Clinton Starts Balkan Tour in Bosnia

Hillary Clinton was welcomed to Bosnia by Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija.

She will hold meetings in Bosnia with local leaders and representatives of the international community, joined by Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

The State Department said Clinton was touring the Balkans to demonstrate Washington's interest in the countries' European and Atlantic integration process.

In Bosnia, she and Ashton “will underline the urgent need for party leaders to serve the interests of the people of BiH and accomplish necessary reforms,” Clinton's office said.

“[They] will stress the immutability of the international community’s commitment to the [1995 Bosnia] Dayton Peace Accords,” it continued.

After Bosnia, Clinton and Ashton will be fly to Serbia and later that day to Kosovo, where they will stress support for the EU-led dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo.

The two finish their Balkan tour in Croatia and Albania. The State Department said also that in Tirana Clinton will highlight US solidarity with its NATO ally and help mark the 100th anniversary of the country's independence from the Ottoman Empire.

At the end of the tour in Zagreb, Clinton will discusses Croatia’s role in NATO as well as its upcoming entry to the European Union next year.