Lajčák meets US officials: NATO and EU membership a “strategic goal” for BiH

The international community’s strategic goal in Bosnia and Herzegovina is to see the country accede to both NATO and the EU as soon as possible. Quick progress is therefore needed on meeting the five objectives and two conditions identified by the Peace Implementation Council in February 2008, the High Representative and EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák and senior US officials concluded during a series of meetings in Washington.

The United States Under-Secretary for Political Affairs William Burns and Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried expressed the US administration’s full support for the work of the Office of the High Representative.

The HR/EUSR and US officials also welcomed recent progress on the reform agenda, in particular the adoption of police reform laws, which have paved the way for BiH to sign a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU.

The goal of the international community is to ensure a successful transition from OHR to a reinforced EU presence in BiH, Lajčák said. The State Department officials assured that the United States would remain fully engaged and committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina throughout and beyond the transition process.