NATO Supports Bosnia’s Integrity, Laments Divisive Language

NATO heads of states and governments attending Monday's alliance summit in Brussels vowed to support the territorial integrity and stability of Bosnia while reaffirming "unity, solidarity, and cohesion, and pledging to open a new chapter in transatlantic relations" and address "Russia's aggressive actions that constitute a threat to Euro-Atlantic security" and "China's growing influence".

The summit was attended by US President Joe Biden for the first time since he took office. NATO also tackles climate change for the first time.

In the summit communiqué, issued after the meeting, turning the Balkans, NATO allies said: "Allies strongly support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a stable and secure Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina [known as the Dayton Peace Accords] and other relevant international agreements, encourage domestic reconciliation, and urge political leaders to avoid divisive rhetoric."

That part was particularly important to Croatia's representative, President Zoran Milanovic, as he announced ahead of the summit that we would not consent to the closing declaration without mentioning the Dayton Peace Accords.

According to Milanovic, the problem was solved before the summit, as he had discussed the issue with Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary-General, on Sunday.

"The secretary-general called me yesterday… and everything was resolved in half a minute. It's a small thing for this summit, but for us it's Bigfoot," Milanovic said earlier on Monday.

The 1995 Dayton Peace Accords, which ended the 1992-5 war in the country, retained the former Yugoslav republic's boundaries and created a multi-ethnic government in Bosnia. It also...

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