Cypriotisch voorzitterschap: 'Bosnië-Herzegovina toekomst EU-lid' (en)

Met dank overgenomen van Cypriotisch voorzitterschap Europese Unie 2e helft 2012 i, gepubliceerd op vrijdag 27 juli 2012.

The Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, Dr. Εrato Kozakou-Marcoullis reiterated today the commitment of the Cyprus Presidency to the European perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dr. Marcoullis concluded a two day visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in her capacity as chair of the General Affairs Council of the European Union, responsible for enlargement. The visit follows similar visits to Serbia and Montenegro earlier this month and falls within the framework of the Foreign Affairs Minister’s tour of the Western Balkans concerning the development of EU i enlargement.

The Cypriot Foreign Affairs Minister expressed the Cyprus Presidency commitment to the European perspective of Bosnia and Herzegovina and encouraged the country’s leaders to proceed with the necessary reforms in order to achieve progress in this direction.

All political leaders assured the Foreign Affairs Minister of their determination to implement the Road Map, to which they agreed in Brussels on 27 June, 2012 in order to achieve progress in the country's European perspective. With its implementation, the political leaders expect the Road Map to lead to the submittal of a credible application for EU membership by Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Cyprus Presidency.

During her two-day visit in Sarajevo, Dr. Marcoullis held a series of meetings with a host of officials, including the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr Bakir Izetbegovic and the other two members of the presidency, Mr Zeljko Komsic and Mr Nebojsa Radmanovic.

Dr. Marcoullis also met the Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Zlatko Lagumdžija, as well as the President of the Republic of Srpska, Mr Milorad Dodik and the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Mr Nermin Nikšić.

The Foreign Affairs Minister also met with the Deputy EU Special Representative and Deputy Head of Delegation, Mr Renzo Daviddi and the Principal Deputy High Representative, Ambassador Roderick Moore.

The Foreign Affairs Minister’s visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina is part of her tour of West Balkan countries, which started earlier this month in Serbia and Montenegro and will continue in Albania on July 31.

These visits demonstrate the importance and high priority that the Cyprus Presidency attributes to moving the policy of enlargement forward.