BiH Council of Ministers Chair Nikola Spiric and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Tuesday in Sarajevo that cooperation between the two friendly countries is good and that it should be improved in all the sectors that has not been done.
Spiric told the press after the meeting that the officials agreed that the friendly relations are not followed by a good economic cooperation and cooperation in all other sectors.
â€The 2007 data state that we imported 270 million worth of merchandise and exported only 40 million. That says that the exchange and import-export balance has not been for the benefit of BiH. Strength of the Turkish economy guarantees almost certainly a higher level of trade exchange and we will try to correct that trade misbalance. We are pleased that there is an interest at the Turkish market for BiH goodsâ€, Spiric said.
Spiric stated that Turkey has progressed on the scale of the most important investors in Bih from 12th to 9th position. He added that the investments in Maglaj and Tuzla are important for BiH. They opened jobs for about 1.000 employees.
â€Certain problems in relation to the provision of materials should not be an obstacle to investment processes and we will do all in our power to remove all the misunderstandingsâ€, Spiric stated.
as far as bilateral agreements are concerned, he is of the opinion that it is very important that the agreement presuppositions have been created.
â€We expected and we now have been promised the support of friendly Turkey at the upcoming NATO Summit, which is very important for BiH, for we are about to be granted the intensive dialogue statusâ€, Spiric stated.
He thanked the Turkish Prime Minister for supporting BiH in the process of stabilization, perseverance of peace and reconstruction. He also thanked for the projects of BiH cultural and historical heritage reconstruction, like the Drina Bridge in Visegrad that is to be certified today by UNESCO as a part of the World heritage List. He also thanked for the engagement in reconstruction processes of the Ferhadija Mosque in Banja Luka and the Konjic Bridge.
â€All of them are projects the Turkish Government wants to support and we are greatful for thatâ€, Spiric stated.
He informed Turkish Prime Minister that BiH will support Turkey in hosting the EXPO exhibit in 2015.
â€This visit is a sign of a new, stronger cooperation between the two friendly countries. We expressed readiness for cooperation in all sectorsâ€, Spiric stated.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey and BiH share enormous cultural and historical values and that, starting from this fact, relations between the two states should be brought to another, higher level.
According to him, the meeting focused on sectors which enable intensification of cooperation and in which mutual support could be made applicable.
â€We again emphasized the importance Turkey gives to the perseverance of sovereignty and territorial integrity of internationally recognized state borders of BiH, as well as to the perseverance of stability and peace. We also asked for a possibility to discuss events in the region and international relationsâ€, Turkish Prime Minister stated.
The meeting also focused on BiH EU and NATO association processes, as well as BiH’s status within NATO.
â€We emphasized readiness and determination to support BiH on the Euro-Atlantic road. That is primarily related to the NATO Summit in Bucharestâ€, Prime Minister Erdogan stated and added that there is a need for mutual understanding related to the Balkan countries and perseverance of sustainable peace and safety in the area.
Turkish Prime Minister expressed determination to intensify and improve relations with BiH in all the sectors.
Answering the journalist’s question to comment the Turkish view of the current political situation in BiH, as well as to comment the calls for separation of the RS, Prime Minister Erdogan stated that Turkey sees BiH from the point of view of its unity.
â€Divisions always result in losses and make one lose power. In order for you not to weaken, territorial integrity is important in our view. We are of the opinion that it is of the outmost importance that the consciousness of being a part of BiH is developed between the people, for BiH is a good example of various ethnic groups, people of different cultures and confessions, living togetherâ€, Turkish Prime Minister stated.
Spiric stated that the call for separation does not exist. He emphasized that the BiH media are also able to do a lot in perseverance of BiH territorial integrity.
Turkish delegation also met with members of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly’s Houses’ Collegiums. The Turkish high officials are also to meet with members of the Turkish contingent in EUFOR.