Coalition Meeting on Fighting ISIS Terrorism Held

The first ministerial meeting of countries united in the coalition against the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), which also includes BiH, was held at NATO headquarters in Brussels, chaired by US Secretary of State John Kerry.

The meeting was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zlatko Lagumdžija, who, during his address to the participants, emphasized that Bosnia and Herzegovina is committed to formally joining the global coalition and contributing to the international fight against all forms of terrorism.

- Our active involvement in the coalition is a logical next step. Based on our experience, we have legally regulated the prevention of our citizens going to war zones this year, significantly reducing their participation in Syria and surrounding areas. The problem is smaller, but it still exists. The key issue is how to confront the roots of the crisis, poverty, and injustice to prevent the spread and existence of new, but similar, threats. We are particularly interested due to our own experience, fears, and potential solutions that we are willing to share - said Lagumdžija.

Ideology based on the abuse of any religion or nationalism, radicalism of any kind, and segregated societies, always ultimately leads to terror and war crimes, including genocide. This must be attacked with military force, but it can only be defeated by our common interests, which are the promotion and creation of a common society and values - regionally and globally - through social and economic reforms. United in diversity.

That is why we must prevent the creation of a vacuum while transforming BiH and the Western Balkans into EU and NATO states as a common society. This is also important in the context of fighting ISIL and any radicalism and terror we have witnessed in our recent history.

Therefore, we are ready to be part of the "Never Again" movement in our part of the world, as well as anywhere else. We have no alternative. We must either learn to cooperate and respect each other - not just define each other by what we are not - to celebrate our differences, or none of us will have any chance at all - Lagumdžija said at the global coalition meeting.

At the end of the meeting, a Joint Statement of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and representatives of 59 countries was adopted.