The PIC is going to discuss the future of the OHR. Should the mandate of the OHR (and EUSR) be extended and, if yes, for how long? The current High Representative is proposing a one-year extension of the OHR.
This is for the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) to decide. The current High Representative has presented his analysis and the PIC will now assess the situation in the country and in the region and take a decision. Let me be clear: the PIC decision is about the future of the international presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The International Community and in particular the EU remains strongly committed to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the international presence should be adapted to the evolving situation in the country.  

On 2 October, I congratulated the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the success of the first elections conducted and managed entirely by domestic institutions. Five months later, the challenges before the new leadership are still well known:  Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to continue to  implement  the reforms required to move closer to the EU and to uphold the Dayton/Paris Peace Agreement. I hope that the newly established government will be able to restore unity around the reform agenda. For its part, the EU has several times reiterated its full support to the European perspective of BiH. Now it is really up to your country’s leadership to restore the reform momentum.

Decision to extend (most probably) the OHR is a result of a worsening situation in BiH. Is that true?
The decision to close the OHR at the end of June was subject to review and confirmation early in 2007 and that review will take into account both the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region. The record of the past year in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been mixed with both positive and negative developments. On the one hand, the economy is clearly growing at a substantial pace, Bosnia and Herzegovina is now in NATO’s Partnership-for-Peace programme, and a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the European Union may be close. On the other hand, the pattern of domestic political debate has been less encouraging: during the campaign that preceded last October’s general election, many party leaders deployed some of the least constructive rhetoric heard in the past decade. Nevertheless, the process of forming coalitions at the various levels of government has proceeded without international intervention at roughly the same speed as it did four years earlier. The security environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina remains benign, so that we are in a position to reduce the size of EUFOR. We will, however, be reinforcing and strengthening the European Union’s political presence.

Mr Schilling is saying that one of reasons for extending the mandate of the OHR is future status of Kosovo. Do you agree? And, what effect on Bosnia can resolution of Kosovo have? If any?
There has been significant progress in the Western Balkans region over the last years: greater stability, democratic reforms, economic growth, improved regional cooperation, progress towards the EU through the Stabilization and Association Process. To consolidate this progress of general stabilisation, a key challenge remains: the completion of the Kosovo status negotiations and the implementation of the outcome, with one strategic objective: a timely and sustainable settlement that promotes regional stability and the European perspective of the region. At this crucial stage, great responsibility is required not only from the Parties still involved in the negotiating process, but from all political leaders in the region. Against this background, statements by political leaders in both Serbia and Republika Srpska drawing parallels between decisions on Kosovo’s future status and the position of Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina are of course unacceptable as they are unfounded and serve only to raise political tensions.

 Europeans are deciding, by the end of this month on future of the EUFOR. What outcome you are expecting? We in Bosnia heard of big reduction of EUFOR.
The definitive decision on EUFOR’s future troop strength will be taken this week. However, already in December, EU foreign ministers decided in principle to reduce the number of troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina to about 2,500. The decision to reduce the size of EUFOR has been based on a thorough assessment of the security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. Clearly, the European Union will not put this country’s hard-won security at risk.

The reduction should not be interpreted as a lessening of the European Union’s commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rather, it should be viewed as recognition of the progress that this country has made in strengthening its own security structures. EUFOR will be smaller next year, but it will retain the same robust peace-enforcement mandate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and the Dayton Agreement and will be capable of dealing with or deterring any possible challenge to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s peace as well as providing support to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

If needed, EUFOR would also be able to call on immediate reinforcements in the form of over-the-horizon troops. EUFOR will also maintain for some time the capacity to reverse the force reduction and to re-establish a more heavyweight presence should that appear necessary. Such contingency planning is both prudent and standard procedure. No one expects it will have to be implemented. Instead, we hope and expect that the security situation will continue to improve to the point that it is self-sustaining.

Bosnia is stuck on its EU path due to a blockade of a reform of police. Can you comment that?
Two weeks ago political talks on police restructuring appeared impossible. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political leaders, nevertheless, came together to thrash out a compromise and have managed to move the process agreed to in October 2005 forward. All sides have accepted the Police Directorate Report as the basis of the reform and this is extremely encouraging. Clearly, therefore, the status quo has to change. But it is up to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political leaders to work out how to make the reform acceptable to all. Changes to the Police Directorate Report are possible – as long as they are in line with the three EU principles. Bosnia and Herzegovina needs police reform and it needs a Stabilisation and Association Agreement. I hope your political leaders will make the most of the narrow window of opportunity to make signing of an SAA before the end of 2007 possible.