OHR wishes, once more, to make
clear that Bosnia and
Herzegovina is not a state union or union of
states. Bosnia and
Herzegovina is a single, sovereign state
whose current internal structure was defined by the Dayton Peace Agreement.
The Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as set out in Annex IV of the
Dayton Peace Agreement, unambiguously states that “the Republic of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, the official name of which shall henceforth be ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina’,
shall continue its legal existence under international law as a state.”
The Constitution also specifies that "Bosnia and Herzegovina
shall be a democratic state” and "shall consist of the two
entities.” In other words, the entities were legally established and are
protected by the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
while Bosnia and Herzegovina
continued its existence under international law as a state with its internal
structure modified.
The Dayton Peace Agreement could
not be clearer on this point, and the High Representative rejects any assertion
to the contrary. OHR calls on all parties to refrain from repeating false
statements about the constitutional arrangements provided for under the Dayton
Peace Agreement. The sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Bosnia
and Herzegovina is guaranteed under
international law and not a matter for negotiation.
(Frontal)
