The 17th of September marks the second anniversary of the helicopter crash near Fojnica when five members of OHR and seven members of the United Nations Mission tragically lost their lives. The officials from the OHR were en route to Bugojno to meet with local authorities to discuss key issues related to the implementation of the Peace Agreement for this country. The UN officials intended to fly on to Brcko for talks on police reform matters, which are the cornerstone of the UN mandate.

To commemorate those who lost their lives whilst carrying out duties essential to ensure that the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina can live in peace, the High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Jacques Klein, the Vice President of the BH Federation and Ambassadors of the countries who lost citizens will today visit the memorial monument erected last year at Prokosko lake.

It is sometimes difficult for any of us working for peace to keep faith with our mission. But today as we remember our lost friends who so embodied the spirit of the Peace Agreement in their energy, their conviction, and their courage we will gain some strength in the knowledge that their deaths only add to the reasons for seeing through our task. We must take pride in all they put into the job and all they achieved.

Our thoughts today are especially with the families who continue to grieve from afar.