CIA Director William Burns was in Sarajevo on August 20 to discuss the "troubling separatist rhetoric and actions" of the pro-Russian president and the government of the Serbian entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a US government official told RFE/RL.
Burns, who arrived from a diplomatic mission to Israel as part of US efforts to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza, held meetings at the Bosnian presidency with colleagues in the intelligence community, members of the presidency and the secretary of state, the US official said.
"They discussed matters of mutual interest, which include the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina," according to the official, who asked not to be named.
Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian president of the Bosnian Serb entity, has caused concern among Bosnia's Western allies because of his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In February, after a meeting with Putin in the Russian republic of Tatarstan, Dodik confirmed that Republika Srpska would not join Western sanctions against Moscow over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Dodik's statements have been one of the main stumbling blocks in Bosnia's progress towards EU membership since it became a candidate for membership in 2022.
The head of Bosnia's Intelligence and Security Agency, Almir Dzuvo, confirmed that Burns was in Sarajevo. During his meeting with Dzuvo, Burns "expressed his support for cooperation between US and Bosnian intelligence services," the Bosnian intelligence chief said.
Bosnia's head of diplomacy, Elmedin Konakovic, who also met with Burns, said Bosnia "reaffirmed its full support for Bosnia's territorial integrity and sovereignty and condemnation of separatist messages and movements."
Konaković said that while he could not comment on some parts of the discussion, a universal message was sent that the US administration is "very clear that it is a partner in the foreign policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina."
Margarita Asenova, a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation in Washington, said Serbia had been fomenting trouble in Bosnia for some time and it had become "more visible and more dangerous."
Burns' visit is a "very good message" to Serbia that the United States will not tolerate its actions, Asenova said.
The problems in the Balkans would work to the Kremlin's advantage as they could divert the attention of the US and Europe from Russia's war in Ukraine, she added, noting that President Joe Biden has played an active role in US foreign policy towards the Balkans, while served in the Senate and served on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
The last CIA director to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina was John Brennan in 2016 | BGNES
