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.