December 4 and 5, Secretary
Clinton is in Brussels for her last Meeting of NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs.
Five weeks ago, she was
here in Sarajevo, alongside EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, with a
very direct message to political
leaders – move quickly forward on the reforms necessary for EU and NATO
membership. On NATO, Secretary Clinton said the following: “There was an
agreement last March about a way forward that would give you MAP, the action
plan for membership. The constitutional court has clarified any remaining legal
doubt about how to resolve the state property issue. Therefore, if there can be
a final decision coming out of the presidency in November, I will personally go
to the NATO Ministerial in Brussels in December to push for MAP to be given to
you.”
Secretary Clinton followed
up on her part of the deal. She even told other ministers she was ready to push
for BiH at the NATO Ministerial meeting if the political leaders in Bosnia and
Herzegovina took action. What have BiH’s political leaders done? Unfortunately,
they have once again failed to implement an agreement they signed months ago to
resolve defense property. They have failed to break the political gridlock in
order to achieve what is in the best interest of the citizens who elected them.
There have been five NATO
ministerial meetings and one summit since the ministers’ decision in Tallinn to
permit BiH to participate fully in the Membership Action Plan once defense
property was registered as property of the Ministry of Defense. It is
incredibly disappointing that yet again – two and one half years after Tallinn
-- BiH will not make progress toward NATO. Yet again, the full activation of
its Membership Action Plan will not possible. Yet again, the citizens of BiH
are forced to sit on the sidelines as their neighbors move forward to join the
other democracies of Europe. Yet again, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be left
even further behind due to a lack of political leadership.
I have been here two years
and many of you have probably heard me say this before, but it bears repeating.
The U.S. is unequivocal in our support and our hope for the future of this
country. Bosnia and Herzegovina and its citizens have only one choice – a
multiethnic, stable, and prosperous democracy. We think that can best be
achieved if BiH is anchored firmly in Europe and the Euro-Atlantic Alliance. I
believe this view matches the will of the people and particularly the
aspirations of BiH’s young people. As Secretary Clinton said when she visited,
“we want to see you in NATO, and we want to see you in the EU. But we have been
frustrated that your leadership has not reflected the aspirations of the great
majority of your people to move quickly toward NATO and EU.”
As we approach yet another
year without a solution to the critical issues holding BiH back, I can only
hope that 2013 will bring the courageous, principled leadership necessary to
come to compromise and move this country forward. If BiH does not make
progress, it will be left farther and farther behind.
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