EUHR Solana met with met with Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Jovic

Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), met today with the Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Ivo Miro JOVIC.

Mr Jovic expressed gratitude at the EU's and the HR's support over the past years. He informed that the main challenges for the future would be to adjust the BiH internal structures to EU standards, to develop the economy and to reduce the aid dependency of the country.

The High Representative welcomed the recent progress made by Bosnia and Herzegovina with its reform agenda. He informed the Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency that on Monday EU Foreign Ministers will probably express their agreement to open negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with BiH by the 10th anniversary of Dayton/Paris Accords. He encouraged Mr Jovic to see the forthcoming SAA talks as a top priority and to speed up the reform efforts. Building a healthy society that defeats organised crime and corruption and cleans up the economy was the most important way to move forward towards the EU. He underlined also that further progress on ICTY cooperation was also essential.

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• EU Commission recommends opening Stabilisation and Association Agreement negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina  (21/10/2005)
• Statement by EU Enlargement Commissioner Rehn on collapse of police-reform talks in Bosnia-Herzegovina  (13/9/2005)
• EUHR Solana met with the Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina (9/2/2005)
• EUHR Solana met with the High Representative-EU Special Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (3/2/2005)