UNITED STATES THREATENES ACTION AGAINST SERBIANS LIVING IN BOSNIA OVER POLITICAL BOYCOTT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 28,2007) - The United States threatened action against the Serbians living in Bosnia who have threatened to quit Bosnia's state government in protest at moves to streamline decision-making.

"Continuing down this path of confrontation will bring a swift and strong reaction from the United States," the U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia Charles English stated.

"It is their obligation to back away from an avoidable confrontation. We will view a decision to walk out of the Bosnian state institutions as unnecessary provocation," the U.S. Ambassador added.

The new dispute in Bosnia has erupted over measures proposed by the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia, Miroslav Lajcak, to stop political representatives of the Serbians living in Bosnia blocking new laws by making it easier to pass decisions.

The political representatives of the Serbians living in Bosnia have threatened to resign en masse from the central assembly, blocking the Bosnian Government, unless the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak backs down from the reforms.

The U.S. Ambassador to Bosnia Charles English supported the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak's measures and said that "a confrontation with the High Representative is a confrontation with the United States."

Under Lajcak's proposals to avoid obstruction through absenteeism, the Bosnian Government would be able to hold sessions in the presence of six ministers and operate with a simple majority.

The changes would allow the Bosnian authorities to submit motions to the Bosnian Parliament without any participation of the politicial representatives of the Serbians living in Bosnia who are constantly blocking Bosnia's progress towards European integration by opposing the strengthening of the functionality of the Bosnian state.