The Interior Minister of Bosnia's Serb-dominated part, Republika Srpska (RS), asked on Thursday Bosnia's Security Minister to vote against Kosovo joining the international police organisation, Interpol.

Government officials in Bosnia's RS semi-autonomous entity are, in line with neighbouring Serbia, opposed to recognising Kosovo as an independent state. That is why Bosnia never officially recognised Kosovo.

RS Interior Minister, Dragan Lukac, wrote a letter to Security Minister, Dragan Mektic, which said that any voting in favour or abstaining from voting on the matter at the upcoming meeting of the Interpol General Assembly represents a grave breach of international law and would place Bosnia “among the countries who support the so-called independence of self-declared Kosovo.”

Lukac added that this would negatively affect the relations between Bosnia and Serbia, which is not in the interest of the country, an RS Interior Ministry press release said.

The three-day Interpol meeting will begin in Dubai on November 19.