Restructuring of BiH Armed Forces: Ivanić asked NATO General Scaparrotti for neutrality

BiH Presidency Member Mladen Ivanić received General Curtis Scaparrotti, Commander of Allied Command and NATO's European Command, in Sarajevo today, the Presidency announced, reports Patria.

The meeting focused on the continuation of cooperation between NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was assessed as satisfactory, as well as issues related to defense reform in BiH and the fulfillment of conditions for activating the Membership Action Plan (MAP) for NATO.

Ivanić emphasized that NATO's consultative role in the restructuring of the Armed Forces of BiH is welcome, but that it must be neutral and politically unbiased, without favoring any BiH party, because, as he pointed out, we want well-organized and not overly large armed forces that can adequately assist the population of BiH.     

General Scaparrotti is confident that NATO can provide such impartial assistance, emphasizing that BiH is a very important part of Europe.

Ivanić expressed gratitude for the continuous support and efforts invested in preserving peace and security in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as for the cooperation with the Armed Forces of BiH. He took this opportunity to inform General Scaparrotti about his upcoming trip to Afghanistan, in his capacity as Chairman of the BiH Presidency, at the end of November, with the aim of visiting members of the BiH Armed Forces who are part of NATO's "Resolute Support" mission.    

General Scaparrotti thanked Ivanić for the participation of the Armed Forces of BiH in that mission in capacities that the BiH Armed Forces can professionally handle, emphasizing that the upcoming visit to Afghanistan is important for NATO and a good signal that BiH is a country that can actively contribute to preserving peace in the world.  

The meeting was attended by US Ambassador to BiH Maureen Cormack and Commander of NATO Headquarters in BiH, General Giselle Wilz.

Advisors Selmo Cikotić and Dejan Vanjek attended the meeting on behalf of the Chairman and BiH Presidency Members Bakir Izetbegović and Dragan Čović.