(8 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTIONS SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Belgrade, Serbia – 08 June 2024
1. Arrival ceremony
2. Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska arrives, greeted by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic
3. Head of Serbian orthodox church arrives, Patriarch Porfirije, greeted by both leaders
4. Leaders walking pass ceremonial guards
5. Session of governments of Republika Srpska and Serbia
6. Dodik, Vucic and Patriarch
7. Session
8. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska:
"Declaration, in its essence, is a national document. It is giving us answers to a lot of our challenges. It gives us answers to issues of this moment, but also it gives us guidance to the future. Declaration we approve today will be adopted in parliaments of both Republika Srpska and Serbia. The declaration will be owned by everyone in our country, and we have to confirm this today."
9. Session
10. SOUNDBITE (Serbian) Aleksandar Vucic, President of Serbia:
"This is my plea to you (representatives of Republika Srpska). Serbia is always there for you, and Serbia is not going anywhere, but I’m pleading with you, as we don’t have secession mentioned in this declaration, I will not interfere, you make your own decisions, but I’m pleading with you to think about this a million times – we all here need peace."
11. Session ends, announcement on adoption, everyone applauds
STORYLINE:
The governments of Serbia and the Bosnian Serb semi-autonomous region of Bosnia, Republika Srpska, adopted a declaration on Saturday on the protection of the national and political rights and the joint future of the Serb people.
The declaration in Belgrade was intended to show Serb unity amid threats made by Bosnian Serb pro-Russian leader Milorad Dodik on the possible secession from the state of Bosnia.
Dodik met two days ago with Russian President Vladimir Putin and flew straight back to Belgrade, where he joined Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic at the declaration ceremony.
Although the declaration itself does not mention Republika Srpska’s secession from Bosnia, it acknowledges the support that Serbia would provide to Bosnian Serbs if that decision was made.
Despite the support, Vucic pleaded with the leadership of the Republika Srpska to think about secession "a million times because we all need peace."
He was referring to the fears many have in the region that a decision by the Bosnian Serbs to secede from Bosnia would directly lead to a new conflict in the Balkans.
Peace in Bosnia was established after nearly four years of bloody conflict in the 1990s, when the US brokered an agreement in Dayton, Ohio, which led to the end of hostilities.
Analysts believe that any decision which may break the Dayton peace agreement would invoke a new conflict in Bosnia.
AP video by Vojislav Stjepanovic
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/f0adcd3f13104d8796c4e38dae44076b
