The Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sifet Podžić with his deputies Mirko Okolić and Mijo Krešić received a delegation of ambassadors from the leading partner countries of NATO, led by the Permanent Representative of the United States of America to NATO Julianne Smith, for an official visit, the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced.
The delegation from Brussels included the ambassadors of NATO countries Muriel Domenach from the Republic of France, Rudiger König from the Federal Republic of Germany, David Quarrey from the United Kingdom, Anita Nergaard from the Kingdom of Norway and Francesco Talò, permanent representative of the Republic of Italy.
The meeting was also attended by the US ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Michael Murphy, and the Commander of the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, Brigadier General Pamela McGaha.
They discussed the cooperation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with Bosnia and Herzegovina, its path towards European and Euro-Atlantic integration, and the importance of the continued presence of international military forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They also discussed the current security situation in Europe and the impact of that situation on the Western Balkans and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Minister Podžić thanked for the numerous support projects that these partner countries provide to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He pointed out that this support is especially important in moments of political disunity and obstructions in the country itself, which have a negative impact on the allocation of necessary financial resources for the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He expressed the hope that mutual military cooperation will become even more intense, both through NATO’s Initiative for the construction of defense capacities, which implies further development of the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and through projects based on bilateral relations with partner countries.
“We are encouraged by NATO’s increased interest in the situation in the Western Balkans and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the consideration of options for additional strengthening of support to Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the fight against terrorism and cyber threats and the building of defense capacities,” said Minister Podžić.
“The upcoming decision of the United Nations Security Council on the continuation of the EUFOR mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina is particularly important. We hope that there will be no obstruction and abuse of the veto rights of certain permanent members. In this regard, the strong messages of NATO’s key members, about their commitment to in every possible scenario, it finds an adequate solution for the continuation of the mission of international forces in BiH”, concluded BiH Minister of Defense Sifet Podžić.
The interlocutors agreed that the active presence of EU and NATO forces in the region is important for preserving the stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Western Balkans. Ambassador Smith emphasized the continued commitment of the United States of America to support Bosnia and Herzegovina on its Euro-Atlantic path, for the benefit of all its residents, as well as the entire region.
