US Embassy, Britain, and NATO HQ: BiH Defence Review is Progress, but Does Not Mean MAP Activation

The Embassies of the United States of America and Great Britain, and the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo welcome the decision of the BiH Presidency to issue clear guidelines to the BiH Ministry of Defence to complete the Defence Review of BiH, it was announced from the Public Relations Office of the US Embassy, reports the Patria News Agency.  

The completed Defence Review will define the size and capabilities of the Armed Forces of BiH, the backbone of modernization plans, and determine the resources needed to successfully execute a whole range of missions. The Defence Review will also ensure that BiH has adequate, fiscally sustainable armed forces.

The completion of the Defence Review is an important goal of the partnership with NATO and we commend the efforts BiH is making in this field. Although the Defence Plan is not a substitute for the Tallinn conditions and does not mean MAP activation, it is important, and clearly shows BiH's readiness to resolve difficult issues and achieve consensus.

The BiH Ministry of Defence must now act quickly to finalize the Defence Review and continue with the reforms needed for modernization, capacity development, and the path towards NATO.

We support BiH's continuous progress on the path to NATO, which offers a proven guarantee of collective security and inclusion in the strongest international collective security organization, the statement concludes.