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What's up around the Prime Minister > March, 2005 |
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Japan-Bosnia and Herzegovina Summit Meeting
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held a meeting with Mr. Adnan Terzic, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. Upon welcoming the 10th anniversary of the Dayton Accord which achieved peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the two leaders discussed at the meeting that Japan, as a member of the Peace Implementation Conference, will continue its assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina; that Bosnia and Herzegovina has achieved stability and will advance reforms for accession into the European Union (EU); and that Bosnia and Herzegovina requests Japan, its second largest donor country, to promote investment into the country as the phase of reconstruction assistance from Japan has been completed. At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Koizumi said, "I intend to develop the friendly relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Japan. I hope that the country will develop in a democratic fashion, overcoming ethnic conflicts in the past." In response to this comment, Chairman Terzic remarked that "Japan is one of the largest donor countries to Bosnia's reconstruction. I am grateful for Japan's contribution for implementation of peace in our country. Our national goals are accession into the EU and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. I also intend to maintain the cooperative relations with Japan and work to become a bridge between Japan and Europe." Prime Minister Koizumi then said, "Bosnia and Herzegovina must be faced with many difficulties in rebuilding the country after the conflict. Japan intends to provide as much assistance as possible. Assistance does not end once the situation in Bosnia stabilizes. Japan and the United States of America were once at war, but are now the closest countries to one another. I hope that Bosnia will become a stable nation dedicated to peace at the earliest date possible. Japan intends to advance its bilateral friendly relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina while considering the kind of assistance that may be provided."
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