PUSHES FOR UNITARIZATION OF BiH TO BREAK SERB RESISTANCE, BERLIN AND LONDON ACTIVE IN PRESSURE

MOSCOW, APRIL 27 /SRNA/ – The West is attempting, through forced unitarization of BiH, to break the resistance of the Serb people and their leadership, with Berlin and London playing a particularly active role in this pressure, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said.

Following a recent visit to Republika Srpska and Banja Luka, Grushko said that one of the central topics was the preservation of the Dayton framework, which he said is under pressure from the West. He described the visit to Republika Srpska as very useful and said he expects its leadership to attend various events in Moscow. "They are always welcome guests", Grushko said in an interview for the Russian television channel Rossiya 24. Speaking about how Moscow assesses the functioning of the Dayton Agreement today, Grushko was critical, saying the agreement is being deformed through foreign interference, referring to Christian Schmidt. He noted that the West, through Schmidt, is implementing decisions that undermine the rights of Republika Srpska and lead toward forced unitarization, in which the position of Serbs would be unfavorable. He added that the aim is to achieve full integration of BiH into Euro-Atlantic and European structures. "I mean accession to the EU and NATO, in order to complete that historical cycle and force Serbs to forget their historical memory and tragedy, and through NATO membership close that chapter and present the West as having acted correctly at the time", Grushko explained. He pointed out that this is clearly understood both in Russia and Republika Srpska, adding that without such mechanisms there would be more room for mutual cooperation. Grushko assessed that the peoples of BiH should embark on an independent political course and determine for themselves how to preserve or change the structure of the state. During his stay in Banja Luka, he also referred to an initiative by Russian President Vladimir Putin on the formation of a Eurasian security framework, which he said offers a realistic path for uniting efforts of all those willing to adhere to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs. He expressed confidence that the historical cooperation between the Serbian and Russian peoples is one of the key factors in maintaining stability in the Balkans. Grushko reminded that he had visited BiH and Republika Srpska immediately after the war, when Russian peacekeepers were stationed in Ugljevik, noting that the changes since then are significant. "We drove for 100 kilometers without seeing a single person, there were empty villages everywhere. It left a terrible impression of a lifeless land. Today, however, we could see from the car, we stopped and spoke with people, that it is developing dynamically. Banja Luka is a beautiful city, it looks excellent, very modern", Grushko said. Regarding Kosovo and Metohija, Grushko stressed that the Russian Federation firmly maintains that the issue must be resolved in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 1244. "That is all. At the same time, of course, we support the dialogue between Priština and Belgrade, as it addresses a range of issues affecting the lives of people in Kosovo", he said. He added that Serbia's leadership is pursuing an independent policy, noting that its position regarding NATO membership is very clear. “We value that principled position. No NATO, yes", Grushko stated, adding that Serbia is on a European path. He also said that there are attempts to drive a wedge between Serbia and Republika Srpska and to divide the Serb people. "That line continues, because the assumption is that by dealing with parts separately, it is easier to secure full, complete control over the Balkans", Grushko said.