Bosnia's Peace Envoy Christian Schmidt Reported to Resign After Five Years
Christian Schmidt's Tenure and Resignation as Bosnia's High Representative
Background on Christian Schmidt's Appointment
BELGRADE, May 10 (Reuters) - German politician Christian Schmidt will resign as Bosnia's international high representative, the Sarajevo-based Oslobodjenje daily reported late on Sunday, citing sources.
Schmidt, a former German government minister and a member of Germany's Christian Social Union, has served nearly five years in the role, which is charged with implementing the Dayton Agreement that ended the Bosnian war three decades ago. He also serves as the final interpreter of the Bosnian constitution.
Official Response and Current Activities
The Office of the High Representative did not respond to messages on the weekend seeking comment on the matter.
Schmidt is in New York where he is expected to present his report on Bosnia, a European Union membership candidate, to the United Nations, the daily said. It added that he was resigning for personal reasons.
The Dayton Agreement and Bosnia's Political Structure
The United States-brokered Dayton peace deal, which ended the three-and-a-half-year Bosnian war in 1995, left the Balkan country divided into the Serb Republic and the Bosniak-Croat Federation, which are linked by a weak central government.
Controversies During Schmidt's Tenure
Schmidt was frequently at odds with Bosnian Serbs, who did not recognise his appointment because it was not endorsed by the United Nations Security Council.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
