Miliband urges Bosnian leaders to resume reform process

[ZingPao]

SARAJEVO (AFP) – Foreign Secretary David Miliband said here Monday he was to urge Bosnian political leaders to urgently implement EU-oriented reforms, during a brief visit to the Balkans country.

Miliband flew in to the Bosnian capital only a few hours after the European Union expressed concern about the political situation in Bosnia-Hercegovina, and was to meet with Bosnian political leaders.

"I will be giving them all the same message," he told reporters at Sarajevo airport.

"There is a huge opportunity, but reform is urgent. The opportunity must not be wasted," he warned.

Earlier Monday, EU foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, expressed "deep concern at recent developments in the political situation in Bosnia, particularly the use of nationalist rhetoric."

In a statement, they called on Bosnian authorities "to shoulder their responsibilities, and to renew their efforts to push through the necessary reforms for Bosnia to progress on the path towards the European Union."

Miliband said the statement underlined that "it is time for enhanced focus on the objectives and conditions that are critical to progress in this country."

Bosnia's three-and-a-half-year war, which started in 1992, was sparked by ethnic tensions and left at least 100,000 people dead and more than two million homeless.

The Dayton peace agreement that ended the war split Bosnia into two semi-independent entities -- the Serb Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation -- united only by weak central institutions.

Bosnian politics have been tense since 2006 elections propelled into office two key figures: Haris Silajdzic, the Muslim member of the country's tripartite presidency, and Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik.

Dodik has warned that the Serb Republic could secede while Silajdzic has called for the Serb entity to be abolished. Their opposite stands have been blocking reforms required by the EU.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081110...LjwXvNoAiROrgF