Bevanda: BH Opted for Full NATO Membership

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Vjekoslav Bevanda, Minister of Defence Zekerijah Osmic and Deputy Foreign Minister Ana Trišić-Babić talked with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. 

On that occasion, Chairman Bevanda informed the guest of the difficult situation in some parts of BIH hit by unheard of floods, and thanked to NATO member countries and allies for the support they had already extended and continue to extend to threatened citizens in BIH.

NAO Secretary-General Rasmussen expressed his condolences to families of flood victims, and said that NATO allies and partners will continue to respond to the needs of BIH and region , by sending helicopters and other kind of humanitarian assistance.

The meeting jointly concluded that our country was affected by a huge disaster and that the assistance of all who responded is welcome, and that only through coordinated efforts it would be possible to mitigate the consequences of the cataclysm, still taking place in the north of our country.

The Secretary-General was especially interested to learn about ongoing activities BIH takes on the Euro-Atlantic integrations and activation of the NATO Membership Action Plan.

Responding to the Secretary-General’s questions, Minister Osmić and Deputy Minister Trišić-Babić, said that NATO accession processed has moved on up-ward trend and the future period could see an accelerated process of military property registration.

Minister Osmić noted a need for faster military property registration activities, informing Secretary-General Rasmussen that the Ministry of Defence of BIH is ready available to finalise the process, which, in his opinion, is a purely technical matter. He commended once again our determination for continuation of the BIH Armed Forces engagement within the ISAF Mission in Afghanistan, and said the preparations are underway for participation of our forces in Afghanistan beyond 2014.

At the end of the meeting, Secretary-General Rasmussen said that he still expects positive moves when in question the registration of military property and that NATO will continue ti support efforts toward all aspirant countries to become full members of NATO as soon as possible.

The meeting was attended by BIH Ambassador in NATO Branimir Jukić.

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