IRISH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER DERMOT AHERN VISITED BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 8,2007) – The Bosnian Foreign Affairs Minister Sven Alkalaj met in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo with Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern. They talked about the possibilities of promotion of bilatreral relations between the two countries.

Alkalaj and Ahern also talked about the economic cooperation and initiation of the interstate agreements. They exchanged opinions about cooperation with the international institutions.

The Bosnian Foreign Affairs MinisteR Sven Alkalaj stated after the meeting that Bosnia is grateful to Ireland for all the help the country has provided, especially at the donor conferences.

The two ministers talked about the current political situation in Bosnia and reform processes.

The Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern emphasized the necessity of solving the police reform issues in Bosnia, which is the main precondition for signing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Bosnia and the European Union.Ahern also offered help in this sector.

Following the meeting the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister said lessons could be learned from the experience of Northern Ireland.

"I indicated that my department and officials from the Department of Justice were more than willing to give their view on police reform based on the work in the north," Ahern said.

Four Irish officers are currently seconded to police in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. Their roles include monitoring investigations and mentoring detectives, tackling organised crime and teaching modern investigative techniques.

Bosnia has 13 police forces controlling local areas and enforcing different aspects of the law.

The Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern also attended a wreath laying ceremony at the Memorial to thousands of innocent Bosnian civilians mass murdered by the genocidal Serbian aggressor in July 1995 in the eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica.

It was the worst atrocity carried out on European soil since the Second World War.