BiH has shown its commitment to values of NATO in the most specific way possible – by sending soldiers to serve under NATO command in Afghanistan, emphasized Chair of the BiH Presidency Bakir Izetbegović while addressing at the NATO Summit in Wales, Great Britain.
He assessed that BiH, as a country which received significant security assistance from NATO, finds it is its responsibility to actively participate in operations of collective security under NATO command.
Izetbegović underlined that BiH is a small country with limited resources, but he believes it gave a valuable and credible contribution to NATO Mission in Afghanistan.
”Our ability to contribute to NATO operations is built on the efforts we invested in defense reform. This complex and current process was strongly supported by NATO in general, and its individual members and partners at bilateral level. We launched defense reform in order to enable integration of our country in NATO. The leading principle was desire to be credible partner to NATO”, he said.
Participation in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF), finds Izetbegović, encouraged BiH to accelerate reforms in areas such as interoperability, training for peace operations support, logistics, public procurement, civil-military cooperation, human resource management and officer training.
Since 2009 to date, 433 members of Armed Forces of BiH have actively participated in ISAF.
Chair of the BiH Presidency emphasized there was a complete political consensus for participation in ISAF within BiH. Of course, he added, BiH did not do it all alone. It had great support and help.
He thanked countries that supported BiH, not only for helping in logistics and training, but for having faith in our country.
He said that through engagement in Afghanistan and other places, Armed Forces of BiH got institutional and professional training, developed specialized skills and capacity for supporting international peace and security operations.
Izetbegović underlined that membership in NATO is strategic aim of BiH. He emphasized that BiH is a state with complex constitutional-legal structure, where all decisions in area of defense and foreign policy are made through consensus and that there is a sustainable long-term consensus in BiH on carrying out necessary activities to join NATO.
”We will continue contributing to NATO operations as a partner that can offer and engage valuable capacity. We are aware from our own experience that long-term commitment of countries contributors is necessary to secure that progress in Afghanistan is durable and consolidated in future years”, he emphasized.
Izetbegović announced that BiH would continue its engagement in Afghanistan in every way it can.
Finally, Izetbegović thanked for the contribution NATO government members and NATO in general have invested in building and preserving peace, security and stability in BiH and he said he hopes that understanding and support will continue.
(Source: Fena)
