The visit of Russia’s Foreign Minister to Bosnia and Herzegovina was very successful and it reaffirmed friendly relations with Russia, Bosnia’s Foreign Minister, Igor Crnadak said on Sunday.

“The most important messages we heard were that Russia strongly supports the Dayton Agreement and that things in Bosnia and Herzegovina can change only in an agreement of its two entities and three peoples, and I am convinced these messages are acceptable for everyone in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Crnadak said.

Russia’s Lavrov paid an official visit to Bosnia on Friday where he held a series of meetings with senior state officials and representatives of Republika Srpska (RS), Bosnia’s Serb-dominated entity. He first met with Bosnian Presidency members and Foreign Affairs Minister and then proceeded to the city of Banja Luka, the seat of RS institutions, where he met Bosnian Serb leader and attended a ceremony of the laying of a cornerstone for a church in that city.

On several occasions during the day, Lavrov reiterated Russia’s support to Bosnia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while emphasising that any change in the country must be carried out in agreement of Bosnia’s three constituent peoples and two semi-autonomous entities. He also reiterated Russia’s strong support to the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), a document which had ended the 1992-95 Bosnian war.

“It is very important that Minister Lavrov visited RS and that he clearly said Russia would not interfere with (Bosnia’s) election, and that he had no favourites among the parties and individuals in RS or Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Crnadak stressed.