VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVJ #0365 0821625
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 231625Z MAR 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9939
INFO RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/JCS WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC

UNCLAS SARAJEVO 000365 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EUR(JONES), EUR/SCE(FOOKS/MCGUIRE); NSC FOR 
HELGERSON/WILSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BK
SUBJECT: BOSNIA - LETTER FOR THE SECRETARY FROM FOREIGN 
MINISTER ALKALAJ 
 
¶1. (U) On March 23, the Bosnian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
delivered to the Embassy a latter from Foreign Minister 
Alkalaj to the Secretary.  Alkalaj's letter is a reply to the 
Secre tary's March 18 correspondence, and the text is 
contained in paragraph two below.  A scan of the signed 
letter was sent to EUR/SCE(Fooks). 
 
¶2. (SBU) BEGIN TEXT: 
 
Dear Madame Secretary, 
 
I have a pleasure (sic) to acknowledge receipt of your letter 
dated 18 March 2009, and to thank you for affirming, amongst 
other (sic), that the United States remains committed to 
seeing Bosnia and Herzegovina achieve a future with Europe 
and the transatlantic community.  I have transmitted (sic) to 
the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 
 
In addition, I personally shared your message with His 
Excellency Dr. Haris Silajdzic, Member of the Presidency of 
Bosnia, as well as you position on the constitutional 
amendment on the Brcko District as expressed in the letter, 
and I am pleased to convey that we will do our best to see 
that this issue is finalized in our parliament. 
 
I wish to thank you for expressing the desire to work with 
those in Bosnia and Herzegovina who are prepared to work 
across ethnic lines to reach constructive compromise in order 
to accelerate Bosnia and Herzegovina's progress on its path 
to full European and Euro-Atlantic integration.  Indeed, the 
reform processes, ultimately leading to Bosnia and 
Herzegovina's full-fledged NATO and EU membership, are of a 
crucial importance for stability and prosperity of both 
Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the region.  I would like 
to assure you that we are eager to invest all our efforts, 
joining them with those of the United States, in order to see 
these reforms through as we stand ready for an in-depth 
dialogue in this regard. 
 
Allow me to express hope that the United States and you 
personally will remain equally engaged in processes of 
resolving remaining issues that are of priority for Bosnian 
and Herzegovina's progress on its path towards the 
Euro-Atlantic integrations thus strengthening the state 
compentences (sic) and capacities, enabling it to become an 
active member of the European and Euro-Atlantic community. 
Therefore, I am deeply convinced that with such a resolve we 
will make Bosnia and Herzegovina success (sic) story of the 
international community and complete the job started in 1995 
in Dayton, Ohio, USA. 
 
Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest 
consideration. 
 
Sven Alkalaj 
 
END TEXT 
ENGLISH