GUIDANCE FOR UNSC DISCUSSION ON BOSNIA AND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 052693 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC PREL BH SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR UNSC DISCUSSION ON BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA, MAY 19 ¶1. USUN should draw on the following points for use during the discussion following the briefing by the High Representative for the Implementation of the Peace Agreement on Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 19. ¶2. Mr. President: I would like to welcome High Representative Miroslav Lajcak to the Security Council today and take this opportunity to commend him for his outstanding performance and for the outstanding performance of his staff. The role of the High Representative remains critical in implementing the Dayton Accords and ensuring that Bosnia and Herzegovina completes its transition to a secure and stable sovereign state. I would like to reaffirm the United States, strong support for the Peace Implementation Council,s (PIC) decision to continue the High Representative,s mandate until the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina fully meet the objectives and conditions endorsed by the PIC in February. Thanks to the substantial efforts of all parties involved, we have seen progress in the areas identified by the PIC, as the High Representative has noted in his report. We congratulate Bosnia and Herzegovina,s passage of police reform laws that the EU has said meet its requirements for concluding a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA). This would not have happened without the High Representative,s steadfast engagement. We are hopeful that Bosnia and Herzegovina will set aside the zero-sum ethnic politics that delayed agreement on police reform and conclusion of the SAA for three years and will sign and implement the SAA as soon as possible. We have seen progress in the areas of moveable defense property and Rule-of-Law legislation. We hope that the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina can resolve the remaining issues of state property, Brcko, a national war crimes strategy, and justice sector reform by the end of this year. In addition to these issues, which will determine when the Office of the High Representative can close, I would like to highlight three areas that the United States believes are also critical for Bosnia and Herzegovina. First: NATO,s offer of Intensified Dialogue so soon after joining the Partnership for Peace is a credit to Bosnia and Herzegovina,s progress in implementing comprehensive defense reform. We urge the country,s authorities to cooperate closely with NATO and utilize the Intensified Dialogue to the greatest extent possible so that Bosnia and Herzegovina may eventually put forward its best candidacy for eventual NATO membership. Second: Regarding the upcoming municipal elections, we urge the politicians of Bosnia and Herzegovina to avoid the divisive nationalist rhetoric that characterized the 2006 election campaign. Such messages serve only to keep the country trapped in the past and further delay progress toward integration into Europe, a goal that is supported by the vast majority of Bosnia and Herzegovina,s citizens. Third: Improvements to the Dayton constitution may be required to enable Bosnia and Herzegovina to meet the requirements for Euro-Atlantic integration. We are prepared to support the Bosnians in such an effort if they demonstrate the political will to pursue that approach. These reforms can only be achieved with support among all three constituent peoples. Mr. President, The United States, remains fully committed to ensuring that Bosnia and Herzegovina completes a successful transition to stability and security under democratic governance. Working closely with the High Representative, we look forward to engaging with its leadership and helping Bosnia and STATE 00052693 002 OF 002 Herzegovina to join with its neighbors in stabilizing the entire region and taking its rightful place within the Euro-Atlantic community. End Points. RICE