The Minister of Defense, Civil Protection and Sports of Switzerland, Viola Amherd, met with the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Selmo Cikotić, in Sarajevo. On that occasion, she emphasized that her country will continue to support the continuation of the EUFOR and KFOR missions, pointing out their importance for the security of the region at the time of current events in Europe.
“The goal of these efforts is to get to the point where this type of support is not needed, which is also the goal of BiH,” said Amherd after a meeting with BiH Defense Minister Sifet Podžić.
She pointed out that no one but Bosnia and Herzegovina can contribute to this, and said that this means respect for international law, strengthening democracy, the rule of law, and respect and inclusion of all peoples.
She stated that Switzerland, together with other countries, in order to provide a concrete contribution to peace and stability, supports the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina in capacity building, with a focus on training experts for the purpose of safe handling of weapons and ammunition.
Podžić expressed hope that the permanent members of the UN Security Council, when considering the continuation of the “Altea” mission in BiH at the end of the year, will not use the veto and that this mission will be continued.
“I am encouraged that I have strong confirmations from key people in NATO that in the event of a possible veto scenario, an adequate solution will be found for the continuation of the presence of international forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Podžić said.
He thanked Switzerland for sending members of its armed forces to the Altea mission and for helping the BiH Armed Forces in destroying mines and explosive devices.
Podžić expressed the hope that Switzerland will continue to provide Bosnia and Herzegovina with assistance in establishing high democratic standards in the reform of security sector management, as well as material assistance for equipping the Armed Forces.
