Pusić: NATO summit in September should be enlargement summit

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić is attending a meeting of NATO member states’ foreign ministers

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Vesna Pusić is attending a meeting of NATO member states’ foreign ministers. She said the meeting would discuss the new circumstances created by Russia annexing Crimea, which is recognized by neither the EU nor NATO. The meeting therefore is to focus on the new situation in Europe, cooperation between the Eastern Partnership countries and the EU, as well as NATO membership candidates. Also scheduled are meeting in the NATO-Georgia and NATO-Ukraine format.

In regard to the prospect of NATO enlargement, Pusić said that so far there was quite a firm position that the NATO summit in Wales in September would not be an enlargement summit. “We believe it should be, at least in Montenegro's case, which in our opinion is ready for membership, which would significantly contribute to security in the Mediterranean," she said.

The Croatian foreign minister was also attending a ministerial meeting preparatory to the EU-Africa summit starting on Wednesday, whose main topics will be security and stability, as well as cooperation between the EU member states and Africa. “We will discuss development as an instrument of stabilization, as well as human rights and functional institutions. This is that age-long discussion between Europe and Africa – the issue of economic development as a solution to all of Africa’s problems,” she said.

Pusić recalled her visit to Sarajevo the previous week, saying she was glad to see that regardless of their ethnic background, they all shared the view that it would be good if Bosnia and Herzegovina embarked on the European path, without lowering the criteria, and that European institutions should take a proactive stance to ensure that the necessary criteria are met.

“I had an interesting meeting with a number of government officials and representatives of nongovernmental organisations, who are a valuable source of ideas and create a positive atmosphere in the society - in a rational and moderate manner, which is also one of Bosnia’s potentials,” Pusić said. "In Bosnia and Herzegovina, as far as I have seen, there is the political will, but the question remains whether there is the strength for it. At this point it is crucial whether the EU is ready to conceive a new approach. There is awareness that a new approach is necessary, but whether it is this one or some other, there will be more discussions about it and it will be seen whether there is a readiness to pursue this new approach now," she said, adding that it was in Croatia’s interest that BiH be stable for our own security. 

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