Remarks

Thank you so much. Thank you High Representative Christian Schmidt.

It’s great to be here again and to meet with you again. 

NATO has a history in Bosnia-Herzegovina. We have a presence here; and we have an excellent cooperation with you and your office. 

NATO strongly supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia-Herzegovina. We want to see a peaceful country at the heart of a stable region. And your efforts as High Representative are vital to the unity and to the reconciliation of this country.

Any attempt to undermine your position takes Bosnia-Herzegovina backward, not forward. 

I welcome the extension earlier this month of the UN mandate for the European Union’s Operation Althea. 

NATO remains fully committed to the success of that mission. And NATO’s Headquarters here in Sarajevo helps to coordinate our support. 

We cannot and will not allow a security vacuum in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

So, High Representative, thank you again for you important work, your commitment to stability in this region, and for our meeting today, which was very useful. It was very useful for me to be updated by you on the situation. 

And you continue to bring greater peace and prosperity to this country.

So, thank you so much.