prijava
SARAJEVO, May 22 (FENA) - "Thirty years of BiH membership in the United Nations and current challenges" is a topic discussed at today's regular session of the Association of Independent Intellectuals "Circle 99" by introductory speaker Sven Alkalaj, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of BiH to the United Nations.
In his introductory speech, Alkalaj mentioned the most important dates related to international relations and Bosnia and Herzegovina itself and its international politics.
“I would like to mention the embargo on weapons that the United Nations passed at the suggestion of the then Yugoslav delegation, to ban the import of weapons to the countries of the former Yugoslavia. We all know how it affected us and what we had to do to get weapons, because there were weapons, but it was not on the right side, it was with the aggressor who wanted to destroy BiH and its statehood,” said Alkalaj.
He emphasized that the important dates were February 29 and March 1, 1992, when BiH clearly and loudly said in a referendum that it wanted to be an independent state.
“On April 5, the European Union recognized us, on April 6, the United States of America, and thus the way was opened for BiH's accession to the United Nations,” he said.
He added that "this act of accession did not go without complications".
“Namely, the application must be submitted within a month for admission to the UN in the office of the Secretary General. However, seven days before the reception, on May 15, a problem arose because there was no BiH application for the UN or the existing one was not valid, as it came by fax and it did not contain the original signature of President Izetbegović. However, Sarajevo was already under siege at that time and the only possibility of communication was through fax,” Alkalaj reminded. He added that the text then was rewritten and Silajdžić signed it and handed it over to the UN Secretariat.
Alkalaj pointed out that fortunately, everything was resolved and BiH became a member of the United Nations.
He emphasized that, therefore, the United Nations did not cope with the situation in BiH as to prevent and react to the crimes committed during the aggression against BiH.
He pointed out that in this thirty-year period, as soon as the war ended, BiH continued its activities in the UN by participating in numerous bodies, agencies and organizations of the United Nations.
President of Circle 99 Adil Kulenović pointed out that "the act of accepting BiH as an equal member and raising the flag with lilies in front of the UN building on this day 30 years ago is undoubtedly the most important date for the restoration and confirmation of Bosnian statehood in international relations."
(FENA) A. B.
