Former US ambassador William Montgomery said that the United States now has a president whose approach to the Western Balkans is different, and that he is certain Washington’s view of Republika Srpska will also change — something already indicated by the lifting of sanctions.
Speaking in Banjaluka, Montgomery said the US and the new administration are already working to reshape their policy toward the Western Balkans.
“The lifting of sanctions is a good sign, and if anyone is going to change that approach, it is Donald Trump’s administration,” Montgomery said ahead of a discussion with students of the Faculty of Philosophy about his book Non/Diplomatic Lives, translated into Serbian.
Montgomery stressed that the existence of the Office of the High Representative remains one of the most pressing issues, one he personally finds problematic, as Bosnia and Herzegovina still does not fully control its own affairs three decades after the war.
“It’s as if the country is treated as second-class. It is time for these things to change,” Montgomery stated.
Reflecting on 30 years since the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, he said the agreement should be seen in the context of a ceasefire framework that gave all sides an opportunity to defend their rights and use the transitional period to adopt joint decisions and resolutions.
“The Dayton Peace Agreement is often approached as an immutable document, but citizens need changes and adjustments,” he noted.
Speaking about his book Non/Diplomatic Lives, Montgomery emphasized that there are various types of diplomats — those focused on official duties such as receptions, promotions, and formal visits — but that his own perspective goes beyond that, rooted in engaging with people, talking to them, and understanding local realities.
Source: RTRS
