26.9.08

WELCOME BY MR LLUĺS MARIA DE PUIG,

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

TO MR HARIS SILAJDZIC,

CHAIR OF THE PRESIDENCY OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

(Strasbourg, Tuesday 30 September 2008)

I now have a great pleasure to welcome Mr Haris SILAJDZIC, Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Mr President, your country joined the Council of Europe six years ago, and has since pursued an ambitious programme of reforms commensurate with its European aspirations. We welcome in particular the signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union last June.

This agreement offers new development opportunities for your country and shall give a fresh impetus to your efforts to embrace the European acquis in the field of democracy, rule of law and human rights.

Your country’s membership in the Council of Europe and progress towards integrating the European Union are closely linked. The success of Bosnia and Herzegovina in that respect greatly depends on the implementation of commitments to the Council of Europe. We therefore hope that the constitutional reform will advance more rapidly in order to trigger much-needed legislative improvements in other domains.

The future of Bosnia and Herzegovina is in the hands of its citizens. We trust that a pragmatic dialogue will ultimately lead to a convergence of views and a shared vision for securing peace, stability and prosperity - in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the whole region.

Mr President, you have the floor.