No negotiations on full respect for the Dayton Agreement

Twenty years after the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement, Bosnia and Herzegovina can be a country where hard work is decently paid, where citizens can raise their children in safety and with dignity, said High Representative Valentin Inzko today, but this will only happen if citizens take the political process into their own hands, reports the Patria News Agency.  

The High Representative gave a speech at a seminar on the Dayton Agreement organized by the City University of London.

-Progress is absolutely possible, said Inzko.

-We saw this in recent months when the authorities adopted the Reform Agenda, which was prepared in cooperation with the European Union. It is a socio-economic plan that has a real chance to improve the lives of Bosnia and Herzegovina's citizens. The agenda is also supported by the international community, which will provide practical assistance if requested. If adopted and implemented, the Reform Agenda will open new opportunities for the country as a whole and its citizens.

During his two-day visit to London, the High Representative spoke with senior officials of Great Britain, including Minister of State for Europe David Lidington. The High Representative emphasized that he and the Peace Implementation Council are fully committed to ensuring respect for the Dayton Agreement, of which the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina are a central part. Challenging the Dayton Agreement means challenging the framework that has maintained peace for the past 20 years, the OHR announced.