President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic said he would talk to new international envoy in Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt and denied that he was under pressure to do that.

Vucic said he would talk to Schmidt but with the full understanding of Republika Srpska, Bosnia's Serb-majority region whose leadership does not recognise this foreign official.

On August 2, Schmidt was officially appointed the High Representative in BiH, the post originally introduced in 1995 to oversee the peace process in the country following the 1992-95 war. He replaced Austrian diplomat Valentin Inzko, who prior to the end of his term introduced law amendments banning the genocide denial, which sparked fury among the Bosnian Serb leadership and resulted in complaints before the Prosecutor's Office against some politicians.

To date, political leadership in Bosnia's Serb-majority region has not recognised that the mass killing in the eastern town of Srebrenica was an act of genocide, despite two international court rulings.

Speaking to Happy TV, Vucic said he would tell Schmidt that he entirely objects the use of Bonn powers, the special powers Schmidt has as the High Representative in BiH, which allow him among other things to impose laws and dismiss officials.

Serbian President said he understands both Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite Presidency, and Republika Srpska, as well as Schmidt and their positions, but that Serbia has to have its own position too.

Asked if he was pressured to talk with Schmidt, Vucic aid there was no pressure and that he had already talked to the German diplomat.

Schmidt is an intelligent man, Vucic said and expressed hope he would “be more tactical and willing to hear the Serb side, especially Republika Srpska.”

“Serbia respects BiH but will never agree on the prosecution of Dodik,” added Vucic.