Bosnia and Herzegovina, 2007

It is my honour to

participate in this meeting of the General Assembly

sixty-second session as Chairman of the Presidency of

Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I would also like to congratulate you, Sir, on your

assumption of the presidency, and to express my

respect and gratitude to Sheikha Haya Rashed

Al-Khalifa for successfully presiding over the sixty-

first session.

The United Nations and all other organizations

depend on the collective strength of their members.

That strength should be drawn from the consensus of

the Member States. On that note, I would like to

express my regret for the loss of momentum in

Security Council reform. For the past several years, our

countries’ representatives have met at the global level

and have been prepared to realize the goals of the

Millennium Declaration, in which the United Nations

plays a distinguished role.

It is well-known that, in the recent past, my

country paid a high price for the imperfect and

inefficient United Nations system. The United Nations

admitted its mistake and emphasized in its first report

on Srebrenica that the United Nations experience in

Bosnia and Herzegovina was one of the most difficult

and painful in the Organization’s history. The report

further noted that Srebrenica clarified the truth the

United Nations and the world learned too late: Bosnia

and Herzegovina was as much a moral obligation as it

was a military conflict, and Srebrenica will haunt us

forever.

On 27 February 2007, the International Court of

Justice ruled on the application of the Convention on

the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of

Genocide in the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina versus

Serbia and Montenegro. The International Court of

Justice ruled that genocide was committed against

Bosnian Muslims in and around Srebrenica in eastern

Bosnia and Herzegovina. Members will agree, of

course, that this was not an isolated case. That is one

more reason for our determination and commitment,

shared by a majority of the Member States, to the

necessary reform of the world Organization.

In that light, Bosnia and Herzegovina is of the

opinion that only a strong United Nations can be an

efficient instrument in regulating international

relations, in accordance with the United Nations

Charter and international law. Apart from the necessary

reforms, it is also essential to revitalize the United

Nations, including the General Assembly and its

committees, the Economic and Social Council, the

Secretariat and other bodies.

That would include defining a number of issues,

such as Security Council membership categories, the

number of members, selection procedures for new

members, veto powers, regional representation,

working methods, and so on. Those attest to the

complexity of the ongoing reform. A productive step

forward will inevitably lead to essential negotiations in

that context, rather than to the usual ongoing

consultations. I should like to emphasize Bosnia and

Herzegovina’s interest in reform that would create a

larger Security Council membership, and thus an

additional seat for the Eastern European Group.

Multi-ethnic and multireligious Bosnia and

Herzegovina, with its rich historical heritage and

experience of the failures of the international

community, primarily the United Nations — failures

that had troubling consequences for my country, but

also positive results in post-war peacebuilding

alongside United Nations representatives, bodies and

agencies — could contribute greatly to the United

Nations becoming an effective instrument in the

collective management of international relations.

My country believes that there can be no peace or

stability without economic and social development. My

country maintains its support for the Security Council

as a critical body for international cooperation, peace

and the development of the rights of all nations.

Having met its historic challenges, Bosnia and

Herzegovina is now able to share its experiences with a

troubled world. Bosnia and Herzegovina is thus

determined to intensify ongoing activities leading to its

non-permanent membership of the Security Council

from 2010 to 2012, and looks forward to the support of

the majority of Member States for that membership.

I come from a post-conflict country that has

moved towards becoming a modern democratic society

and taken the path to European and trans-Atlantic

integration. That is why my country is truly committed

to the strengthening of international cooperation on the

regional, European and global levels.

It is with great pride that I can state today that

Bosnia and Herzegovina is an active participant in all

regional south-eastern European initiatives and

processes. In 2007, Bosnia and Herzegovina was

recognized for its proactive regional stand. The South-

East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) summit

in Zagreb adopted the decision to make Sarajevo the

regional cooperation council centre. Creating the

regional cooperation council is the final step in the

transformation of the Stability Pact for South Eastern

Europe, meaning that SEECP member States will

assume regional responsibilities. With that decision,

the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina will become a

future regional cooperation centre, and Bosnia and

Herzegovina will also be home to the regional disaster

preparedness and prevention initiative secretariat,

taking strong regional ownership of the Stability Pact

for South Eastern Europe initiative. The representative

of Bosnia and Herzegovina will play a lead role in the

regional arms control verification and implementation

assistance centre in Zagreb.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is pursuing active

regional cooperation in fighting organized crime. We

cooperate actively with the Southeast Europe

Cooperative Initiative Centre for Combating

Transborder Crime in Bucharest. It was through more

efficient regional cooperation, electronic identity

databases and efficient border control that Bosnia and

Herzegovina was able to reduce the number of illegal

immigrants, as well as all forms of cross-border

criminal activity.

We are developing cooperation with the

International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna on the

detection and prevention of radioactive substance

transportation and proliferation on Bosnia and

Herzegovina territory. Bosnia and Herzegovina is

building relationships with neighbouring countries on

the basis of equality, complete independence,

sovereignty and territorial integrity. Bosnia and

Herzegovina and its neighbours are aware that

complete development can be achieved only by joining

a united Europe. That goal will be achieved by

pursuing the development of all aspects of good

relations with neighbouring countries, the

democratization of the entire region, and acceptance of

general European standards.

Bosnia and Herzegovina believes in

non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign

countries, and thus that the solution for Kosovo is to be

reached through dialogue among the interested parties.

Bosnia and Herzegovina supports dialogue between

Belgrade and Pristina and is eager to help find a

solution acceptable to both sides within regional

initiatives. Bosnia and Herzegovina supports the efforts

of the Troika Contact Group for Kosovo and hopes that

a satisfying solution for the future status of Kosovo

will be found. A further lengthy delay in the resolution

of the status of Kosovo will certainly have a long-term

negative impact on the entire Balkan region.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has also achieved

significant successes in the broader international

context. In late 2006, Bosnia and Herzegovina became

a member of the NATO Partnership for Peace. Further

recognition came in May 2007, when Bosnia and

Herzegovina became a member of a rather significant

new United Nations body — the Human Rights

Council.

On 31 May 2007, Bosnia and Herzegovina

became a presiding member of the Hague Code of

Conduct, which has been signed by 126 United Nations

Member States. My country and the other signatories

of the Code, who believe in the principle of collective

safety, are prepared to fight against the proliferation of

ballistic missile technology. We are aware of the great

danger posed by ballistic missiles in the hands of

non-government entities, which could abuse them for

destructive purposes anywhere in the world. Therefore,

I urge all countries that have not yet signed the Hague

Code of Conduct — particularly those with ballistic

capacity — to accept the Code. I also wish to urge all

Member States to support the relevant draft resolution

proposed by my country and Portugal.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has participated and will

continue to participate, to the extent possible, in the

international efforts of the anti-terrorism coalition. We

have also undertaken to join the anti-terrorism efforts

of the European Union. The Council of Ministers of

Bosnia and Herzegovina has approved an anti-

terrorism strategic plan for the period 2006-2009. The

ongoing reform of our criminal code will result in

additional anti-terrorism measures that will conform to

the relevant international conventions.

Bosnia and Herzegovina supports other Member

States in continuing joint efforts to strengthen respect

for all human rights, including civil, economic,

cultural, political, social, developmental and other

rights. Bosnia and Herzegovina has agreed to serve as a

sponsor of the Italian initiative aimed at a United

Nations moratorium on the death penalty, to be

considered by the General Assembly. Bosnia and

Herzegovina has made significant progress in

submitting the relevant reports to the Office of the

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

in Geneva.

I also wish to note that Bosnia and Herzegovina,

together with Jordan, has promoted the United Nations

Better World Campaign for the past few years. The

Campaign seeks to improve the timeliness and

effectiveness of humanitarian disaster response.

Bosnian authorities continue to be committed to

cooperating fully with the International Criminal

Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY). All

suspected war criminals from the territories of the

former Yugoslavia must be brought to justice. To date,

we have engaged in positive cooperation with the

Tribunal on issues such as the processing of criminal

charges, extradition, contacting the relevant authorities,

access to documentation and providing appropriate

working conditions for Court representatives and

others in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We are creating a legal framework and have

established the War Crimes Chamber within the Court

of Bosnia and Herzegovina to begin processing war

crimes cases. That is one of the conditions for

establishing an atmosphere of mutual trust and

reconciliation in post-conflict Bosnia and Herzegovina.

However, the ICTY should not conclude its work until

the most notorious war criminals — in particular

Bosnian Serb war leaders Radovan Karadzic, Ratko

Mladic and others — are brought to justice.

Bosnia and Herzegovina supports all peace

initiatives and conflict prevention activities. We

support and are following very closely the Middle East

Road Map, which will lead to permanent and

sustainable peace in Middle East. As part of United

Nations peacekeeping operations, Bosnia and

Herzegovina has military observers in the Congo and

Ethiopia and has contributed to the civilian police

forces in the Sudan, Cyprus, Liberia and Haiti. Bosnia

and Herzegovina has also sent a small demining unit to

Iraq in order to help its people establish a democratic

and self-sustainable country.

We are certain that, by strengthening

multilateralism, the United Nations can develop

effective measures to prevent armed conflict. At the

same time, however, it is essential to uphold the

principle of the political independence, sovereignty and

territorial integrity of all countries, in accordance with

the guiding principles of international law and with full

respect for human rights.

Bosnia and Herzegovina supports the Middle East

Road Map and the initiatives of the Quartet, which

establish a basis for the beginning of a true Israeli-

Palestinian dialogue that is brokered by the United

States and in accordance with European Union

guidelines. Bosnia and Herzegovina calls for a general,

unconditional and mutual cessation of all hostilities,

the release of all hostages and the launching of

negotiations on a definitive two-State solution to the

Israeli-Palestinian problem.

Bosnia and Herzegovina urges all ethnic and

religious communities in Iraq to put an end to sectarian

violence and to take an active role in political life. We

join the rest of the international community in calling

for a broad national political dialogue, emphasizing

full compliance with the Geneva Conventions of 1949.

Mindful of the potentially catastrophic

consequences of a deepening of the crisis related to the

Iranian nuclear development programme, Bosnia and

Herzegovina calls on Iran to be prepared to cooperate

fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency and

to engage in a dialogue with key partners.

The United Nations role in conflict resolution is

crucial. However, during various international crises,

particularly that in the former Yugoslavia, the

Organization has failed to play the role entrusted to it

by the Charter. The Iraqi crisis highlights the

weaknesses of the United Nations in preventing

conflict throughout the world. If the United Nations

fails to shoulder its Charter responsibilities, that could

lead to a number of unilateral interventions, which

would have a very negative impact on international

stability.

The foreign policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina is

focused on long-term peacekeeping and development

with a view to ensuring the safety and stability of

overall development. All our international activities are

based on and conform to the Charter of the United

Nations, the Helsinki Final Act of the Organization for

Security and Cooperation in Europe and universally

accepted principles of international law.

Aware of the enormous threat to peace posed by

nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, particularly

in the hands of terrorists, Bosnia and Herzegovina has

taken significant steps towards total control in

preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass

destruction. We have ratified or acceded to most of the

major documents in this area. Bosnia and Herzegovina

is also eager to cooperate fully with other countries at

the bilateral level through relevant multilateral

organizations and initiatives in order to effectively

fight the proliferation and use of weapons of mass

destruction.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has adopted a law

providing for the implementation of the Chemical

Weapons Convention. As one of the countries most

affected by the mine stockpiles left over from the

previous conflict, Bosnia and Herzegovina is paying

close attention to the implementation of the Ottawa

Convention.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is an active participant

in the response and prevention programmes of the Joint

United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Our

contributions to the fight against that disease are

described in the Bosnia and Herzegovina Strategy to

Prevent and Combat HIV/AIDS, 2004-2009.

Bosnia and Herzegovina pays its dues on time

and on a regular basis to the United Nations and all

other organizations of which it is a member. We urge

other countries, especially major contributors, to do

likewise. I am referring in particular to the dues to the

ICTY and peacekeeping operations that have not been

paid in a timely manner.

Two days ago in this Hall, we had a highly

constructive exchange of views on one of the most

serous and potentially dangerous phenomena of our

time: global warming. Once again, I should like to

emphasize the crucial importance of effective and

timely United Nations action on this issue. In 2000, my

country ratified the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change, which entered into

force in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 15 June 2007. I

urge all Member States that have not yet done so to

ratify the Convention without delay.