The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, today met the President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Vojislav Kostunica, to discuss the Dayton peace process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also present at the meeting were FRY Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic and BiH Foreign Minister Jadranko Prlic.
Following their meeting in Belgrade last October, the High Representative and the Yugoslav leader discussed a whole range of issues including: state-to-state relations between FRY and BiH; refugee returns; greater transparency in military cooperation; economic links between Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina; the need for an agreement on SFRY (former Yugoslavia) succession issues; the work of the United Nations war crimes tribunal (ICTY); and the establishment of special parallel relations between FRY and Republika Srpska, as provided for under the Dayton Accords. They agreed to have further expert level meetings on these issues in due course.
The High Representative praised the speed with which the new Yugoslav Government and BiH authorities have established diplomatic relations and welcomed President Kostunica’s commitment to building ties between the two countries in concrete areas such as trade.
The talks were constructive, focused and friendly. The High Representative looks forward to further cooperation with the Yugoslav Government in regard to the Dayton peace process.