The British government strongly supports the work of the international community's High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, UK Minister for Europe Leo Docherty told High Representative Christian Schmidt during his official visit to Sarajevo.

British Ambassador in Sarajevo Julian Reilly said on Twitter that the UK’s support to the Office of the High Representative is unchangeable, and that the Docherty-Schmidt meeting focused on how the international community can support the reform process in Bosnia and Herzegovina and help with the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement.

Last week, the ambassadors of the Western member states of the Peace Implementation Council’s Steering Board issued a special statement confirming their governments’ unequivocal support for Schmidt and condemning the attacks on him.

A day earlier, Docherty also met with Bosnia’s new FM Elmedin Konakovic, who said that the UK “continues to support the security, stability, integrity, and prosperity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”

The UK minister stressed the fact he was the first minister to pay a visit to the country since the new Council of Minister was formed.

“The UK is helping deliver the territorial integrity and security its citizens deserve,” he tweeted.

During his visit, Docherty did not meet Chairwoman of  Bosnia’s tripartite Presidency and its Serb member Zeljka Cvijanovic or President of Republika Srpska entity Milorad Dodik, who are under the sanctions of the British government.

On 11 April 2022, the government in London barred them from entering the United Kingdom, saying they were responsible for threatening peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina by inciting Republika Srpska’s secession.