BOSNIA AND PAKISTAN TO EXPAND DEFENCE COOPERATION

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (March 25,2008) - The President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf said yesterday in the Pakistani capital Is;amabad that Pakistan was eager to expand bilateral cooperation with Bosnia.Talking to the Bosnian Defence Minister Selmo Cikotic, President Musharraf said that defence cooperation had enormous potential particularly in areas of defence production and training.

Minister Cikotic underlined that Bosnia was equally eager to further strengthen and expand defence cooperation with Pakistan.

The President of Pakistan warmly welcomed the Bosnian Defence Minister and underlined the extremely close relations existing between the two countries.
He said that Pakistan had always stood by Bosnia.

Minister Cikotic appreciated the close and cordial ties between the two countries and expressed gratitude for the support that Pakistan had consistently extended to his country.

He recalled with great pleasure President Musharraf’s visit to Bosnia last year.

He particularly mentioned President Musharraf’s address to both houses of the Bosnian Parliament and his visit to Srebrenica, where the genocide had taken place during the 1992-1995 Serbian aggression against Bosnia.

The Bosnian Defence Minister Selmo Cikotic also met yesterday with the Pakistani Minister for Defence and Defence Production Syed Salim Abbas Jilani.

The meeting reviewed the existing level of cooperation and underlined the need for promoting robust ties as their existed tremendous scope of cooperation in various fields. The meetings noted to increase cooperation in the areas of military training and exchange of visit by both sides which would help in promoting greater understanding and strengthening fraternal ties between the two countries.

The Pakistani Defence Minister told his Bosnian counterpart that Pakistan attached utmost importance to its ties with Bosnia as the two countries had cultural affinities and commonality of perceptions on regional and international issues.

He briefed the Bosnian Defence delegation about the capability and potential of defence production facilities in Pakistan.

He also thanked the Bosnian government and people of Bosnia for contributing generously in the relief and rescue efforts after the 8 October 2005 earthquake in Pakistan.

Minister Jilani hoped that the visit of the Bosnian Defence Minister to Pakistan would further boost military and defence cooperation between the two countries.

The Bosnian Defence Minister Selmo Cikotic, on his arrival at the Pakistani Ministry of Defence, was received and welcomed by the senior officials of the Pakistani Defence Ministry. A smartly turned out contingent of the three Services presented Guard of Honour to the distinguished guest, who reviewed the Guard and took the salute.
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TURKISH PRIME MINISTER RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN VISITS BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 25,2008) - The Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived yesterday in Bosnia to meet top officials and Turkish soldiers serving with the European Union peacekeeping force.

Erdogan is to hold talks today with the Bosnian President Haris Silajdzic,Bosnia's Prime Minister Nikola Spiric and the Bosnian Parliament's members.

The Turkish Prime Minister is also to visit his country's contingent of some 250 soldiers serving in Bosnia with the 2,200-strong EU Force (EUFOR). The international peacekeepers have been deployed to maintain stability since the end of the 1992-95 Serbian,Montenegrin and Croatian aggressions against Bosnia.

Around 40 Turkish businessmen will accompany Erdogan during his visit.

In 2006 Turkey's exports to Bosnia totalled 129 million Euros (198 million US Dollars) while imports amounted to 10.6 million Euros, according to official figures.
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BOSNIAN PRESIDENT HARIS SILAJDZIC MET WITH BRCKO DISTRICT ASSEMBLY DELEGATES

BRCKO, Bosnia (March 25,2008) - The Bosnian President Haris Silajdzic met in Brcko with delegates in the Brcko Assembly from several political parties. Main topic of the talks was the Status of Brcko District and the law regarding its status.

They agreed that the law on Brcko district is necessary in order to formalize its status within Bosnia.They also agreed that there is constitutional basis of adoption of such a law, stated the Bosnian State Presidency.

They also discussed other issues important for the Brcko District, such as realization of the veteran rights, return and proportional representation in District’s institutions.
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REGIONAL COOPERATION AND SUPPORT TO THE EU INTEGRATIONS ARE PRIORITIES OF RCC

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (March 25,2008) - Priorities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) which officially started operating on February 27 are regional cooperation and support to EU integrations in the southeastern Europe, stated RCC spokesperson Dinka Zivalj.

She explained that the accent is on the region as a carrier of cooperation and for that purpose the priority falls within the coordination of regional activities in six priority areas.

These are economic and social development, energy and infrastructure, judiciary and internal affairs, human resources development and parliamentary cooperation.

In the future period the Council shall continue with activities of the Stability Pact for the southeastern Europe and focus on projects of direct importance for peoples and states in the region which are developmental in nature.

One of these projects is foundation of regional center for prevention of natural disasters (earthquakes, fires and floods).

Zivalj added that the Council is in the final phase of gathering its team.

It is expected for the Secretary General of the Council Hido Biscevic to inform on the completion of the Council’s capacities at the meeting of heads of southeastern European states on May 21 in Pomorie, Bulgaria.

The Council, hich is seated in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo, inherited the Stability Pact of the southeastern Europe with the difference that Council is focused on regional leadership.
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BOSNIAN AND CUBAN PARLIAMENTS TO STRENGTHEN RELATIONS

HAVANA, Cuba (March 25,2008) - Parliaments of Bosnia and Cuba agreed yesterday to strengthen their relations, which were weakened for some time due to conflict in the Balkan nation.

The President of the National Assembly of the People"s Power of Cuba (Cuban Congress), Ricardo Alarcon, received yesterday the Bosnian Parliament’s House of Representatives Speaker Milorad Zivkovic Milorad Ziukovic, with whom he reviewed the economic, social prospects in the two countries.

Both agreed on that the current historic situation is favorable for improving bilateral relations through diplomatic contacts and in other fields.

Ziukovic"s agenda in Cuba also includes separate meetings with Cuban authorities of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples and the ministries of Foreign Relations and Foreign Trade.
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