Foreign Minister Maris Riekstiņš: Invitation to Bosnia and Herzegovina to join NATO MAP is a motivation for further reforms [23 Apr 2010]

On 22 April in Tallinn, Estonia, during the second working session of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting, the Alliance's foreign ministers, including Foreign Minister Maris Riekstiņš, agreed to extend invitation to Bosnia and Herzegovina to join NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP).

The foreign ministers of the Alliance were positive about Bosnia and Herzegovina's efforts since December 2009 foreign ministers' meeting when a decision was taken that Bosnia and Herzegovina would join the MAP after achieving considerable progress in the field of the required reforms.

At the same time, the NATO foreign ministers in Tallinn noted that NATO would accept Bosnia and Herzegovina's first Annual National Programme only when all immovable defence properties in Bosnia and Herzegovina would have been officially registered as the state property.

"From the point of view of Latvia's experience with the process of integration in NATO, I believe that the Membership Action Plan is a vital motivating factor and an impetus for further reforms in the country. Therefore I invite to agree on sending such a signal of political support to Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to achieve further progress in reforms," Foreign Minister Riekstiņš noted. During the discussions, the Foreign Minister of Latvia highlighted the strategic significance of the Western Balkans region for security and stability in Europe.

Further agenda of the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting for 23 April includes a discussion on the NATO-Russia relations, as well as a working session of the foreign ministers from the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) member states who will address the situation in Afghanistan.