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