RUSSIA AND THE US SHOULD SUPPORT DECLARING THE BONN POWERS NULL AND VOID AND AFFIRM RIGHT OF PEOPLES TO SELF-DETERMINATION

WASHINGTON, AUGUST 7 /SRNA/ - The United States and Russia, as signatories to the Dayton Peace Agreement, should support declaring the illegitimate Bonn Powers null and void and affirming the right of the three constituent peoples in BiH to self-determination, according to Joseph Schmitz and Brian Kennedy of the prestigious American university Harvard.

In an article titled "BiH: Where Is the Interest of the American People?", they argue that a form of neo-colonial governance such as the one that exists in BiH is not appropriate for the modern era.

"The Bonn Powers of the High Representative from 1997 were never accepted by the signatories to the Dayton Agreement and represent the last remnant of colonialism in Europe," the study published in the academic journal Harvard Journal of Law and International Policy states.

The authors emphasise that the Bonn Powers are contrary to internationally recognised civil rights and the principle of peoples' self-determination, and that the United States and Russia, as two of the six signatories to the Dayton Peace Agreement, could consider becoming witnesses to a review of its fundamental principles.

The study notes that the "right of peoples to self-determination," under Article 1 of the UN Charter, is one of the fundamental principles for preserving international peace and security.

Taking into account Moscow's position, the authors referred to an article by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov published in the newspaper Politika in December last year, after the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement. In the article, Lavrov presented arguments regarding the illegitimacy of the High Representative acting as a legislative authority, stating that under the original Agreement, the role of that official was strictly limited to civil matters.

"There is no doubt that the urgent and unconditional closure of the OHR is the first step towards normalising the situation in BiH. In the 21st century, the existence of such a colonial mechanism in a sovereign UN member state is unimaginable. It is high time for the peoples of BiH to gain true sovereignty and independence and to decide for themselves on the future of their country," Lavrov wrote in an opinion piece published by Politika.

The authors recalled that, under the Dayton Peace Agreement, the High Representative was entrusted with limited tasks, such as coordinating the activities of civilian organisations and agencies.

"In Annex 10 of that agreement, the signatories agreed that the High Representative shall be the final authority in theatre regarding the interpretation of the Agreement on the civilian implementation of the peace settlement, as well as in overseeing the peace process, promoting human rights, facilitating the return of refugees and regulating free elections," the paper states.

The authors point out that the legislative function of the High Representative was declared unconstitutional on February 13 this year due to a direct violation of Annex 4 of the Dayton Agreement, which stipulates that all legislation in BiH must receive approval from the Parliamentary Assembly.