DODIK: RUSSIA’S PRINCIPLED STANCE IN UN SECURITY COUNCIL CRUCIAL FOR SRPSKA

MOSCOW, MAY 28 /SRNA/ - The Russian side acts very clearly, in a principled manner and in accordance with international law in the UN Security Council, and it is of crucial importance for Republika Srpska that a voice of reason be heard there, SNSD leader Milorad Dodik told RT Balkan.

"That is an essential necessity in contrast to the lies we have been hearing for twenty years from revived Western powers, which constantly create fabricated narratives only to supposedly fight against them afterward", Dodik stressed. Dodik assessed that such a partner, through its conduct, can certainly ease the position of Republika Srpska, which the Serb side greatly appreciates. He noted that Western countries destroyed the Dayton Agreement in BiH, while unjustifiably accusing Republika Srpska of doing so, even though it persistently fights to preserve the letter of the agreement. Speaking about the Office of the High Representative /OHR/, Dodik reiterated that it had been imposed from the very beginning and assessed that the story of the high representative of the "international community" is a complete lie. He questioned how Christian Schmidt could even submit a resignation when he had never been legally appointed to the position in the first place. "Now they are trying again, outside the Dayton Agreement, to appoint a new high representative. Republika Srpska is not in a position to choose anyone, they simply send us some inarticulate figure like Schmidt", Dodik warned. He stated that the UN Security Council is the only body that can confirm a high representative, and only after Republika Srpska, Serbia, the Federation of BiH, Croatia and the joint level of BiH, where Serbs participate with 30 percent, jointly select the candidate. He pointed out that BiH is an experiment in which logic no longer exists. "The sooner we peacefully separate, the more lasting and durable peace there will be there", Dodik assessed. Regarding economic cooperation with Russia, Dodik stated that Banja Luka is finding ways to maintain certain forms of cooperation even under current circumstances. "We intend to work even more in that regard, especially in areas where we are far too small to act independently. That is why we asked them to include us in the artificial intelligence sector, as well as to enable greater enrollment of our students in Russia so that we can gain specialized knowledge that would help Republika Srpska", Dodik emphasized. Speaking about the recent visit of a Russian Interior Ministry delegation to Banja Luka, Dodik assessed that, besides Republika Srpska being able to learn a great deal from Russia about combating terrorism, Russia can also learn from Republika Srpska because Serbs were exposed to direct terrorist attacks some 20 years ago.