Speaking to the press after returning from Washington, Tihic said he was clearly told that the constitutional reform must be carried out.
"It is the uniform position of all officials at the White House, the State Department, the Pentagon, Congress, including world financial institutions... that the amendments are an important step forward and that they have to be adopted," Tihic said. In Washington, he talked with Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, among others.
Tihic relayed their worries that the recent rejection of the amendments in the Bosnian parliament and the standstill in the constitutional reform might slow down Bosnia's reintegration and its Euro-Atlantic integration as well as radicalise the situation in the country.
"The US maintains that the amendments have to be adopted as soon as possible and that preparations for the second phase of the reforms have to be launched."
Tihic announced the possibility of parliament once again considering the amendments later this month. He said the prerequisite for that was the existence of political will and quality preparations, namely a change of heart among those who until now refused to accepted the draft amendments.