23 April 2010

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Sven Alkalaj, Attended an Unofficial Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Member Countries Which Participate in the ISAF Mission

At the invitation of the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Sven Alkalaj, attended in Tallinn an unofficial meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the member countries which participate in the ISAF Mission.

It has been concluded during the Meeting that Bosnia and Herzegovina has accomplished a significant progress in reforms, and decision on destroying redundancy of armament and ammunition was welcomed as well as our contribution to the ISAF Mission. Consequently, Ministers of Foreign Affairs have decided to invite Bosnia and Herzegovina to join the MAP with a remark that our country yet have to accomplish the legal solution for completing the remaining third condition which pertains to the military fixed property. It has been emphasized that it is necessary to enter into books all 69 disputable locations as the property of the country which will be assigned to disposition of the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It has also been said at this informal Ministers’ meeting that, with completion of that remaining condition, the NAC (North Atlantic Council) will automatically support the affiliation of Bosnia and Herzegovina into MAP at the first subsequent meeting on the ambassadors’ level not waiting for the next Ministers’ meeting of the NATO members. Minister Alkalaj has been informed that the NATO member countries are convinced that political consensus will be relatively soon reached in Bosnia and Herzegovina which will then result in achieving the remaining condition.

In the course of the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the ISAF Mission member countries there were talks about the situation in Afghanistan as well as about future steps of the ISAF Mission member countries on restoring peace and security in that country, and about the NATO reform, too. They have also talked at the Meeting about participation of the B&H soldiers in the ISAF Mission.