prijava
SARAJEVO, November 22 (FENA) - Eleventh Strategic Political-Military Seminar "Participation of BiH in the EU-led peace support operations within joint defense and security policy of the EU" started in Sarajevo today, organized by Ministry of Defense of BiH, OSCE Mission to BiH and Embassy of FR Germany to BiH.
Minister of Defense of BiH Marina Pendeš, Ambassador of FR Germany Christine Hohmann and Representative of the OSCE Mission to BiH Željka Šulc were keynote speakers.
Pendeš emphasized the aim of the seminar is to increase interdepartmental understanding and cooperation of all participants of defense and security sector of BiH.
She said the strategic aim of Ministry of Defense of BiH is accession to NATO and the EU and based on that "our institution is determined to engage BiH AF, apart from UN and NATO led missions and peace operations, in peace support operations led by the European Union, all based on agreement between the EU and BiH," which Pendeš signed with the EU High Representative for Defense and Security Federica Mogherini in 2015.
"Participation in this and similar missions confirms Armed Forces of BiH are ready, together with their allies and partners, to give equal contribution in executing very complex and responsible tasks within operations of collective security," said Pendeš.
She emphasized they want to achieve several aims through the seminar and added she expects its results to help Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of BiH to additionally improve normative-legal regulations, standard operational procedures, overall understanding of defense and security policy of the EU towards enhancing cooperation with this institution in this field.
Ambassador of FR Germany to BiH Christine Hohmann commended the efforts of Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces of BiH for organizing the seminar and said this is the right time to talk and discuss topics which concern joint defense and security policy of the EU, their understanding in sense of overall efforts of BiH on its path to the Euro-Atlantic integration. She also emphasized she is proud of the fact that Armed Forces of BiH have been contributing to collective security in the world through their engagement in peace support operations.
Representative of the OSCE Mission of BiH Željka Šulc said that the seminar, as well as topics that will be discussed in the next two days, is an important interstate, but also internal issue, because states must respond to security challenges together, including challenges of transnational nature, applying mechanisms of collective or collaborative security.
Two-day seminar consists of lectures, panels and group work where participants will discuss important issues in area of defense and security policy of the European Union, experiences of its members in this area and perspectives and future plans of BiH MoD and AF regarding adoption and implementation of signed agreements and commitments related to participation in the EU missions.
Experts in this area will give their views, proposals and recommendations on these topics, including experts from BiH defense institutions, FR Germany, Republic of Croatia, NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo and academic community in BiH, BiH MoD stated.
(FENA) A. B.
