US warns it may rethink Bosnia role after deadlock on new envoy

The United States warned Thursday that it may scale back its role in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s peace process after talks with European partners failed to produce an agreement on selecting a new envoy.

The international body overseeing Bosnia’s peace process ended two days of meetings without reaching a decision on the next High Representative, the top international official tasked with monitoring the Dayton peace deal.

In a statement posted on social media late Thursday, the US embassy in Sarajevo criticized European partners for not backing Italian diplomat Ambassador Antonio Zanardi Landi as the successor to outgoing High Representative Christian Schmidt.

“The US takes note of the European failure to reach consensus around a European candidate and is disappointed these divisions prevented the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) from fulfilling its task to elect a new High Representative,” the statement said.

“European indecisiveness, and the PIC’s abdication of its own duty toward BiH, is forcing the United States to reconsider our role in the current international presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

Local media reported that the Peace Implementation Council remained deadlocked after several European countries backed French candidate Rene Trocaz. The reports said EU member states were rallying behind Trocaz to preserve their influence amid renewed concerns about stability in the Western Balkans.

Schmidt, a senior German politician, has announced plans to resign, citing personal reasons. Regional outlets have linked the decision to US pressure and disagreements over several issues.