11/10/2021 08:38 AM EST
Office of the Spokesperson
Counselor of the U.S. Department of State Derek Chollet will travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), November 15-17, to reaffirm U.S. support for BiH’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and urge the country’s leaders to engage in constructive dialogue. While in Sarajevo, Counselor Chollet will meet with senior government officials to underscore that functional, democratic institutions at all levels of government are essential to a better future for all citizens, in both the Federation of BiH and the Republika Srpska (RS), as well as in Brcko District. He will deliver a firm message that any attempts to undo 26 years of peace and progress, through withdrawal from state-level institutions, could violate the Dayton Peace Agreement, create hardship for citizens, and be a major disincentive for investors and source of serious concern for the international community. The Counselor will also meet with High Representative Christian Schmidt, expressing the U.S. government’s strong support for his mandate, including the need for vital economic, electoral, and anti-corruption reforms. In addition, he will meet with members of the media and civil society.
