Ispis stranice Povratak na prethodnu stranicu PR OFFICE Smanjivanje slova Povećavanje slova

Sarajevo, December 2nd, 2009

Press Release

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sven Alkalaj's Activities during the First Day of the 17th OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sven Alkalaj headed the BiH delegation at the 17th Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Ministerial Council held on December 1st and December 2nd, 2009 in Athens, Greece. Greece is the current Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE. On the margins of the first day of this session, Minister Alkalaj held separate meetings with OSCE Secretary General Ambassador Marco Perrin de Brichambaut, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel Avigdor Lieberman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn, and Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Werner Hoyer.  

During these meetings, Minister Alkalaj informed his interlocutors about current political circumstances in BiH, reform processes aimed at bringing BiH closer to the European Union and NATO as one of BiH's foreign policy goals, and liberalization of the EU visa regime for BiH citizens. He recalled that BiH has submitted its application for NATO's MAP status and expressed the hope that the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels would bring a favorable decision on our application, outlining the arguments in favor of granting BiH NATO MAP status as soon as possible.     

During his meeting with OSCE Secretary General Brichambaut, Minister Alkalaj stressed that BiH remains committed to the principles and values of the OSCE. Both sides agreed they were pleased with past cooperation between BiH and the OSCE, particularly the OSCE's efforts in establishing a school system that would abolish „two schools under one roof“. Minister Alkalaj emphasized the extraordinary contribution of the OSCE Mission in BiH, adding that the Mission should continue and intensify its efforts in fields such as education, human rights protection, local self-government, security, and stability.

 

Minister Alkalaj and Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Lieberman spoke about further improving overall bilateral relations between the two countries and the need to continue intensified negotiations on concluding bilateral agreements between BiH and Israel that would represent a legal framework for further developing and improving bilateral cooperation. They showed particular interest in finalizing an economic and cultural cooperation agreement. The two Ministers also discussed multilateral cooperation between the two countries, particularly within the United Nations system. They exchanged views and information about current political circumstances in BiH and the Western Balkans as well as Israel and the Middle East.

 

During the meeting between Minister Alkalaj and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg Asselborn, the two concluded that bilateral relations between BiH and Luxembourg are good, friendly, and free of outstanding issues. They discussed modalities for further improving overall bilateral relations and, in this context, continued regulation of contractual relations. On this occasion, they particularly stressed the need to sign a Social Security Agreement. They also spoke about how to continue the countries' successful multilateral cooperation.  

The process of liberalizing the EU visa regime for BiH citizens as well as progress in BiH's implementation of Roadmap commitments and BiH's NATO MAP application were at the focus of the meeting between Minister Alkalaj and Germany's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoyer. Minister Alkalaj stated that BiH expects and hopes for the support of the friendly nation of Germany in the assessment of BiH's application at the upcoming NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brussels.