The US expects Schmidt to leave office in June and his successor to be chosen by the end of the month.

The US State Department expects the current High Representative, Christian Schmidt, to leave the position in June and for a new High International Representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to be appointed by the end of the month.

"As stated in his address to the United Nations (UN) Security Council, we expect Christian Schmidt to leave the post of High Representative in June. We expect the new High Representative to be in office by the end of June," a State Department spokesperson told the Sarajevo-based portal Raport.

Responding to questions about whether there has been progress in negotiations between the United States (US) and its European partners, following the unsuccessful attempt to elect a new High Representative in early June, and whether Washington still insists on the selection of Italian diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi, the State Department did not directly answer.

They again paid tribute to Schmidt for his five years of service in BiH, recalling that the public expected a new High Representative to be elected at the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) meeting held on June 3 and 4 in Sarajevo to "ensure the stability of BiH."

"The US delegation sought to achieve consensus on a shared vision and a highly qualified Italian candidate. The US notes that a European consensus on a European candidate has not been reached and expresses disappointment that these divisions have prevented the PIC from fulfilling its mandate and selecting a new High Representative," a State Department spokesperson said.

Christian Schmidt resigned from the position of High Representative in May, and according to BiH media reports, he did so under pressure from the US administration, which demanded that he urgently resolve the issue of state property due to the Southern Gas Interconnection project, which is to be implemented by an American company, whose key people are close to US President Donald Trump.

It was expected that the new High Representative would be elected at the PIC Steering Board meeting held on June 3rd and 4th in Sarajevo, but the hours-long negotiations ended without an agreement.

Italy, with strong American support, nominated diplomat Antonio Zanardi Landi, while France, Germany and the United Kingdom supported French diplomat Rene Trocaz.

An appeal to Europeans regarding the election of a new High Representative in BiH was made yesterday by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, stating that "Europe must unite around a candidate for the next High Representative who will put BiH first."

She pointed out that "if Europe does not take greater responsibility in its own neighborhood, someone else will."