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Meeting in Brussels on June 15 at the level of
political directors, the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council
expressed its deep concern about the lack of progress in the implementation of
the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Madrid Conclusions.
Specifically, the Steering Board is alarmed by the inadequate level of
functioning of the Common Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), in
particular the BiH Parliament. The efficiency of these Institutions must be
immediately and considerably ameliorated. In that context, the Steering Board
also demands the immediate establishment of a Permanent Secretariat of the
Standing Committee for Military Matters. It expects it to be in place no later
than July 7.
Further, the Steering Board is seriously concerned about the lack of
functioning of the institutions in the Federation. Security conditions must be
improved without delay, and parallel institutions as well as ethnic chains of
command within the Federation institutions must be dismantled. Their continued
existence five years since the Federation Agreement and almost four years since
the Dayton Peace Agreement were signed is embarrassing. Further, the
shortcomings in economic reforms in the Federation and the extent of corruption
is appalling and can only be perceived as a provocation by donors and their
hard-working taxpayers.
Lastly, the Steering Board noted with concern that refugee return, in
particular minority return, has again been slow this year.
The Steering Board urges BiH's political leader to bear in mind the criteria
for admission to the Council of Europe as well as the conditions mentioned in
the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe.
At the Donor's Conference, the disbursement of pledged funds was conditioned
on the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Madrid Conclusions.
Unless the situation improves considerably soon, BiH's leaders risk losing the
financial support of the International Community and their efforts to integrate
BiH in Europe.
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