High Representative, Valentin Inzko, met with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon today in New York, prior to his address to the UN Security Council scheduled to take place on May 5th.
The HR briefed the Secretary General on the situation on the ground in Bosnia and Herzegovina and outlined the main aspects of his report that is to be presented to the UN Security Council. “When I addressed the Council six months ago we were on the eve of the 20th Anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement. This was an opportunity to mark how far Bosnia and Herzegovina has come, but also to recognize that no matter how much distance has been covered there is much more work needed to ensure lasting stability and a better future for the people of this beautiful country”, the High Representative told the Secretary General.
“On 15 February the country took the historic step of applying for membership in the European Union. The country has chosen its path and there is no way backwards. Transition is, of course, a process and not an event and we all know that the transformation the country must undergo on the path to membership will make Bosnians and Herzegovinians better off. We are fully united in supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in their European aspirations”, added the High representative.
The High Representative underlined that “2016 can be a year of progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration, economic growth and job creation, but only if the country pulls together and works as one. Questioning and challenging the fundamentals of the Peace Agreement is not a formula for success.”
The High Representative used the opportunity to thank the Secretary General for his continuous support and commitment to achieving lasting peace and stability in Bosnia and Herzegovina.