The United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Hoyt B. Yee, who is on a visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, announced in an interview with FENA that after the general elections in BiH he was very glad to see a lot energy directed to BiH’s path towards Europe, “the place where BiH belongs, in the family of European democracies.”
He also expressed satisfaction with the focus of the European Union on BiH as well as the German-British initiative, adding that it is expected that this initiative would soon be adopted by the Council of Europe.
“The British-German initiative represents a renewed interest of Europe regarding the provision of assistance to BiH to join the EU,” considers Yee and adds that it is important that the entire international community supports the initiative and to ensure that the focus stays on crucial reforms, first of all socio-economic ones, which he hopes would lead to major reforms, including political ones.
“It is also positive that Mogherini and Hahn came together in BiH,” said Yee, because “this shows that there are clear responsibilities when it comes to the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other countries in the region.”
Compared to what he had seen during the previous two visits to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yee points out that now he felt a more constructive and positive energy with political leaders with whom he met, and that he sees greater commitment of the international community to assist BiH.
When asked whether something would change in the U.S. policy towards Bosnia and Herzegovina after the arrival of the new Ambassador to BiH Maureen Cormack in January 2015, Yee underlined that “the U.S. policy towards BiH remains the same”, i.e., that the United States will continue to assist BiH to become part of the Euro-Atlantic institutions and to strengthen its economy and institutions.
“I am sure that Ambassador Cormack shall work towards achieving this goal and that she will be successful,” says Yee.
When asked whether the fact that Russia has abstained during the vote in the Security Council of the United Nations (UN) on the mandate of the EUFOR Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the statement of Russian Ambassador that “it is unacceptable that BiH is being pushed towards the EU from outside” might affect BiH’s path to Euro-Atlantic integration, especially bearing in mind the case of Ukraine and blockade of its progress towards the EU, he said that for the United States it is important that the resolution has been adopted and that the mandate of EUFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues.
“The U.S. welcomes constructive engagement of all countries that are willing to help BiH to achieve its goals, and Russia in the past had a constructive role, and we expect that this would continue in the future,” Yee said, adding that the U.S. will also continue helping BiH to achieve its goals.
(Source: Fena/ photo avaz)
