S/PV.6222
6222nd meeting
Monday, 23 November 2009, 10 a.m.
New York
The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mr. Dabbashi (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) (spoke in Arabic): I welcome Mr. Nikola Špirić, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and thank him for his statement. I also wish to commend Mr. Valentin Inzko, High Representative of the Secretary-General for Bosnia and Herzegovina, for his comprehensive briefing.
Looking back at the early 1990s, we feel great satisfaction at seeing the country, which was then the scene of the most brutal crimes against humanity and of pain and suffering, has overcome its tragedy and begun to regain its strength, re-establish links among its peoples on a civilized basis, guarantee the rights of all, and pave the way towards overall security, stability and prosperity for all its citizens. We note that important achievements have been made towards the establishment of a Bosnia and Herzegovina united with its three peoples on the basis of the Dayton Peace Agreement, despite the differences among the parties, which are fuelled by the painful memories of the past and a lack of trust among the various parties. I wish to commend the efforts of the High Representative to persuade the parties to pursue the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement and to respect their attendant obligations.
Despite the positive developments of recent years, the country continues to move very slowly in implementing the constitutional reform process and in establishing conditions conducive to the transition of the Office of the High Representative to the European Union Special Representative mission. The slow pace can be ascribed to the lack of trust and constructive dialogue among the leaders of the parties, as well as to one party’s challenges to and defiance of State authority, its failure to meet some of its obligations, and its attempts to reduce the powers and authority of the State and the federal Government. All these obstacles have hindered the implementation of the National Justice Sector Reform Strategy, the appointment of some judges to the Federation Constitutional Court, and the achievement of consensus on the distribution of tax revenues and of an acceptable and lasting solution to the problem of State property and other problems requiring the willingness of all parties to fulfil their obligations in good faith.
Among the problems of concern to us is the fact that 120,000 Bosnians are still registered as internally displaced and unable to return to their villages. We deeply regret the fact that the politicization of the issue of internally displaced persons and refugees has obstructed their return and prolonged their suffering. We believe that this issue must be prioritized and that all the State’s energies and power should be dedicated to its solution, which would contribute strongly to stabilizing the State as a whole. We also feel that the tracking and prosecution of those guilty of crimes against humanity and war crimes could help to ease the suffering and erase the memories of the past, and contribute to the search for a better future for all the peoples of the country.
Peace and security will not be achieved if each party clings stubbornly to its own positions; they can be achieved only through consensus, mutual understanding, a sense of realism, and the fulfilment by each and every party of its obligations and commitments. We therefore urge all actors and parties to shoulder their obligations, act responsibly, engage in constructive dialogue, respect State institutions, cooperate fully with the High Representative and abide strictly by their commitments under the Dayton Peace Agreement and its annexes, the Paris accords and the relevant resolutions of the Security Council. That is the best way to ensure the stability and multi-ethnic and multicultural nature of a Bosnia and Herzegovina working towards sustainable development, prosperity for all its people and the enhanced stability of the Balkan region as a whole.
