2006 Press Releases

U.S. Welcomes Bosnian Constitutional Reform Agreement

03/20/06

Press Statement by Sean McCormack, State Department Spokesman

The United States welcomes the March 18 constitutional reform agreement reached among the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s major political parties. The agreement follows months of hard work by the parties towards fulfilling their commitment to Secretary Rice made at events commemorating the Dayton Peace Accords on November 22, 2005.

The political leaders have agreed to streamline the Presidency and to make a stronger and more effective national Council of Ministers and Parliament. These are significant first steps towards modernizing the structures established by the Dayton Peace Accords and towards creating a more functional state ready to take its place in Euro-Atlantic institutions.

We look forward to swift parliamentary approval of these reforms so that they will be in effect for the October 2006 general elections. These reforms are only first steps in a multi-phase process. We welcome the parties’ commitment to pursue further constitutional reforms following the October elections.