Bosnië zet in op EU-lidmaatschap in 2009 (en)

The Balkan Republic of Bosnia Herzegovina aims to join the European Union by 2009 according to the prime minister of the country's Bosniac-Croat federation, Ahmet Hadzipasic.

At a conference in Washington, the Prime Minister said that the country had come a long way and that its resources would be directed at achieving membership by 2009.

With neighbours Macedonia set to apply for membership by the end of this month and Croatia on course to be accepted as a potential member in the spring, the country's leaders do not want to be left behind.

But the international community says there is a long way to go.

"I must openly say that we are clearly on the way to failure", the International Community's high representative Paddy Ashdown warned on Tuesday.

He also challenged Bosnian politicians to "speed up reform activities in order to prevent a disaster".

A similar call came yesterday from the EU's foreign policy chief Javier Solana who urged government reforms.