Bosnia: Serb head vouches for embassy move to Jerusalem

BELGRADE, Serbia

The Serb member of Bosnia and Herzegovina's tripartite presidency said Monday he wants to move the embassy in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"Why wouldn't we do that if we care about American support and goodwill? I will tell Palmer when I see him on Wednesday that I consider it very important to move the embassy if the president of the United States already insists on it," Milorad Dodik said.

Matthew Palmer, deputy assistant secretary of state, is set to arrive in the country on Wednesday.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has a three-member rotating chairmanship for its Presidential Council consisting of Serb, Croat and Bosniak members.

At least two-thirds of the majority is needed for the country to make changes.

Last week, Serbian and Kosovar leaders met in a US-sponsored two-day dialogue in Washington where they reached a historic milestone -- agreeing to normalize economic ties.

Serbia and Kosovo signed separate agreements with the US in which Serbia agreed to move its embassy to Jerusalem. Kosovo and Israel agreed to normalize relations and establish diplomatic ties.

Serbia also agreed to open a commercial office in Jerusalem in September.

Last month, UAE signed a US-brokered deal to restore diplomatic ties with Israel, becoming the first Gulf state to do so.

In 2017, President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved the US embassy there, reversing seven decades of American foreign policy.