COM NHQSa meets with Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers

Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Vjekoslav Bevanda had an initial meeting with NHQSa Commander Brigadier General Gary Huffman and discussed BiH's path to NATO.

ChairmanBevanda said that the BiH Council of Ministers was committed to BiH becoming a full-fledged NATO member as soon as possible. The membership would be a guarantor of long-term stability and prosperity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bevanda said that priorities on this path are resolving the issue of prospective immovable defense property and ensuring funds in the BiH budget for further modernization of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina in line with NATO standards.

General Huffman supported BiH's ambitions regarding NATO. He said that he appreciated the recent decision of the BiH Presidency to strengthen the role of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. General Huffman said it was an important message that BiH sent to NATO partners because BiH made a step forward and instead of being a security consumer it turned into a state that actively contributes to peace building and stability in the world.

The joint conclusion of Chairman Bevanda and Brigadier General Huffman is that the issue of the prospective immovable defense property should be resolved as soon as possible which would mean a step forward towards full-fledged NATO membership. The issue of destruction of surplus ammunition and weapons, and future cooperation between the BiH institutions and NATO Headquarters Sarajevo were also discussed at the meeting.