Bosnia to start 'historic' talks on closer EU ties

EU foreign ministers gave Bosnia the green light on Monday to start talks on a Stabilisation and Association agreement (SAA) with Brussels, while a new constitution for the country appears within reach.

Foreign ministers authorised the European Commission to start the SAA negotiations as early as possible.

Officials said talks are set to kick off as soon as Friday (25 November), with enlargement commissioner Olli Rehn set to travel to Sarajevo to open the negotiations in a ceremony.

The decision came as Bosnian politicians have gathered in Washington to mark the 10th anniversary of the Dayton peace agreement, which ended the war that ravaged the country between 1992 and 1995.

"Bosnia and Herzegovina's journey towards the EU has now begun in earnest," foreign ministers said in their conclusions.

"The opening of negotiations marks a historic moment in Bosnia and Herzegovina's development, as the first important step towards its establishment of contractual relations with the EU", the ministers said.

The talks on an SAA agreement - a relationship with Brussels containing economic, political and regional co-operation clauses - precede any negotiations on fully-fledged EU membership.

The Bosnian leadership hopes to sign an SAA agreement within one year.

But foreign ministers said that "the pace and the conclusions of the negotiations will depend on the progress made in Bosnia-Herzegovina".

Crucial yardsticks include police reform and notably also cooperation with the International Court for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague.

Constitution deal in sight

Meanwhile, AP reports that Bosnian leaders are close to a basic agreement on a new constitution for the country, a move which would be of key importance to the SAA talks as well.

The Bosnian prime minister Adnan Terzic indicated in October that the biggest hurdles to a quick signing of the SAA deal lie with the country’s constitutional structure with 13 different governments unable to implement SAA reforms.

Bosnia has two separate entities, a federal government, as well as several semi- autonomous cantons.

Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said that representatives from Bosnian Muslim, Croat and Serb communities could come together on a common statement, agreeing to finalise details before the country’s elections next year.

"We're not there yet. We don't have an agreement yet," Mr Burns said. "But I'm confident that they're heading in that direction."

Talks on a new constitution are held on the basis of a blueprint, which was developed during seven months of secret negotiations between US experts and officials and Bosnian politicians, with EU backing.