North Atlantic Council encourages Bosnia and Herzegovina to step up reform process
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Sven Alkalaj and Mr. Selmo Cikotic, visited the NATO Headquarters on 14 July and met with the Secretary General. The Ministers also had a meeting with the North Atlantic Council, in order to discuss the completion of the first cycle of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP).
During the discussion, Allies congratulated Bosnia and Herzegovina for the progress achieved in cooperation with NATO and welcomed the steps taken for the destruction of surplus ammunition and arms. Allies also thanked Bosnia and Herzegovina for the contribution to the Alliance’s ISAF operation in Afghanistan.
During the meeting, Allies reiterated the decision taken by NATO Foreign Ministers, that Membership Action Plan (MAP) will be granted to Bosnia and Herzegovina only when the defence property issue is resolved. Allies reiterated that MAP will be granted as soon as all immovable defence properties identified as necessary for future defence purposes have been officially registered as the state property of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for use by the Bosnia and Herzegovina Ministry of Defence
“We are eager to commence the first cycle of MAP with your country as soon as possible”, the Secretary General said. “But the key to this process is in your hands”.
Allis encouraged Bosnia and Herzegovina to accelerate the reform process and to improve the efficiency and self-reliance of state-level institutions.