BOSNIAN PRESIDENT ZELJKO KOMSIC MET WITH ITALIAN PRESIDENT GIORGI NAPOLITANO

ROME, Italy (October 26,2007) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic and Italian President Giorgi Napolitano had a meeting in Rome which focused on bilateral cooperation, situation in the region and the EU-related policy.

They agreed that the meeting happened in the best moment possible. The meeting is a sign of dynamic contacts between the two countries. President Komsic invited the Italian President to visit Bosnia and contribute the improvement of dialogue between the two neighboring countries.

President Komsic once again thanked Italy for all the help the country has offered to Bosnia. He expressed pleasure over the successful cooperation, both political and economical.

He informed the Italian President on Bosnia’s view of situation in the region, especially in the sense of the complex situation caused by the Kosovo status issue. The Bosnian President once again emphasized Bosnia’s attitude related to the Kosovo issue and added some elements that have placed an accent to the problem of separating the issue of Kosovo from the political situation in Bosnia. President Komsic added that Bosnia is interested in having Serbia as a good and stabile neighbor, regardless of the final Kosovo solution.

Commenting the political situation in Bosnia, he emphasized that the non-adoption of police reform and measures recently announced by the International Community's High Representative Miroslav Lajcak, Bosnia has been put in a complex situation which can cause instability.

President Komsic expressed his personal attitude and expressed understanding for the actions taken by the High Representative Miroslav Lajcak, for he is of the opinion that the Lajcak’s moves are aimed to help Bosnia’s EU future. He emphasized that a lot more tolerance is needed for the purpose of solving the complex issues of today and emohasized that agreement and consensus are something all politicians should strive for.

The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic emphasized that there are certain instability elements that have arisen in Bosnia in the past few days. In that sense, President Komsic said that all the domestic factors and PIC members should engage fully in order to make the political situation better.

The Italian President Napolitano agreed with President Komsic’s view of the situation in the Balkans. He emphasized that EU cannot be stabile and safe unless a fluid situation is achieved at the border countries. He added that the time of decising on the Kosovo future is approaching. In that sense, the Italian President stated that any kind of delay causes instability in the region.

He said that Bosnia has made a serious progress in development after Dayton and that the country’s stability should be maintained in order that the multiethnic country becomes one of the models of joint living the EU itself is striving for. He added that no mono-ethnic society is possible in the region.

The Italian President stated that Italy sees Bosnia as a member of the EU and NATO and that the policy of his country is that all its neighbors are joined together in the Euro-Atlantic structures. All the obstacles on this way need to be removed patiently. In that sense, Italy will keep playing an important role in the efforts of the International Community, Napolitano said.

The two high officials elaborated some other issues, including the EU policy priorities in the present stage of development.The Italian President Giorgi Napolitano said that he will meet the Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic with pleasure again.

The closest associates of the Italian President attended the meting, as well as the Bosnian Ambassador to Italy and the Bosnian Presidency’s foreign affairs’ policy advisors, Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic’s Cabinet announced.