Bosnia & Herzegovina – a new strategic approach

Author (Corporate)
Series Title
Series Details 05.11.14
Publication Date 05/11/2014
Content Type

Reports of speeches given by the German and United Kingdom Foreign Ministers, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Philip Hammond, at the Aspen South-East Europe Foreign Ministers' Conference in Berlin on the 5 November 2014.

In a joint article the two Foreign Ministers wrote:

There is one country at the heart of Europe still beset by the terrible consequences of a war which ended two decades ago. Deeply entrenched ethnic divisions in Bosnia and Herzogovina have led to political stagnation and stymied much needed reform. The result has been economic and social malaise, which was only exacerbated by catastrophic flooding in the spring of this year. Last month the country’s citizens elected a new parliament. Its performance over the next four years will be crucial in determining their future.

The UK and Germany have already invested a great deal in Bosnia and Herzegovina over the last 20 years: our soldiers and police officers have taken part in NATO and EU missions to stabilise the country, and we have promoted the country’s economic development alongside our involvement at the political level. The fact that our efforts have not yet borne fruit is not a reason to give up and turn away.

On the contrary, we must redouble our efforts to help Bosnia and Herzogovina transform its fortunes.

UK Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, and German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited Sarajevo on 16 January 2015 to secure support for reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Source Link https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/bosnia-herzegovina-a-new-strategic-approach
Related Links
Germany: Federal Foreign Office / Auswärtiges Amt: Speech, 05.11.14: Speech by Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Aspen South-East Europe Foreign Ministers' Conference http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Reden/2014/141105-BM_Aspen.html
Germany: Federal Foreign Office / Auswärtiges Amt: Interviews, 06.11.14: A fresh start for Bosnia and Herzegovina http://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/EN/Infoservice/Presse/Interview/2014/141106-BM_Hammond_FR.html
ESO: Background information: Bosnia and Herzegovina general election, 2014 http://www.europeansources.info/record/bosnia-and-herzegovina-general-election-2014/
EU: EEAS: Statement, 06.11.14: Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on the new initiative for Bosnia and Herzegovina http://www.eeas.europa.eu/statements-eeas/2014/141106_01_en.htm
ECFR: Commentary, 04.12.14: Can Steinmeier and Hammond reset Bosnia? http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_can_steinmeier_and_hammond_reset_bosnia371
Deutsche Welle, 07.12.14: [Opinion]: Bosnia is still Europe's black-hole of corruption http://dw.de/p/1E0Nq
Deutsche Welle, 15.12.14: EU approves German-UK initiative to revive Bosnia membership bid http://dw.de/p/1E5HY
UK: GOV.UK: FCO: Press Release, 16.01.15: Foreign Secretary presses for real progress in Bosnia and Herzegovina https://www.gov.uk/government/news/foreign-secretary-presses-for-real-progress-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina
UK: GOV.UK: FCO: World location: UK and Bosnia and Herzegovina https://www.gov.uk/government/world/bosnia-and-herzegovina

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