Türkiye, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia strengthen ties at trilateral meeting

Croatian and Bosnian foreign ministers expressed commitment to strengthening relations with Türkiye across various fields on the sidelines of the Foreign Ministerial meeting of the Türkiye-Bosnia-Herzegovina-Croatia Trilateral Advisory Mechanism in Dubrovnik on Saturday.

Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman highlighted the importance of the trilateral meetings, noting, “This marks our ninth meeting, with our last gathering in Antalya in November 2020. These meetings are crucial for building mutual trust and enhancing cooperation.”

Grlic Radman emphasized Croatia’s support for the EU accession negotiations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, expressing hope for an early intergovernmental council meeting between the two nations.

Reflecting on his recent visit to Türkiye, Grlic Radman praised Türkiye as a pivotal candidate for EU accession and a key NATO ally. He acknowledged Türkiye’s significant investment presence in Croatia, particularly in tourism, global energy, banking, and infrastructure projects.

‘We appreciate Türkiye’s engagement’

“We have enjoyed dynamic and productive relations with Türkiye over the past three years, and we appreciate Türkiye’s consistent engagement,” Grlic Radman added.

Bosnian Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic echoed the sentiment, emphasizing Bosnia and Herzegovina’s historical and deep-rooted ties with Türkiye.

He described Türkiye as a friendly and fraternal country, highlighting ongoing cooperation in economic, infrastructure, and energy sectors.

Both ministers agreed on the importance of annual trilateral meetings for regional stability. Konakovic emphasized Türkiye’s crucial role in supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“We deeply appreciate our counterparts’ support, including their efforts to recognize July 11 as the ‘Day of Remembrance of the Srebrenica Genocide’ at the U.N. General Assembly,” Konakovic stated. The day commemorates the tragic killing of more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica in 1995.