Political analyst from Belgrade, Stevica Deđanski, believes that the recent attacks by Gabriel Escobar, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the USA, on Republika Srpska should not be overly concerned about, as they only demonstrate shamelessness and disregard for international law.
“If Escobar’s statement had been different, it would have been worrying because it would mean that Republika Srpska had given up on defending itself, that it was acting against its own interest. As it is, when a politician or envoy like Escobar says something like this, we should take note, but not pay too much attention,” Deđanski told Srna.
He stated that Escobar is someone who has the “audacity” to threaten Republika Srpska and to claim that NATO will preserve BiH, as if BiH were a NATO member.
“This shows their shamelessness and disregard for international law. Secondly, it implies that someone on our side wants to violate international law, although it is well known that we are actually the ones who respect international law, the Dayton Agreement, UN Resolution 1244 /on Kosovo and Metohija/ and all other resolutions,” emphasized Deđanski.
He assessed that Escobar is someone who feigns courage in the media unprovoked, and where he should show some firmness, like with the Prime Minister of self-declared Kosovo, Albin Kurti, who is their product, he can do nothing.
Even, Deđanski reminded, it came to Escobar saying earlier “that Kosovo will have to implement the Brussels Agreement, with Kurti or without,” but it is evident that Kurti is still there and creating even bigger problems, which speaks of the significance and strength of Escobar.
Regarding Escobar’s criticisms of the support of Republika Srpska and its President Milorad Dodik for US presidential candidate Donald Trump, he highlighted that such support is the sovereign right of every politician and citizen, as well as of every country to think with whom it would better cooperate.
“Of course, no one interferes in the elections in other countries, we are not Americans and Western powers, but it is a fact that the world would be far better off with Trump. Let’s remind that Trump was the only US President who did not start or conduct any war during his term, which means he has a different approach,” said Deđanski.
This does not mean, he says, that Trump would change US policy in favor of the Serbs, but it is enough not to use a policy against the Serbs, but to try to find some mutually agreeable solution.
Deđanski said that everything bothers the current US administration of Joseph Biden, because they want to do absolutely everything that is against the interests of Serbs in the region, especially Serbia and Republika Srpska.
“I think that’s why they are most bothered by Dodik, because he knows how to tell them the truth, adhering to the international framework. They are trying to provoke him to do something outside that framework, but we see that he manages to do so quite well and balances relations with the West, primarily with [Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor] Orban, but also with the East, our friends, I’m talking about [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” noted Deđanski.
So, Deđanski says, the West and America can only be annoyed and threaten.
“But we must not give them a reason by violating something, so they can grab onto that to intervene. And the rest – dogs bark, but the caravan goes on. Their end will come very quickly, I think to that world order, and then we need to find our place,” said Deđanski.
Escobar told Radio “Free Europe” that an impoverished entity with 750,000 people cannot oppose NATO, that BiH can have security guarantees from NATO, and that there is no place for fear of what the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, said about wishing for Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential elections and that he would not hesitate to declare independence.
Source: RTRS
