and NATO.

Last week the Ambassadors gave their full support to the High Representative to undertake measures to maintain continuity of business operations of Elektroprenos BiH, following the refusal of Republika Srpska to implement the conclusions of the PIC Steering Board Declaration of 31 October 2007, Communiqués of 25 June 2008 and 30 June 2009, and the statement by the PIC Steering Board Ambassadors of 12 September 2008.

The RS Government’s conclusions are a clear attempt to weaken an important state-level company, established in accordance with the Constitution of BiH. It is also a significant setback in fulfilling necessary EU-related priorities.

The Ambassadors deem the RS Government’s rejection of the HR’s authority and its instruction to the Official Gazette of the Republika Srpska not to publish the High Representatives’ Decision of 18 September 2009 as a direct challenge to the Dayton Peace Agreement.

The Ambassadors today took note of the Brcko Supervisor’s determination that the RS’s rejection of the Supervisor’s authority and refusal to publish the legislation enacted by the High Representative to complete the implementation of the Brcko Final Award is an act of serious non-compliance which must be corrected before closure of international supervision can be completed.