NATO grants membership plan to Bosnia
09:18, 23 April 2010
TALLINN. April 23. KAZINFORM NATO foreign ministers on Thursday granted a Membership Action Plan (MAP) for Bosnia that could see it join the alliance in coming years, but attached preconditions; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.
"MAP has been granted to Bosnia-Herzegovina today, but with clear conditions attached on implementation," NATO spokesman James Appathurai told a news briefing.
Appathurai said NATO would accept Bosnia's first annual reform plan under the program only when defense property, such as bases, was registered as belonging to the state and for use of the defense ministry.
Bosnia applied for NATO membership plan in October. Appathurai said the country made "significant" progress on reform and ministers welcomed its decision to destroy surplus ammunition and arms and to contribute troops to the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
"They remain concerned, however, that the defense property issue is not yet resolved," he said; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass.