ISTANBUL, Turkey (October 23,2007) – Ademir Jerkovic, former advisor to the first Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic, talked about his life and work at the conference dedicated to the late Bosnian statesman in Istanbul,Turkey.
Jerkovic said that Alija Izetbegovic marked an era and left a permanent trace in Bosnian history.
The International Conference entitled “Remembering Alija Izetbegovic”, organized by Turkish Association for Scientific Studies assembled in Istanbul the prominent scientists, politicians and public personas from Turkey,Bosnia and other countries.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
KOMSIC: BOSNIAN DIPLOMACY NEEDS TO BE PUT IN ORDER
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 23,2007) – The Bosnian President Zeljko Komsic stated yesterday in Sarajevo that affairs in the Bosnian diplomacy need to be settled.
Commenting the series of alleged scandals that have happened lately,President Komsic said that the diplomatic staff is below the rank of ambassadors, and that means that all the jurisdiction lies in the hands of the Bosnian Foreign Affairs Ministry.He expects that order will soon be implemented in the sector.
”It will be painful, of course. The issue of personnel is painful. People are ready to comment that in various ways, but our diplomacy has long been yearning for order and order will be implemented”, President Komsic said.
”The Bosnian Presidency has already initiated certain action and has made concrete moves. The Presidency will keep replacing the people from the ambassador positions until they start performing their duties accordingly”, the Bosnian President announced.
Commenting the series of alleged scandals that have happened lately,President Komsic said that the diplomatic staff is below the rank of ambassadors, and that means that all the jurisdiction lies in the hands of the Bosnian Foreign Affairs Ministry.He expects that order will soon be implemented in the sector.
”It will be painful, of course. The issue of personnel is painful. People are ready to comment that in various ways, but our diplomacy has long been yearning for order and order will be implemented”, President Komsic said.
”The Bosnian Presidency has already initiated certain action and has made concrete moves. The Presidency will keep replacing the people from the ambassador positions until they start performing their duties accordingly”, the Bosnian President announced.
BOSNIAN PRESIDENCY MEMBERS MET WITH RUSSIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 23,2007) – The Bosnian Presidency members Haris Silajdzic,Zeljko Komsic and Nebojsa Radmanovic met with Russian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Vladimir Titov in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.They discussed ways to improve bilateral relations between Bosnia and Russia, especially in the field of economy.
They stressed that the implementation of bilateral agreements and the resolution of issues of importance for the improvement of bilateral cooperation need to be accelerated and that the presence of Russia is needed at the Bosnian market.
The two sides also discussed the need for exchanging visits and contacts at the senior level.
They stressed that the implementation of bilateral agreements and the resolution of issues of importance for the improvement of bilateral cooperation need to be accelerated and that the presence of Russia is needed at the Bosnian market.
The two sides also discussed the need for exchanging visits and contacts at the senior level.
UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN SUPPORT OHR MEASURES
SARAJEVO, Bosnia (October 23,2007) – The United States supports the Office of the High Representative in Bosnia (OHR) recently announced measures regarding the strengthening of the functionality of the Bosnian state institutions in the framework of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
“As Ambassador English stated during an October 17 press conference, the U.S. Government is disturbed by the current lack of local political consensus and increased reliance on nationalist rhetoric.The International Community's High Representative in Bosnia has the authority to address the situation in Bosnia.The United States fully supports him as he does so.We expect all parties to respect and abide by the High Representative’s decisions and carry out their responsibilities under Dayton”, US Embassy to Bosnia said.
The British Ambassador to Bosnia Matthew Rycroft also said in Sarajevo that Great Britain fully supports all measures that have been announced and are planned by the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak.
“It is the High Representative who has taken measures at this time, but it is not excluded that individual states will also take certain measures in the future, but we have still not reached this point”, Ambassador Rycroft said at the session of the Association of Independent Intellectuals “Krug 99” in Sarajevo.
“As Ambassador English stated during an October 17 press conference, the U.S. Government is disturbed by the current lack of local political consensus and increased reliance on nationalist rhetoric.The International Community's High Representative in Bosnia has the authority to address the situation in Bosnia.The United States fully supports him as he does so.We expect all parties to respect and abide by the High Representative’s decisions and carry out their responsibilities under Dayton”, US Embassy to Bosnia said.
The British Ambassador to Bosnia Matthew Rycroft also said in Sarajevo that Great Britain fully supports all measures that have been announced and are planned by the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak.
“It is the High Representative who has taken measures at this time, but it is not excluded that individual states will also take certain measures in the future, but we have still not reached this point”, Ambassador Rycroft said at the session of the Association of Independent Intellectuals “Krug 99” in Sarajevo.
SPIRIC MET WITH WORLD BANK AND US OFFICIALS
WASHINGTON, USA (October 23,2007) - The World Bank Managing Director Graeme Wheeler said at the meeting with Bosnia's Prime Minister Nikola Spiric in Washington that the Bosnian economy is on an upward path, but that more still needs to be done on attracting foreign investments, completing the privatisation and increasing employment, the Bosnian Council of Ministers stated.
Wheeler said that the World Bank places a special emphasis on activities from the Action Platform, which was signed in Sarajevo on October 16.
“We need a quality approach with the World Bank in order to improve Bosnia's economy”, Spiric said.
He stressed that the credit program for the upcoming period needs a so-called reform scenario, which would include a stronger boost for the implementation of the remaining reforms.
Spiric thinks that this scenario would significantly encourage foreign investments.
Spiric informed Wheeler about the development of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Program (PRSP)." We are working on maintaining macroeconomic stability”,Spiric said.
He added that the ration between IDA and IBRD credits should be 50:50 and stressed that access to IBRD loans would send a good message to foreign investors.
Spiric also met with the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Daniel Fried and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Rosemary Di Carlo in Washington.Spiric stressed during talks that the policy of negation is dangerous in Bosnia and that everyone has to respect the Bosnian constitution.
Spiric expressed regret that the previous period has not been used more constrictively for the implementation of reform. He again stressed the need for dialogue in Bosnia.
Spiric said that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU represents the most important document for Bosnia since the Dayton Agreement.
The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Daniel Fried said that the United States supports the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia and his measures, which are aimed at strengthening the Bosnian state.
Wheeler said that the World Bank places a special emphasis on activities from the Action Platform, which was signed in Sarajevo on October 16.
“We need a quality approach with the World Bank in order to improve Bosnia's economy”, Spiric said.
He stressed that the credit program for the upcoming period needs a so-called reform scenario, which would include a stronger boost for the implementation of the remaining reforms.
Spiric thinks that this scenario would significantly encourage foreign investments.
Spiric informed Wheeler about the development of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Program (PRSP)." We are working on maintaining macroeconomic stability”,Spiric said.
He added that the ration between IDA and IBRD credits should be 50:50 and stressed that access to IBRD loans would send a good message to foreign investors.
Spiric also met with the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Daniel Fried and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Rosemary Di Carlo in Washington.Spiric stressed during talks that the policy of negation is dangerous in Bosnia and that everyone has to respect the Bosnian constitution.
Spiric expressed regret that the previous period has not been used more constrictively for the implementation of reform. He again stressed the need for dialogue in Bosnia.
Spiric said that the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU represents the most important document for Bosnia since the Dayton Agreement.
The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Europe Daniel Fried said that the United States supports the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia and his measures, which are aimed at strengthening the Bosnian state.
MONTENEGRO POLICE SEARCH FOR SERBIAN WAR CRIMINAL RADOVAN KARADZIC
PODGORICA, Montenegro (October 23,2007) - Montenegro's police carried out a search for former leader of the Serbians living in Bosnia,Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic in the mountain of Zabljak during the weekend.
Montenegrin media reported that the raid started on Friday morning and finished on Saturday evening, without producing any results.
According to the media reports, special anti-terrorist police blocked all access roads to the mountain resort, checking vehicles, while regular police helped search the woods near the Black Lake.
The Hague war crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia said on Sunday that it believed Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic, was hiding "somewhere in the border area between Bosnia, Montenegro and Serbia”.
"The steps we took did not confirm this information. We will continue paying attention to eventually locating and finding the Hague fugitives”, the Montenegrin Police Administration said yesterday.
Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic is being sought for genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.
Montenegrin media reported that the raid started on Friday morning and finished on Saturday evening, without producing any results.
According to the media reports, special anti-terrorist police blocked all access roads to the mountain resort, checking vehicles, while regular police helped search the woods near the Black Lake.
The Hague war crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia said on Sunday that it believed Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic, was hiding "somewhere in the border area between Bosnia, Montenegro and Serbia”.
"The steps we took did not confirm this information. We will continue paying attention to eventually locating and finding the Hague fugitives”, the Montenegrin Police Administration said yesterday.
Serbian war criminal Radovan Karadzic is being sought for genocide and crimes against humanity committed during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.
BOSNIA JOINS SEDM ALLIANCE
KIEV, Ukraine (October 23,2007) - The U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates urged participants at the 12th annual meeting of the Southeast Europe Defense Ministerial (SEDM) to focus on closer cooperation to address the challenges of proliferation and border security.
The 11-member SEDM alliance includes Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States.
Bosnia, which like Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro and Serbia had participated as observers, received full SEDM membership yesterday with the signing of a formal accession note.
"Given its recent history, Bosnia's transition from SEDM observer to member is all the more remarkable.Our strong support for Bosnia's SEDM membership reaffirms the United States' long-standing commitment to integrating Southeast Europe into Euro-Atlantic institutions," Gates said.
The United States helped develop SEDM in 1996 to encourage greater security cooperation in the region. Although its original six members focused heavily on the Balkans, today the alliance has grown to become "truly southeastern Europe," as it was intended, a senior U.S. defense official traveling with Gates said.
"SEDM has been very successful in achieving its objectives of encouraging or maintaining stability and security in southeastern Europe (and) of encouraging cooperation," the official told reporters.
Gates extended praise yesterday to the organization's far-reaching activities, which include supporting the Kosovo Force peacekeeping mission.Gates called SEDM's efforts in Kosovo another visible element of the alliance's commitment.
The United States doesn't want to see the KFOR mandate expanded. The European Union has an important role to play in Kosovo, Gates pointed out, noting EU efforts to establish a rule-of-law mission there.
Gates urged SEDM members to continue extending the organization's reach, but not at the expense of their own regional priorities, particularly counterproliferation and border security.
"To sustain and increase SEDM's relevance, member nations must be willing to address these crucial issues," Gates told the group.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, who opened the two-day meeting yesterday morning, joined Gates in urging greater regional cooperation focused on these issues, as well as SEDM's peacekeeping activities.
Yushchenko told participants his government, still being formed following national elections, is now ready to play a more active role in stabilizing Europe. He also reiterated Ukraine's interest in joining NATO.
Gates urged other SEDM nations to consider similar courses.
"The United States strongly encourages SEDM to focus its efforts on activities which best support ongoing integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions such as NATO and increased cooperation and interoperability among SEDM member nations," he told the ministers.
The secretary called efforts by countries in southeastern Europe and the Black Sea region to join SEDM "a testament to (the group's) accomplishments and importance." He urged SEDM members to view that growth as an opportunity "to take important steps to assure its ongoing relevance as a vital regional player."
The 11-member SEDM alliance includes Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine and the United States.
Bosnia, which like Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro and Serbia had participated as observers, received full SEDM membership yesterday with the signing of a formal accession note.
"Given its recent history, Bosnia's transition from SEDM observer to member is all the more remarkable.Our strong support for Bosnia's SEDM membership reaffirms the United States' long-standing commitment to integrating Southeast Europe into Euro-Atlantic institutions," Gates said.
The United States helped develop SEDM in 1996 to encourage greater security cooperation in the region. Although its original six members focused heavily on the Balkans, today the alliance has grown to become "truly southeastern Europe," as it was intended, a senior U.S. defense official traveling with Gates said.
"SEDM has been very successful in achieving its objectives of encouraging or maintaining stability and security in southeastern Europe (and) of encouraging cooperation," the official told reporters.
Gates extended praise yesterday to the organization's far-reaching activities, which include supporting the Kosovo Force peacekeeping mission.Gates called SEDM's efforts in Kosovo another visible element of the alliance's commitment.
The United States doesn't want to see the KFOR mandate expanded. The European Union has an important role to play in Kosovo, Gates pointed out, noting EU efforts to establish a rule-of-law mission there.
Gates urged SEDM members to continue extending the organization's reach, but not at the expense of their own regional priorities, particularly counterproliferation and border security.
"To sustain and increase SEDM's relevance, member nations must be willing to address these crucial issues," Gates told the group.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, who opened the two-day meeting yesterday morning, joined Gates in urging greater regional cooperation focused on these issues, as well as SEDM's peacekeeping activities.
Yushchenko told participants his government, still being formed following national elections, is now ready to play a more active role in stabilizing Europe. He also reiterated Ukraine's interest in joining NATO.
Gates urged other SEDM nations to consider similar courses.
"The United States strongly encourages SEDM to focus its efforts on activities which best support ongoing integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions such as NATO and increased cooperation and interoperability among SEDM member nations," he told the ministers.
The secretary called efforts by countries in southeastern Europe and the Black Sea region to join SEDM "a testament to (the group's) accomplishments and importance." He urged SEDM members to view that growth as an opportunity "to take important steps to assure its ongoing relevance as a vital regional player."
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