UNITED NATIONS, May 11. /TASS/. Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said the UN Security Council cannot consider German diplomat Christian Schmidt as High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, because his candidature has not undergone proper coordination.
"I would like to make a reservation. We do not consider German citizen Christian Schmidt as a High Representative. The UN Security Council has not given its consent to his appointment in this capacity," Nebenzya said at the UN SC meeting on Bosnia-Herzegovina. "We would like to stress that the Bosnian problems are on the Security Council’s agenda in accordance with Chapter 7 of the UN Charter," Nebenzya said. "There exists a 25-year-old procedure of appointing High Representatives. Attempts to bypass it look particularly cynical, for they are being made by countries that position themselves as safeguards of jurisprudence and international law."
"We would like to stress that Mr. Schmidt has no right to speak on behalf of the international community or to send any documents to the UN Security Council," Nebenzya said.
He stressed that "there exists a practice of hearing a rapporteur’s statement in his private capacity in order to decide if his participation will be required further on. We regard his participation here precisely in this capacity," Nebenzya added.
China’s ambassador to the UN, Dai Bing, supported Russia’s stance.
"In the light of the fact Mr. Schmidt’s appointment was not authorized by the UN Security Council we believe that he is unable to speak in the Council in the capacity of its High Representative," he said.
Schmidt’s statement followed the Russian and Chinese diplomats’ remarks.
On May 27, the ambassadors of the Peace Implementation Council’s Steering Board made a decision to appoint German diplomat Christian Schmidt as High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina. Traditionally the appointment followed coordination with the UN Security Council, which failed to give its consent. Russia, which is a PIC Steering Board member opposed this decision. A member of Bosnia-Herzegovina’s Presidency, President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik demanded that the office of the UN High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina be closed down. He described the appointment of a new High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina without the UN Security Council’s approval as a violation of the Dayton Agreement, international law and the Constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina.