"By showing that we are capable of regulate our relations, we will also demonstrate our maturity to enter the EU," said Mesic.
He was speaking at a conference called "The Future of Southeast Europe: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, and the Prospect of Euro-Atlantic Integration". Also in attendance was Bosnian Presidency chairman Sulejman Tihic, while Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic, although announced, was unable to attend due to unplanned commitments. The event was organised by the Civic Human Rights Committee and the Igman Initiative, an international coordinating body of nongovernmental organisations.
"For the cooperation to be as good and as effective as possible, we have to get rid of the legacy of the past and we must... seek and find solutions to outstanding issues through negotiations and agreements," Mesic said, adding the international community could be counted on for assistance. "The Hague (war crimes) tribunal is one form of such assistance, but the bulk of the job is on us."
Bosnia's Tihic said one of the key problems burdening relations among former Yugoslav republics was an inappropriate attitude to war criminals.
"Part of the public, but some political representatives as well, try to justify war crimes with the protection of national interests or the excuse that the war crimes were perpetrated by others," he said.
Tihic stressed this must change, with the defining role to be played by political leaders who he said must clearly condemn all criminals and insist they be punished.
He added that in order to achieve that goal, the Dayton agreement must be changed as well. "The political system established by the Dayton agreement is increasingly becoming a hurdle."
Tihic said that next year could see the finishing touch put to the Dayton agreement, on the tenth anniversary of its signing and after Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic, the two most wanted war criminals, were arrested. "That would be the end of the Dayton Bosnia and the beginning of the Brussels Bosnia."
President Mesic said that although the Dayton agreement ended the war in Bosnia, it failed to fully establish the mechanisms necessary for the state to function. He said the agreement should be fine-tuned, but added a decision needed to be made on how to do it.
Mesic underlined that Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro were all on the same road to the EU and that despite different approaches, they must exchange experiences and help each other.
Both Mesic and Tihic paid tribute to the Igman Initiative and nongovernmental organisations for their help in the creation of conditions required for EU membership.