The United States wants a strong development of economy and democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on grounds of the Constitution and internal consensus of the three peoples and two entities, said Matthew Palmer, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of the State during the talks with Bosnia's Foreign Minister, Igor Crnadak, in Dubrovnik on Saturday.

Palmer reiterated the strong support to the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), a document which ended the 1992-95 armed conflict in Bosnia, as well as to the country's integration into the European Union and the process of reforms.

The US official dismissed allegations of a hostile stance of his country towards Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity, Republika Srpska (RS), noting that Washington respects the RS, its role and the constitutional capacity within Bosnia.

Bosnia's membership in the European Union and regional cooperation remain the country's foreign policy priority goals, according to Foreign Minister Crnadak, who added that the development of the relations with the US is equally important.

“As a representative of the RS in the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, I believe that the RS can be completely calm with such stance of the American administration with President Donald Trump at the helm,” Crnadak said.

“It matters a lot to me that the relations between the RS and the USA are open and friendly, and that the RS, as a part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is an important factor of permanent peace and long-term stability in the region, the minister added.

This was the first meeting of the two officials after Palmer assumed the office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the USA.

They met on the sidelines of the Dubrovnik Forum, taking place this weekend. This year's forum is dedicated to the subject of “Strengthening resilience – The Mediterranean, Europe and the Western Balkans” focusing on the issues of migration, terrorism, climate change and related topics.