SARAJEVO, Sept 19 (Hina) - European Union Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Christopher Patten on Thursday stated in Sarajevo that any further approachment by Bosnia-Herzegovina to European integration processes will depend on the
results of the election in that country to be held on October 5.
SARAJEVO, Sept 19 (Hina) - European Union Commissioner for Foreign
Affairs Christopher Patten on Thursday stated in Sarajevo that any
further approachment by Bosnia-Herzegovina to European
integration processes will depend on the results of the election in
that country to be held on October 5. #L#
Following a meeting with the chair of the Bosnian Council of
Ministers Dragan Mikerevic and Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija
in Sarajevo, Patten told journalists that conditions were mostly
fulfilled as set earlier by the EU in an effort to create the proper
conditions for negotiations on stabilisation and association. This
refers to 18 pre-conditions presented to Sarajevo in 2000 when a
broad coalition of moderate parties came into power.
Progress had been made and the European Commission could recommend
to the Union's members to approve a feasibility study, Patten said
while at the same time stressing that this would not occur before
the October election.
EU member-countries, according to Patten, wish to be convinced that
after the polls, the Bosnian government will once again consist of
parties directed towards reforms that share European values.
Patten did not wish to say whether the EU supported certain parties
in Bosnia pointing out that this would not be in keeping with a
democratic system in wake of the election.
Praising the efforts that the current government has exerted in the
past two years, he ,nevertheless, indirectly indicated than any
possible victory of national parties at the election would
definitely remove that country from that circle of countries
considered to be serious candidates for accession to the EU.
(hina) sp ms