NATO chief commits to Bosnia's territorial integrity and condemns 'malign' Russian influence

NATO supports Bosnia's territorial integrity and is acrophobic by “malign overseas interference,” including by Russia, successful the volatile Balkans portion that went done a devastating warfare successful the 1990s, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday.

Sarajevo was the archetypal halt connected Stoltenberg's circuit of Western Balkan countries which besides included Kosovo connected Monday. He visits Serbia and North Macedonia aboriginal this week.

“The Allies powerfully enactment the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina,” Stoltenberg told reporters. “We are acrophobic by the secessionist and divisive rhetoric arsenic good arsenic malign overseas interference, including Russia."

There are wide fears that Russia is trying to destabilise Bosnia and the remainder of the portion and displacement astatine slightest immoderate satellite attraction from its penetration of Ukraine.

Moscow is openly supporting the secessionist, pro-Russian Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik, who has repeatedly called for the breakup of the state and joining the Serb-controlled fractional of Bosnia with neighbouring Serbia.

“This threatens to undermine stableness and hampers reform,” Stoltenberg said. “All governmental leaders indispensable enactment to sphere unity, physique nationalist institutions and execute reconciliation. This is important for the stableness and the information of the country.”

NATO played a large relation successful ending the 1992-95 Bosnian warfare and implementing a US-sponsored bid program that divided the state astir into 2 highly autonomous regions, 1 controlled by the Bosnian Serbs and the different by Bosniaks, who are mostly Muslims, and Bosnian Croats.

“NATO has been committed to Bosnia-Herzegovina for years,” Stoltenberg said. “Your information matters for the Western Balkans portion and it matters for Europe.”

The Bosnian Serb enactment has for years been blocking Sarajevo's exertion for NATO membership, which Russia besides opposes.

Stoltenberg said that should end.

“Every state has the close to take its ain information arrangements without overseas interference,” helium said.

Later Monday, Stoltenberg visited Kosovo, the erstwhile Serbian state that has been recognised arsenic an autarkic authorities by the US and astir of the West, but not by Serbia and its allies Russia and China.

Stoltenberg said NATO volition see deploying further peacekeeping troops successful Kosovo to guarantee that the simmering tensions betwixt the Kosovo Serb number and taste Albanian bulk bash not spiral retired of power and make "some convulsive struggle successful Kosovo oregon successful the wider region.”

The NATO-led peacekeeping ngo successful Kosovo, successful cognition since the 1999 warfare betwixt Serbian authorities troops and Kosovo Albanian separatists, presently has implicit 4,500 troops from 27 countries.