The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH Ana Trišić-Babić opened in Sarajevo yesterday a workshop on guidelines for the implementation and evaluation of restrictive measures and sanctions and the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union.
The workshop, through the program TAIEX, is organized by RACVIAC, a center from Zagreb in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH and the European Commission.
Deputy Minister Ana Trišić-Babić explained that the formal political dialogue between BiH and the European Union in this area was established in 2008 with the signing of an Agreement on stabilization and association. From then, BiH has joined declarations, common positions of the EU and other instruments in the framework of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the EU.
The coordination of the implementation of the restrictive measures in BiH is being carried out by the inter-ministerial working group for monitoring the implementation of international restrictive measures, while direct foreign policy coordination and communication with the EU is being led by the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Deputy Minister Trišić-Babić said that a similar practice exists in other countries of the region of South East Europe. For BiH and countries in the region the harmonization of our foreign policy with the EU, coordination of restrictive and sanction mechanisms is an important element of the commitment to become a member of this political and security community.
Deputy Minister Trišić-Babić added that the EU, from the formation of the Common Foreign and Security Policy in 1992, and especially since the Treaty of Lisbon in 2010, seeks to profile itself as an important factor in international relations.
On this topic a number of European countries participating in international forums speak of this, more than 30 civil and military missions in preserving and building peace throughout the world, as well as joint sanctions and restrictive regimes towards selected states and individuals.
South East Europe recognizes the contribution of the EU in expanding the zone of democracy, international security, stability and rule of law, and because of that wishes to become a part of that mechanism, because it recognizes its place and role.
Examples of countries in the region that are members of the EU, or countries that will become EU members, shows that this type of policy is very beneficial and that it guarantees an improvement of our position and influence in the process.
