ITALY SUPPORTS BOSNIA ON ITS WAY TO EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATIONS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (November 22,2007) - The Bosnian Foreign Affairs Minister Sven Alkalaj thanked the Italian Secretary of State Famiano Crucianelli for for help Italy has provided at the donor conferences for reconstruction of Bosnia, as well as for participation of the Italian troops at the peace operations in Bosnia.

Alkalaj stated at the meeting with Crucianelli held in the bosnian capital Sarajevo that his visit to Bosnia has come at the time when Bosnia has been going through a political crisis.Alkalaj hopes, as stated, that the crisis will be overcome soon in order to create the conditions for Bosnia to initial the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union (SAA) by the end of the year.

Commenting the regional cooperation and initiatives, the Bosnian Foreign Affairs Minister Sven Alkalaj emphasized the importance of reactivation of Adriatic – Ionic Initiative, which is of significant importance for Bosnia.

Alkalaj and Crucianelli agreed that the relationship between Bosnia and Italy is good in all sectors. That is also confirmed by the recent meetings at the high and highest state level in Rome and at the UN General Assembly in New York.

Alkalaj stated that Italy is one of the most important Bosnia's partners in trade and tht there is enough of space for advancement of economic cooperation.

In that context he mentioned the need of initiating the procedure for signing of bilateral agreements between Bosnia ans Italy , like the agreement on foreign investments’ protection, on double taxation avoidance, on economic and trade cooperation… He also emphasized the need of cooperation in the sector of fight against the organized crime as well as cooperation between the two countries’ parliaments.

Crucianelli started that Italy fully supports Bosnia on its way to Euro-Atlantic integrations..

In that sense, he emphasized that the Mostar Declaration on continuation of the police reform talks is good, but that additional efforts should be made to create the conditions for signing of the SAA between Bosnia and the European Union.

He emphasized that Italy is interested in the region’s stability. A proof of that are Italian troops stationed in Bosnia and Kosovo.

He said that he supports the regional initiatives as well as the cooperation in fight against the organized crime.

The two officials also talked about the situation in the region and about the Kosovo issue. Alkalaj emphasized that Bosnia is supportive of any kind of solution which is a result of agreement between Serbia and Kosovo.