British FM urges Bosnia leaders to overcome ethnic rifts

(SARAJEVO) - Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague warned Bosnian leaders on Wednesday to overcome their ethnic divisions if they want to bring the country closer to the European Union and NATO.

"Let me be clear that Bosnia can only be a member of the EU as a single, sovereign state," Hague told reporters after meeting Bosnian Prime Minister Vjekoslav Bevanda.

"Those who think there is another way for Bosnia are wrong, and those who undermine the Bosnian state will not be our partners," he added in an apparent reference to hardline Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik.

Dodik has repeatedly referred to Bosnia's Serb entity, the Republika Srpska, as a state and warned that it could break away. He says the RS, which along with the Muslim-Croat Federation makes up post-war Bosnia, should also negotiate separately on EU entry.

Hague also said there was a "real danger today that Bosnia will lag further behind her neighbours in achieving Euro-Atlantic ambitions," because of a failure to implement Brussels-sought reforms.

"Some good progress was made early this year including agreement in June to an EU road map," he said, but added that since then progress has been "disappointing".

Bosnia, the only Balkans country that has yet to apply for a EU membership, wants to submit a formal application later this year.

The British minister urged local leaders to take steps notably for abolishing political discrimination against Romas and Jews, a constitutional reform that is among key conditions for its EU bid.

"We are calling for Bosnia-Hercegovina's leaders to take the necessary steps to unlock progress to agree on how to resolve the Sejdic-Finci issue," Hague said.

The European Court of Human rights in 2008 condemned Bosnia for barring Jews and Romas from running for high elected office. The ruling supported a lawsuit filed in 2006 by two prominent Bosnian public figures, Dervo Sejdic of Roma origin and Jakob Finci, a Jew, who claimed discrimination and a breach of their human rights.

Bosnia's constitution allows only members of its three main ethnic communities -- Muslims, Croats and Serbs -- to run for parliament or the tripartite presidency.

In June, Brussels gave Sarajevo a new deadline to resolve the issue and amend its constitution by the end of November.