Abbas seeks Bosnian support in Palestinian UN bid

euronews
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Mahmoud Abbas - Palestinian Territories - United Nations

15/08 22:23 CET

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is in Bosnia, seeking support as he tries to upgrade the Palestinians’ status at the United Nations.

The Bosnians’ three member presidency is yet to decide if it will back Abbas. Bosnia itself is rather divided. The Muslims and Catholic Croats may side with the Palestinians while the Serbs are likely to support Israel....more...
read more: euronews
http://www.euronews.net/2011/08/15/abbas-seeks-bosnian-support-in-palestinian-un-bid/

Bosnia: How to Wriggle Out of the Palestinian Statehood Vote

radio free europe

August 22, 2011

By Anes Alic
In the space of just one week, both Israeli and Palestinian officials have descended on Bosnia-Herzegovina in an attempt to influence officials in Sarajevo ahead of a September vote on Palestinian statehood at the United Nations. Both are counting on Bosnia's vote, and both have an equally strong chance of getting it.
In mid-August, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with Bosnian Serb officials to court favor; a few days later, Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas visited Sarajevo, where he met with various state officials to lobby for the statehood initiative....more...
read more: radio free europe
http://www.rferl.org/content/bosnia_wriggling_out_of_the_palestinian_statehood_vote/24304380.html

Bosnia Divided On Palestinian Request For Statehood Support

radio free europe

August 16, 2011

SARAJEVO -- Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas was told in Bosnia-Herzegovina that Bosnia's three ethnic groups have not reached agreement on whether to recognize Palestinian statehood, RFE/RL's Balkan Service reports.

Abbas met with Bosnia's three-member, interethnic presidency and Foreign Minister Sven Alkalaj on August 15, the second day of his visit, and said after the meetings that he expected Bosnian help that was pledged for the Palestinian territories' planned declaration of statehood in the United Nations next month....more...
read more: radio free europe
http://www.rferl.org/content/bosnia_still_divided_on_palestinian_request_for_statehood/24298964.html

Interview: Morton Abramowitz On The 'End Of Bosnia'

radio free europe

August 13, 2011

Morton Abramowitz is a senior fellow at The Century Foundation and former president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has served as ambassador to Turkey and Thailand and as assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research. The author of many books, he recently co-wrote an article in "The National Interest" titled "The Death of the Bosnian State." RFE/RL's Balkan Service director Gordana Knezevic asked him what he meant by this.....more...
read more: radio free europe
http://www.rferl.org/content/interview_abramowitz_end_of_bosnia/24295787.html

West's indifference could condemn Bosnia anew

reuters

By Daria Sito-Sucic

SARAJEVO

Thu Aug 11, 2011 6:47am EDT
(Reuters) - A lack of U.S. and European interest in Bosnia may embolden Serb and Croat separatist plans and result in the eventual disintegration of the fragile Balkan country, a former U.S. diplomat said.

"The United States doesn't care anymore, the whole attitude is that it's a European problem and Europeans should handle it," said William Stuebner, who held several diplomatic posts in Bosnia during and after the 1992-95 war, Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two....more...
read more: reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/11/us-bosnia-stuebner-idUSTRE77A1KD20110811

German, Greek, Chinese firms bid for Bosnia plants

reuters

Thu Aug 11, 2011 10:45am EDT

* RWE, PPC and a Chinese firm bid for four hydro-plants

* Parliament to approve the best bidder before end of year

* Best bidder will hold 51 pct stake in joint company

BANJA LUKA, Bosnia, Aug 11 (Reuters) - RWE Innogy, Greek state energy utility PPC (DEHr.AT) and a Chinese firm have submitted bids to build four hydro-power plants in Bosnia, an official said on Thursday....more...
read more: reuters
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/11/bosnia-hydro-bids-idUSLDE77A0IW20110811

Bosnia and the EU - Brussel's balm

the economist
Can the prospect of better EU ties unite Bosnia’s squabbling politicians?

Jul 21st 2011

SARAJEVO
from the print edition
“WE COULD spend another decade in this limbo,” groans Amer Kapetanovic, who runs the European Union department at the Bosnian foreign ministry. On July 14th the country’s leaders failed, yet again, to create a government. To ordinary people the absence of a central authority since October’s general election is not always noticeable. Much of the day-to-day running of Bosnia is conducted by its regional governments: the Republika Srpska and the federation of Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) and Croats. But for Mr Kapetanovic and his friends the impasse is an insufferable check on their ambitions....more...
read more: the economist
http://www.economist.com/node/18988832

Balkan Leaders Pledge Reconciliation

radio free europe
July 18, 2011

The heads of state of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia have pledged to "continue with the politics of reconciliation and resolving numerous remaining open issues."...more....
read more: radio free europe
http://www.rferl.org/content/balkan_leaders_pledge_reconciliation/24269275.html

Bosnia Casts Around For New Potential PM

balkan insight
19 JUL 2011 / 11:48

Party leaders have just over a week to come up with new potential candidates for the post of chair of the Council of Ministers after the last nominee, Slavo Kukic, failed to gain parliamentary endorsement.

Senka Kurt Sarajevo

After Slavo Kukic failed to survive a second round of voting in parliament last Thursday, Bosnia's three-member State Presidency has eight days to propose a new candidate....more....
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-leaders-call-for-council-nominations

Balkan Leaders Want Mutual EU Efforts

balkan insight
18 JUL 2011 / 17:20

The leaders of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia expressed a need for maximum cooperation and mutual support in the process of European integration on Monday.

Zeljko Komsic, the chair of the Bosnian Presidency, along with co-presidency members Bakir Izetbegovic and Nebojsa Radmanovic, and Serbian President Boris Tadic, made the joint statement after a meeting on the island of Brijuni. The meeting was hosted by Croatian President Ivo Josipovic. ...more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/historical-trilateral-summit-on-brijuni

Kukic Defeat Prolongs Hunt For Bosnian Premier

balkan insight
15 JUL 2011 / 11:24

Bosnia's parliament in the second round of voting on Thursday did not support the appointment of Slavo Kukic for the presidency of the Council of Ministers, so the whole business starts again.

Eldin Hadzovic Sarajevo

Bosnia’s search for a state prime minister is nowhere near completion, nine and a half months after the general election, held last October...more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-in-search-for-pm-again

Balkan States Expand Extradition Agreements

balkan insight
11 JUL 2011 / 08:43

Regional leaders are strengthening extradition agreements to prevent citizens holding dual citizenship from fleeing to another country to avoid prosecution at home.

Tanjug, MINA

Justice ministers from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia have agreed in principle to expand existing extradition treaties. According to the ministers, an expert group will work out the details....more....
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/balkan-countries-expand-extradition-agreements

Bosnia, Revisited: Turkey’s Gains, Challenges and Future Aspirations

balkan analysis
July 12, 2011
By Maja Šoštarić in Sarajevo*
“Sarajevo is a miracle (…). If you understand Sarajevo, you can understand all the Ottoman history. Because it is, according to the saying, [true that] if you understand a person you can understand that century.”
Is this a new slogan of the Bosnian chamber of commerce? Or was it perhaps taken out of some Sarajevo guidebook? Not quite. The author is Ahmet Davutoğlu, Foreign Minister of Turkey, and the paragraph stems from his speech at the opening ceremony of a conference entitled “The Ottoman Legacy and Balkan Muslim Communities Today,” held in Sarajevo in October 2009. After that conference, Mr Davutoğlu was harshly criticized by detractors for his alleged neo-Ottomanism in relation to the Balkans....more....
read more: balkan analysis
http://www.balkanalysis.com/turkey/2011/07/12/bosnia-revisited-turkey%E2%80%99s-gains-challenges-and-future-aspirations/

Bosnia Divided on Greater International Intervention

balkan insight
08 JUL 2011 / 18:35

Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats remain at loggerheads over whether the High Representative, Valentin Inzko, should get involved in ending the logjam over formation of a state government.

Senka Kurtovic Sarajevo
Nine months after the last general elections on October 3, 2010, Bosniak [Muslim] parties are calling for the international community to take an active hand in the long-delayed formation of a state government....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-divided-whether-internationals-should-intervene

Bosnia Applauds Tadic's 'Red Line' Pledge

balkan insight
07 JUL 2011 / 16:38

Serbian leader's promise not to interfere in Bosnia's affairs wins a generally favourable reception in Sarajevo.

Senka Kurt Sarajevo
Boris Tadic's pledge that "Serbia will not cross the red line" when it comes to interfering in Bosnia's internal affairs drew favourable press headlines at the end of the Serbian President's three-day state visit....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-applauds-tadic-s-red-line-pledge

Bosnia's Would-be Premier Fails Parliament Vote

balkan insight
30 JUN 2011 / 14:58

State parliament, as expected, declines to support the nomination of Slavo Kukic as Chairman of the Council of Ministers - but he still believes he can make it to a second round of voting.

Eldin Hadzovic Sarajevo
Slavo Kukic received the support of a majority of MPs in the Bosnia's state parliament on Thursday, but after delegates from the Bosnian Serb entity, Republika Srpska, rejected him, his hopes of becoming Prime Minister appear dim....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-s-pm-nominee-hopes-for-second-round-vote

Bosnia Suspends Top Prosecutor Over Scandal

radio free europe
July 01, 2011

The institution in charge of supervising Bosnia's justice system has suspended the country's chief prosecutor for alleged links with an international arms dealer....more...
read more: radio free europe
http://www.rferl.org/content/bosnia_suspends_top_prosecutor_over_scandal/24252880.html

Bosnia Parliament To Vote on Would-Be Premier

balkan insight
29 JUN 2011 / 09:28

Bosnia’s Parliament will on Wednesday decide whether or not to support Slavo Kukic, the candidate for Prime Minister proposed by Social-Democrat-led coalition.

Eldin Hadzovic Sarajevo

Slavo Kukic's chances of becoming Bosnia's next Prime Minister looked slim, as it was clear that he has no support in Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity, Republika Srpska, RS, to become chair of the state Council of Ministers....more...
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnia-s-pm-candidate-hopes-to-pass-the-first-voting-round

Bosnia's Tuzla Opens Flight Link to Dubai

balkan insight
28 JUN 2011 / 09:43

Airport chief says new direct flight bridge to Dubai will mark start of struggling airport's revival.

Eldin Hadzovic Sarajevo
The service to Dubai on Air Arabia will operate twice a week until the end of October but may be extended if the flights prove popular....more....
read more: balkan insight
http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/tuzla-launches-a-direct-flight-line-to-dubai

Bosnia Flounders as Powers Argue

ny times
By MATTHEW BRUNWASSER

Published: June 27, 2011
SARAJEVO, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA — More than 15 years after the Dayton peace agreement silenced guns in Bosnia, the Balkan state — still fractured, still febrile — is facing its worst crisis since the war.
The General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, known as Dayton after the location of the Ohio air base where it was hammered out in three weeks in 1995, gave birth to an unwieldy, dense polity that has far more serious problems than teenage growing pains....more....
read more: ny times
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/28/world/europe/28iht-bosnia28.html?_r=1&ref=europe