Zvizdić with Cormack and Palmer on BIH, and European and NATO Road

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Dr Denis Zvizdić talked in Washington. D.C. with Deputy Assistant US Secretary of State for European and Euro-Asian Affairs and State Department Special Envoy for Western Balkans Matthew A. Palmer and of the USA and former US Ambassador in BIH Maureen Cormack on current developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

Chairman Zvizdić, thanking for the overall US support, said that the USA have been and will continue to be the most important, most powerful and most consistent friend and ally to BIH in preserving its wholeness, protection of its sovereignty and strengthening of its capacity as a state, in addition for being most deserving for numerous segments of institutional strengthening of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on which grounds BIH should continue to be a reliable partner to America in the Western Balkans area.

Chairman Zvizdić underlined a particular mutual understanding and good political cooperation which should be improved and expand to the field of economic cooperation and increased level of American investments to development sectors in BIH. An increased presence of US officials in BIH is necessary, Chairman Zvizdić said, urging US investors to invest to BIH, and US citizens to visit BIH in large numbers, where they will enjoy the friendly environment.

During the talks, Special  Envoy Palmer said Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the most important factors of stability in the Western Balkans, adding that the USA remain strongly committed to defence of territorial integrity and sovereignty of BIH, as well as the preservice of stability and security throughout the Euro-Atlantic integrations process.

Zvizdić and Palmer agreed that the key element for the European and NATO integrations process is the rule of law, which represents one of fundamental values of democratic states. They stressed that peace and stability have no alternative for economic prosperity and cooperation with countries in the region.

Zvizdić and Plamer discussed reasons of non-formation of authorities in BIH, specifying that the major problem is with the non-acceptance of the Annual National Programme, as a prerequisite for further NATO integrations of BIH. They said it important to fulfil that requirement, as well as to form the government as soon as possible, having regard of the best interest of BIH, along with an inevitable compliance to the existing laws, resolutions and strategies adopted by responsible institutions.

Chairman Zvizdić said BIH should remain on the road of reforms, democratisation, respect of internal laws and international standards, and that certain activities are necessary to be intensified on the road to the EU and NTO integrations, in order to become as earlier as possible a part of family of modern and prosperous states.

Palmer said that the USA remain strongly committed and genuine friend to Bosnia and Herzegovina in all its reform efforts and integrations, leading to security, stability and economic prosperity, and that the issue of NATO integrations is taken as the matter of the rule of law and increase of security level, which, as experiences prove, lead to a general stabilisation and increased domestic investments, as well as attraction of foreign ones, new jobs, keeping the youth within the country, and an increased living standard.

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