Distinguished Heads of State and Government,

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

It is a great pleasure to participate today at this Summit of the Heads of State and Government of the South-East European Cooperation Process. First of all, let me be allowed to express my sincere gratitude to our host – Romania and personally to H.E. Traian Basescu, the President of Romania for a warm welcome and extraordinary organized event of the Eight Summit of the South-East European Cooperation Process. 

Mr. Chairman, 

Today′s Agenda is addressing the issues of the great importance for the general situation and the future of our countries in the region. Therefore this is yet another occasion to continue our practice of open exchange of our views and prospects regarding activities focused on further development of good neighboring relationship and the region as a whole.  

Speaking in terms of the South-East Europe we must always keep in mind the challenges we may be facing on our road. Positive trends within the region have led to the stability and security that until recently had been the key issues in all negotiations on the South-East Europe have finally been replaced with the issues of development and European integration of our countries. With a sincere pleasure I can say that our daily experiences have confirmed a good will of our countries in the region to strengthen the good neighboring relationships, stability and cooperation. Dialogue and understanding have no alternative thus representing the only way to discussing the issues of mutual interests.  

Nevertheless, the encouragement to the all regional efforts lies in the perspective of European integration. The countries of the region can be recognized for their continuous democratic reforms aimed to meet European standards. I believe we will all agree with the evaluation that there has been a true progress in the very context. Our countries are now much closer to Europe than they were just a year ago.  

On this occasion I would like to emphasize that rapid European integration of our countries implies stable, democratic and progressive South-East Europe. Keeping in mind that these processes are very complex and ever-lasting, we need joint efforts and efficient cooperation in order to achieve the initiated activities. Permanent strengthening of bilateral relationships has a very important role to be a pillar for all regional efforts, mutual communication, intensive and friendly in all areas of mutual interests. It is a basic precondition for accomplishing many goals.  

Dear Friends,  

We have a specific task, and that is to promote the progress of our countries in the region based on solidarity and mutual affirmation. We, in Bosnia and Herzegovina are truly satisfied with the ways in which the process of cooperation in South-East Europe is being developed and getting larger importance. In that regard it is very important to keep a mature political dialogue that we held in SEECP on the occasion of negotiating many delicate issues. No less important is how to extend our cooperation and addressing the points of specific importance for all participating countries in the process. Allow me to express my sincere congratulations to our hosts for their very successful chairmanship during the last year. We have a high regard for valuable progress achieved in the implementation of the Charter on good neighboring relationships, further improvement of the SEECP and introducing diverse joint activities. New approach to the issues of  permanent importance made it possible for us to transfer political support into operational one. There has been visible progress in the countries of the region in the fields of joint actions against organized crime and corruption, creation of energy supply community of South-East Europe, development of parliamentary dimension of SEECP, as well as the defense issue regarding conversion of military capacities. We would especially like to single out Regional MARRI Forum as practical reflection of our good will to, within the framework of the SEECP, reinforce such an important dimension of the ownership over the Process of regional cooperation.  

Dear Friends,  

At this moment I believe that certain issues deserve to be specially emphasized: 

When we speak about the situation in the region, we must emphasize that solution for the status of Kosovo is still a very sensitive issue. Bosnia and Herzegovina is interested for further stabilization of conditions and relations in the region. Permanent solution for the issue of Kosovo can only be reached through negotiations and it must meet the requirements of all included parties. In that sense we would like to remind you to the principles of regional cooperation contained in the Bucharest Charter: firm determination to transfer the region into areas of peace, security, stability and cooperation; fully abiding by the territorial integrity and sovereignity of all the countres in the region; development of peaceful and good neighboring relations in the region through reconciliation, respecting inviolability of the existing international borders, and peaceful resolving of all disputes, all in accordance with the international law. In this context, we, the participating countries in SEECP need to avoid misunderstanding especially when it comes to the issues that no country can resolve on its own.  

Regarding our joint fight against organized crime, we are very encouraged with the initial results achieved in the joint campaign of the SEECP countries. However, in the context of providing stronger regional response to this evil which has a regional character it is also necessary to emphasize the role of the Bucharest SECI Center. We believe that the SECI Center has fully justified its existence and therefore we fully support the change of its legal status in order to make it possible for the Center to cooperate with European institutions such as EUROPOL and EUROJUST.  Thus we would enter a new phase with stronger operational capacity, and therefore the contribution of the Center in the joint fight against the organized crime in the South-East Europe would be more capable.  

Dear Friends, 

Bosnia and Herzegovina has made a noticeable progress in many fields. Great efforts have been invested to speed up a process of reforms. It is in our direct interest to as soon as possible start negotiations with the European Union in order to conclude the Agreement on Stabilization and Association. There is no doubt that such a status of the country would give greater encouragement to legal and institutional adjustments on our road towards EU.  

We believe that further progress of BiH into the European integration will be of use to the region as a whole in the same way as it is the case with the other countries in the region.  

Bosnia and Herzegovina is committed to, through active participation, contribute to strengthening of cooperation within the SEECP framework. Therefore, in the end I would like to express my sincere hope that the results of the today’s Summit, listed in the Conclusions of the Bucharest Declaration that we are adopting today will provide furter progress towards more efficient and more valuated process of cooperation in the South-East Europe. At the same time, I hope that the following Chairmanship of Greece will be marked by advancement of this process. 

Thank you!