Senior diplomats from the United States and several European allies gathered in Sarajevo on Tuesday in an effort to resolve growing disagreements over who should serve as the next international high representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The meeting brings together representatives from the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the European Union, Canada, Japan, and Türkiye after previous negotiations earlier this month failed to produce a consensus, according to The Guardian.
At the center of the dispute is the future of the Office of the High Representative (OHR), the international body created under the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement to oversee the implementation of Bosnia’s postwar settlement.
The Trump administration is reportedly seeking the immediate replacement of current High Representative Christian Schmidt and is backing Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi for the position. Several European governments, however, have favored allowing Schmidt to remain in office until Bosnia’s expected general elections in October.
According to the report, some European officials believe Washington’s position is linked to support for a proposed $1 billion Southern Interconnection gas pipeline project awarded to the US-based company AAFS Infrastructure and Energy without a public tender. The European Union has expressed concerns that the project could complicate Bosnia’s long-term integration with the bloc.
The disagreement follows the Trump administration’s recently announced Balkans policy, which states that US engagement in the region will prioritize economic returns for American businesses over long-term institution-building initiatives.
Former US diplomat Jim O’Brien criticized the approach, arguing that it risks weakening international institutions that have helped preserve stability in Bosnia since the Dayton Agreement.
Meanwhile, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom are reportedly backing French Balkans envoy Rene Troccaz as an alternative candidate for the role.
The outcome of the Sarajevo discussions is expected to shape the future of international oversight in Bosnia and could influence broader diplomatic relations among Western allies.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE