Najave
Krišto – Stoltenberg Meeting
11/20/2023
The Council of Ministers of BIH delegation, other than Chairwoman Krišto, included Deputy Chairman and Defence Minister Zukan Helez, Minister of Foreign Affairs of BIH Elmedin Konaković and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair of the Committee for Cooperation with NATO Josip Brkić.
“Cooperation with NATO provides us an opportunity to up-grade security and defence capacities through participation in peace-keeping missions, where we advance capabilities of our armed forces. These elements exactly make it possible to respond to threat challenges, such as terrorism and organised crime are”, Chairwoman Krišto stated, after the meeting of the Council of Ministers of BIH and NATO delegations.
She stressed that cooperation with NATO affects directly modernisation of institutions and processes in BIH, including social reforms implementation.
She underlines that there is a decision for BIH to join NATO, which would give BIH an opportunity to get integrated into European structures, key for tis stability and prosperity.
Chairwoman Krišto thanked to Stoltenberg for an assistance package to Institutions and authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the purpose of strengthening of BIH defence capacities, worth between EUR 48 and EUR 53 million, She added that it is about nine projects from defence sector and three form security sector, to be implemented over the next five years.
“We will continue working on improvement of cooperation with NATO, which presumes work on development of reform programme, as one among first tasks since the Commission for Cooperation with NATO was fromed”, Chairwoman Krišto stated.
NATO General-Secretary Stoltenberg stated after the meeting with Chairwoman Krišto and members of the Council of Ministers of BIH that NATO remains committed to providing support to BIH on its Euro-Atlantic road.
“We discussed today on security situation in your country and the region. Allies support strongly sovereignty and territorial integrity of your country. We are concerned about secessionist and divisive rethorics, as well as about foreign influence, especially by Russia”, Stoltenberg said.
It threats to undermine stability and weaken reforms, he added, emphasising that all leaders have to work on unity and progress as it is key for stability and security of the country.
“It is very important for us and we are extremely devoted to stability and security in the region. You are aware that NATO has been committed for years to stability in your country, which is important for your country as for the whole Western Balkan region. Therefor we active in deepening our cooperation, our political dialogue and our practical cooperation””, Stoltenberg added.
He said that NATO HQ in Sarajevo supports the European Union Althea Mission, and that NATO allies remain committed to the Mission success and welcome unanimously an adoption of the Mission extension by the Security Council of UN.
Video recording for media si available at: https://youtube.com/watch?v=T73YMUTIt1k
Photos at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/vijeceministara/albums/72177720312813908
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