Republika Srpska proposes secession talks with Sarajevo

The authorities of Republika Srpska, one of the two constituent parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, decided on Thursday to create a particular working group. Its task would be to draft an agreement with the government in Sarajevo on the peaceful secession of Republika Srpska from the rest of the country.

Afterwards, the agreement would be presented to the local parliament of this predominantly Serb-inhabited part of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A week earlier, on the day when the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on the genocide in Srebrenica, the RS government announced a plan for the "peaceful resolution" of Bosnia and Herzegovina. "With the passing of the resolution, the existence of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be signed off," warned RS President Milorad Dodik at the time.

Dodik also stated, "Because of all the lies about Srebrenica, the municipality's residents want to change its name." Contrary to the facts, the politician denied that genocide had occurred in the vicinity of Srebrenica.

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Dodik had previously announced that "the authorities of Republika Srpska are already showing determination in implementing actions aimed at independence" for this part of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

In July 1995, in the vicinity of Srebrenica, which was a so-called safe zone under UN supervision until its capture by Serbs, more than 8,000 men and boys, residents of the country of Bosnian Muslims, were murdered. The remains of about 1,000 victims are still being sought.

The territory of Republika Srpska includes, among others, areas where genocide and ethnic cleansing occurred, including the city of Srebrenica.