The Principal Deputy High Representative David M. Robinson, representatives of the international community and representatives of the BiH authorities attended yesterday at Lake Prokoško near Fojnicka marking of the 17th anniversary of the helicopter crash in which 12 international officials were killed, including the then Deputy High Representative Gerd Wagner.
“Paying respect to our colleagues we think about their dedication and commitment of all those who work for the recovery of BiH. It is a commitment based on the belief that the good that exists in most people must defeat the evil that exists in the minority,” Robinson said.
He pointed out that this commemoration is one of the first official events in which he has participated as Principal Deputy High Representative. Today, in 2014 we have the same goal as our colleagues did. We continue to work to fulfill the same goals for which we worked before, and that is to help the citizens of BiH to build a sovereign, secure and prosperous democracy,” said Robinson.
After a long period marked by economic difficulties and political delays, exacerbated by natural and industrial disasters, Robinson said that the citizens of this country are about to go to the polls.
“Whomever citizens do elect they can count on continued support of the international community. We are committed to help BiH and its citizens to recover from conflict and we will continue to work to fulfill this obligation,” concluded Robinson.
On this day in 1997, the following international officials lost their lives in the accident: Leah Melnick, Charles Morpeth, Thomas Reinhardt, Jurgen Schauf and Gerd Wagner, Livio Beccaccio, Andrzej Buler, David Kriskovich, William Nesbitt, Marvin Padgett, Georg Stiebler and Peter Backes.
Seven members of the former UN Mission to BiH and five members of the OHR that day planned to attend the meetings with local authorities in central and northern Bosnia, and they were killed when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed due to thick fog.
(Source: Fena)
