LAJCAK AND SOLANA DISCUSSED LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN BOSNIA

BRUSSELS, Belgium (January 22 ,2008) – The European Union High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) Javier Solana had a meeting yesterday with the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak.Solana and Lajcak discussed the latest developments in Bosnia as well as in the wider region.Solana welcomed the Mostar,Sarajevo and Laktasi declarations but underlined the need for rapid implementation of their commitments.

While stressing the EU agenda as a priority for Bosnia,Solana assured that Bosnia can rely on the European Union's support and friendship.

Solana and Lajcak also touched upon the future of the Office of the International Community's High Representative in Bosnia (OHR).

“The first priority for this year is the country’s EU agenda.Bosnia must now meet the requirements," the International Community's High Representative and EU Special Representative in Bosnia in Bosnia Miroslav Lajcak stated.

IRAN DETERMINED TO EXPAND COMPREHENSIVE COOPERATION WITH BOSNIA

TEHRAN, Iran (January 22,2008) – The Iranian Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel has criticized the European Union for obeying U.S. dictates, saying, “We advise European leaders to avoid following the United States blindly.”

In a meeting with the Bosnian Ambassador to Iran Senahid Bistric yesterday, Haddad-Adel said the U.S. is seeking to rule the world.

“The United States is trying to block any movement leading to the development of Muslim’s political status due to its animosity towards Islamic establishment.”

Referring to the upcoming membership of Bosnia in the EU, Haddad-Adel expressed hope that the European country would seize the opportunity to “defend the rights of the Islamic states”.

“It is expected that the presence of Bosnia in the EU would further familiarize the Western societies with Islamic culture and history.”

He described Tehran-Sarajevo relations as “good and friendly”, saying, “The Iranian nation has proved its loyalty to the people of Bosnia during the time of war and peace.”

Haddad-Adel said the Islamic Republic is determined to expand comprehensive cooperation with Bosnia.

The Bosnian Ambassador Bistric expressed hope that Bosnia will fulfill its duties in defending the rights of Islamic countries in the European Union.

“Bosnia regards Iran as a very important country which enjoys rich culture and great civilization,” he said.

The Bosnian Ambassador also called for further expansion of cooperation in political, economic, and cultural spheres between the two friendly countries.

A LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST BOSNIA FOR EXTRADITING SIX BOSNIAN CITIZENS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 22 ,2008) – Even six years after the Bosnian authorities extradited six Bosnian citizens of Algerian origin (the so-called Algerian Group) to the US Government, after which they were transferred to the Guantanamo Prison Cuba, there are more questions to be answered than ever, the Wilmer Hale company lawyers, representing the group, stated.

”We have been trying to force the US authorities to present the evidence in court which will explain why these people were arrested”, Robert Kirsch, a lawyer from Boston, told Bosnian media.

He added that the US Government has been refusing to present any evidence whatsoever against these Bosnian citizens, which made Kirsch convinced that there are no evidence at all.

Lawyer Kirsch is of the opinion that nobody in Bosnia wants to thoroughly analyse the issue and added that the Bosnian government act the same way.

”Have the prosecutors ever explained what evidence served as motif for those arrests”, lawyer Kirsch asked and added “the chief prosecutor in this case was Medzida Kreso, present Bosnian State Court President. Marinko Jurcevic, present Bosnian Chief State Prosecutor, was Head of Federal Prosectuor’s Office in the time of those arrests”.

The US lawyer asked how come that neither of the parliamentary commissions called Jasminka Putica, judge in the case, to announce numerous mysteries that lie hidden around this case, including the way the case was prosecuted.

”How is it possible that a person leaves judiciary profession and keeps rejecting any kind of conversation on the issue, keeping in mind that she knows all the details”, the US lawyer said.

He also added that the criminal report has been submitted to the prosecution against the persons responsible for the illegal arrest of these six people. He added that no steps have been taken related to the processing of the case, for “any kind of serious investigation would reveal the shameful involvement of the past prosecution and court into the case”.

Since the Bosnian authorities did not react to numerous calls for liberation of these six Bosnian citizens, the Wilmer Hale team of lawyers initiated a lawsuit against Bosnia at the European Human Rights Court in Strasbourg.

After a preliminary data exchange it is expected that this lawyer company will propose a concrete amount of monetary compensation in March Bosnia will have to pay for illegal extradition and all the consequences that followed after that.

EU TO SUPPORT BOSNIAN TRADE POLICY REFORM WITH 1,45 MILLION EUROS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 22 ,2008) - The European Union Project, “Support to Trade Policy Development and Capacity Building in Bosnia ”, in cooperation with the Bosnian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations today are organising today a Conference on the Bosnian foreign trade policy.

”At present, Bosnia is a member of CEFTA; with the EU, the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) has been initialled and its signature is expected soon, and negotiations for accession to the World Trade Organisation are entering the final stages. In relation to these developments it is necessary to implement relevant policy reforms in the area of Foreign Trade in order to enable the Bosnian economy to maximise the benefits from these economic integration processes and to expand its export activities in the markets of CEFTA and the EU members”, stated the release of the EU Commission.

During the conference, the document “Trade Needs Assessment Report” prepared by the EU will be presented. The document provides an analysis of the current status of the Bosnian foreign trade policy, and makes recommendations for eliminating the constraints identified in the report.

Based on these recommendations, the EU will support the Bosnian state institutions, especially the Bosnian Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, in drafting and implementing a comprehensive foreign trade policy and in harmonising BiH legislation with WTO rules and with the acquis communautaire.

The value of this Project over a 20 month period is 1.457.653 EUR.

The Conference will be attended by the representatives of the Bosnian state institutions that are in charge of drafting and implementing the Bosnian foreign trade policy, representatives of the private sector, international organisations and academia.

JADRANKA NEGODIC ACCREDITED AS HEAD OF BOSNIAN MISSION TO EU

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 22 ,2008) – Head of the Bosnian Mission to the EU, Ambassador Jadranka Negodic delivered the accreditation to the Head of the EU Commission José Manuel Barroso.

Barroso stated that Bosnia has unquestionable EU perspective, and because of its geographic position, it has a central place in the Southeastern Europe.

Negodic and Barroso talked about finalization of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Bosnia and the EU, and Bosnia's position during Slovenia’s presiding EU and Euro-Atlantic integration processes, stated the Bosnian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

BOSNIA AND GREECE TO SIGN MILITARY COOPERATION AGREEMENT TODAY

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 22 ,2008) – The Greek National Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis visited Bosnia at the invitation of the Bosnian Defence Minister Selmo Cikotic and met with the Greek contingent taking part in the European Union’s Althea peacekeeping mission in Bosnia.

Meimarakis was also briefed by the commander of the European Union force in Bosnia (EUFOR) the Spanish major-general Ignacio Martin Villalain, on the presence and prospects of the European force in Bosnia.

Having expressed the need for the continuity of EUFOR’s important achievements,Meimarakis assured anew Greece’s keen interest for the improvement of the situation of security in the broader region of the Southeastern Europe.

Meimarakis and Cikotic will sign today the first military cooperation agreement between Greece and Bosnia.

A COMPROMISE IS NEEDED FOR ADOPTION OF BOSNIAN STATE BUDGET FOR 2008

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia (January 22 ,2008) – Nikola Spiric,Bosnia's Prime Minister is of the opinion that the Bosnian state budgett for 2008 should be adopted in the form proposed by the Bosnian Government and that a compromise will have to be made in that sense.

Spiric told the press in the northern Bosnian city of Banja Luka that the state budget should not be a politicized issue, but should be placed in the realistic planning frame.

He added that he has no information that SDA party is against this year’s Budget Draft and that that will clearly be seen during the parliamentary discussion.