The Chairman of the BIH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, the BIH Presidency members Borislav Paravac and Dragan Covic, the Chairman of the BIH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic and the BIH Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mladen Ivanic, met today with the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin L. Powell
The Chairman of the BIH Presidency, Sulejman Tihic, the BIH Presidency members Borislav Paravac and Dragan Covic, the Chairman of the BIH Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic and the BIH Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mladen Ivanic, met today with the U.S. Secretary of State, Colin L. Powell.
The main issues of today’s meeting were the European Union taking over the SFOR mission, the BIH efforts to join European and Euro-Atlantic integrations and the cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.
During the talks the BIH officials informed the US Secretary of State, Mr. Powell, of the overall reforms progress within the efforts of BIH to join the European and Euro- Atlantic integrations. The need to help bringing to justice persons indicted for war crimes was stressed, given that it is the main condition for the BIH joining the NATO Partnership for Peace Program (PfP). The BIH officials also expressed their pleasure for the establishment of one HQ NATO in BIH to be led by an American general.
The BIH Presidency members expressed their gratitude for all the SFOR efforts in establishing the peace and stability, the reconstruction efforts and assistance in the return of refugees and displaced persons.
The US Secretary of State, Mr. Powell, pointed out that great progress was made in BIH and said that the USA would continue to assist the BIH efforts in joining the Euro-Atlantic integrations. He stressed that the change over of the SFOR mission to the EU shall not lessen the US assistance and support to the BIH authorities and peoples. The US Secretary of State pointed out that the USA shall continue with its strong presence in BIH through the NATO HQ that would, among other tasks, help the defense reforms and apprehension of persons indicted for war crimes. He also thanked the BIH authorities for sending a demining unit to the peacekeeping forces in Iraq.
The meeting highlighted the importance of creating a modern and self-sustained BIH economy, concluding that it was necessary to strengthen the economic cooperation between the two countries.