Commenting on Washington's plans to pull out the largest part of the U.S contingent from Bosnia until the end of this year, the diplomat said in a interview with Bosnia's daily 'Dnevni Avaz' on Saturday that this decision was primarily the result of the improvement of the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The United States is not leaving Bosnia-Herzegovina in any way. We shall not leave you to the Europeans, the American ambassador said.
The U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo has earlier announced that a contingent with several hundred U.S. troops, located in Tuzla, will be withdrawn from Bosnia-Herzegovina until the end of this year. The base will be managed by local authorities.
According to McElhaney, the best proof to corroborate statements about the further American interest in Bosnia-Herzegovina is the fact that the United States is building a huge embassy in downtown Sarajevo. The American military engagement will continue through NATO command in Bosnia.
The diplomat recalled that his country had so far invested billions of dollars in Bosnia with the aim of integrating it with the rest of the Western world.