Bosnia’s international peace oversight body failed on Thursday to reach agreement on a successor to Germany’s Christian Schmidt, who unexpectedly stepped down last month, claiming he had come under pressure from the United States.
Talks on the appointment will continue, according to Schmidt, who resigned in May from the Office of the High Representative (OHR), the institution responsible for overseeing implementation of the U.S.-brokered Dayton Peace Agreement that brought an end to the Bosnian conflict in 1995.
“These consultations will continue,” Schmidt said in a video message in his capacity as chair of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), the body responsible for nominating the High Representative. “All participants are looking forward to agreeing on a consensus candidate in the coming days, with the aim of completing the transition by the end of June.”
The PIC Steering Board comprises representatives from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union. Russia has suspended its participation in the group.
The U.S. State Department, which has recently stated that the “U.S.-led nation-building era has passed” and has argued for a more limited mandate for the position, has backed veteran Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi for the role.
Speaking before Congress on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Washington’s support for Landi, describing him as “an Italian gentleman” capable of providing stability to the office.
However, despite reports that Landi travelled to Sarajevo on Thursday to attend the meeting, member states failed to reach a consensus on his appointment.
Many diplomats and political analysts maintain that the Office of the High Representative should remain in place while Bosnian Serb and Croat separatist forces continue to obstruct the functioning of state institutions, posing a threat to the country’s territorial integrity, stability and economic development.
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The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that would provide new aid to Ukraine and impose additional sanctions on Russia, marking the latest instance of Republican lawmakers breaking ranks with President Donald Trump and party leaders.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire proposal and Israel has ruled out a troop withdrawal.
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire after U.S.-backed talks in Washington. The deal requires Hezbollah to halt attacks and withdraw from southern Lebanon, while both sides will resume direct talks later this month aimed at reaching a broader agreement.
A series of signals from Washington, including congressional testimony, a U.S. Embassy statement and a senior diplomat's visit to Tbilisi, has given Georgia's ruling party reason to declare a diplomatic reset. But Washington's message is more nuanced than Tbilisi is suggesting.
Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought heavy rain, power cuts and transport disruption across Japan on Wednesday (3 June) as it tracked towards the greater Tokyo region.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Albania in recent days to protest against a luxury tourism project linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump, and his wife Ivanka Trump.
Armenia’s parliamentary election comes at a defining moment for the South Caucasus, a region reshaped by the Garabagh conflict and broader shifts in Russia-West relations. The outcome is increasingly seen as a signal of Armenia’s future foreign policy direction and the regional balance of power.
Global weather forecasters predict a strong El Niño will develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hotter, drier conditions to much of Asia while increasing rainfall in parts of North and South America.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said in a statement that its Aerospace Force did not strike the Kuwait Airport passenger terminal on Wednesday, and that the destruction was instead caused by a failed U.S. Patriot missile.
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that would provide new aid to Ukraine and impose additional sanctions on Russia, marking the latest instance of Republican lawmakers breaking ranks with President Donald Trump and party leaders.
China has criticised planned maritime boundary discussions between Japan and the Philippines, arguing that the waters involved fall within an area where Beijing claims maritime rights and jurisdiction.
U.S. President Donald Trump will attend next month's NATO leaders' summit in Türkiye, ending weeks of uncertainty over whether he would take part in a gathering expected to focus on the future of the alliance.
All 27 European Union (EU) member countries have agreed to begin the first set of talks with Ukraine and Moldova about joining the political and economic bloc.
Germany's foreign minister Johann Wadephul has suggested that Berlin's strong backing of Ukraine and its close ties with Israel may have contributed to its failure to secure a seat on the United Nations Security Council.
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