SARAJEVO, July 1, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A senior US diplomat was Tuesday appointed as Bosnia's acting high representative charged with keeping peace until a permanent successor to Germany's Christian Schmidt is chosen.

US and European officials failed for a second time this month to name the new international envoy tasked with overseeing the civilian aspects of a peace deal that ended Bosnia's inter-ethnic war in the 1990s.

European countries, Russia and the US have disagreed in recent years over the power held by the high representative, who is appointed by the steering board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) tasked with overseeing the Dayton peace accords.

German diplomat Schmidt resigned in May in what he labelled a surprise departure citing "huge and unexpected" pressure from Washington.

A board tasked with naming the new envoy said current principal deputy High Representative Louis J. Crishock would hold the post until a permanent representative is named.

The board is "committed to reaching agreement on the selection of a new High Representative as soon as possible, with the goal of completing the appointment no later than July 14", it said.

Crishock, who is also supervisor for the northeastern district of Brcko, is to take up his duties on Wednesday upon which Schmidt's resignation will become effective.

Schmidt's use of the high representative's sweeping powers, including the ability to impose laws or dismiss elected officials, drew him into conflict with Bosnian Serb leader and Moscow ally Milorad Dodik.

The US supports maintaining the post but wants the next high representative to hand over the reins of power to Bosnian institutions.

In May, Russia called for the immediate closure of the office during a UN Security Council meeting.

Within Bosnia, Serb and Croat leaders have called for the post to be abolished or at least for its powers to be reduced.

Two names have been put forward as potential successors to Schmidt -- Italian diplomat and US preferred candidate Antonio Zanardi Landi, and French diplomat Rene Troccaz, supported by the United Kingdom and Germany.