BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ZELJKO KOMSIC ENDS HIS VISIT TO UNITED STATES

ST.LOUIS, United States (September 5,2007) – On the last day of his visit to the United States, Bosnian President Željko Komšić met in St.Louis with US Senator Russ Carnahan, who is also a member of the US Congress Foreign Policy Committee.

During the meeting, Congressman Carnahan emphasized the importance of urgent reform implementation in Bosnia, especially police reform, which is the principal condition for Bosnia’s integration in EU.

This meeting was a follow-up of the successful cooperation established during the recent visit of the US Congress members to Sarajevo.

At the end of the meeting, they stressed out the need to intensify that kind of cooperation which is in the interest of Bosnia and the United States, but especially in the interest of Bosnian citizens that live and work in USA.

After the meeting, in the presence of congressional representatives, senators and the St. Louis Mayor, before several thousands of people, Chairman Komšić opened the IV. Bosnian Festival, traditionally held in St. Louis.

On that occasion,US Senator Harry Kennedy, as an outstanding recognition, has presented Komšić with a Senate charter and a flag of the State of Missouri.

President Komšić performed a kickoff at the football game, which was being held within the festival, within the tournament, in which participate the Bosnian-American teams from the entire United States.

On that occasion, the tournament organizers and players awarded Komšić a jersey with his name on it and an ordinal number 10.

President Komšić also visited the construction site of the new mosque in St. Louis, which is being built by American citizens of Bosnian origin.

On the third day of his visit to St. Louis,Komšić visited the St. Josip parish and the branch office of the Croatian Cultural Society “Napredak” in St. Louis.

In an open and cordial atmosphere,President Komšić talked with the American citizens of Croatian origin about a larger number of issues related to the current and the future position of the Croatian people in Bosnia.

At the end of the day, a meeting was organized with the representatives of several associations that gather the American citizens of Bosnian,Croatian and Serbian origin.In a long conversation,President Komšić answered questions of the present and informed them about the current situation and possible developments in Bosnia.

Komšić also met with representatives of the North American Bosniak Congress, who informed him about the plans and activities of that organization, all aiming to obtain the most efficient influence and engagement possible to help Bosnia.

The participants of the meeting agreed about the necessity for a more intensive engagement of the Bosnian state in solving problems related to communication and the overall relation with the Bosnian Diaspora.