State Secretary Gordan Bakota met in Sarajevo with Deputy Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Lidija Topić

State Secretary Bakota announced Croatian Foreign Minister Miomir Žužul’s visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina in spring 2005. As part of the preparations for this visit, meetings will be held on the final agreement regarding the signing of the prepared bilateral agreements between the Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Secretary at the B&H Ministry of Foreign Affairs Fuad Šabeta said that Bosnia and Herzegovina is interested in intensifying the co-operation to regulate the issues of dual citizenship, joint struggle against crime and human trafficking, and other relations, especially in the field of consular co-operation. It was agreed that regular meetings on secretary level be held several times a year.

Bakota expressed Croatia’s support to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s efforts in approaching the Euro-Atlantic integrations and readiness to offer expert assistance. The two reviewed the issues of succession that will be on the agenda of the following meetings scheduled for early-2005.

State Secretary Bakota also met with Vice-President of the Council of Ministers and B&H Security Minister Bariša Čolak, general vicar of the Vrhbosanska archdiocese Monsignor Mato Zovkić, and head of the cabinet of the Croatian member of the B&H presidency Daria Krstičević.

During his visit to Sarajevo, State Secretary Bakota attended a Christmas concert at the Sarajevo cathedral, performed by Glagolitsa choir “Baščina” from Zagreb, and a mass at the church of St Ante Padovanski in Žepče. Bakota also visited the building site of sports centre “Don Bosco” in Žepče, being built by the Salesians, with the help of the Republic of Croatia.