RS President willing to meet with new US Ambassador

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The President of Bosnia’s Serb-dominated part, who has been at odds with the outgoing US Ambassador in the country, told reporters on Sunday that should the new US Ambassador coming to Bosnia be wishing to meet with him, he is willing to meet in a respectful setting.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that he intends to nominate Eric George Nelson as “Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Bosnia and Herzegovina,” a White House press release said.

Nelson is to replace Maureen Cormack, who Dodik has heavily criticised and accused of Bosniak bias throughout her mandate.

Dodik also said he will invite Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the opening of a Serb-Russian cultural centre in Banja Luka once the construction of it is finished, saying that he believes “he will find enough reasons to come.”

The construction of the centre has still not begun, and according to Dodik, the first cornerstone should be placed by Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov on September 17.

US officials have been avoiding meeting with Dodikbecause they view him as someone who is obstructing Bosnia's development and its path toward EU and NATO membership.