H. Res. 171 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

May 12, 2009. 

Whereas a brutal conflict marked by aggression and ethnic 

cleansing, including the commission of war crimes, crimes 

against humanity, and genocide, was brought to an end 

by the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina (commonly referred to as the ‘‘Dayton Peace Accords’’), which was agreed to at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, on November 

21, 1995, and signed in Paris, France, on December 14, 

1995; 

Whereas in the 13 years since the signing of the Dayton 

Peace Accords, the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

have worked in partnership with the international community to achieve considerable progress in building a 

peaceful and democratic society based on the rule of law, 

respect for human rights, and a free market economy; 

Whereas political leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina have 

agreed to significant reforms of public administration and 

broadcasting, the creation of state-level law enforcement 

and judicial institutions, the establishment of a unified 

armed services and Ministry of Defense, and the creation 

of an Indirect Taxation Authority; 

Whereas the United States has continued to support the sovereignty, legal continuity, and territorial integrity of Bos-
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nia and Herzegovina within its internationally recognized 

borders as well as the equality of the three constituent 

peoples and others within a united, multi-ethnic country 

in accordance with the Dayton Peace Accords; 

Whereas the full incorporation of Bosnia and Herzegovina 

into the Euro-Atlantic community is in the national interest of the United States and important for the stabilization of southeastern Europe; 

Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina committed to the shared 

values of democracy, security, and stability by joining the 

Partnership for Peace program of the North Atlantic 

Treaty Organization (NATO) in December 2006; 

Whereas NATO recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina’s 

progress in achieving political and defense reforms by inviting the country to begin an Intensified Dialogue at the 

Bucharest Summit in April 2008; 

Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina took the first step on the 

road toward European Union (EU) membership by signing a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) in 

June 2008; 

Whereas NATO successfully preserved peace and stability in 

Bosnia and Herzegovina after the signing of the Dayton 

Peace Accords through its Stabilization Force (SFOR), 

which was succeeded by a European Union Force 

(EUFOR) in December 2004; 

Whereas the Office of the High Representative (OHR) has 

similarly promoted peace and stability by facilitating implementation of the civilian aspects of the Dayton Peace 

Accords, including through use of the extensive powers 

given it by the international Peace Implementation Council (PIC), with the goal of transitioning to a European 
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Union Special Representative (EUSR) at the appropriate 

time; 

Whereas, these notable accomplishments notwithstanding, the 

citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to face significant challenges in their efforts to progress toward 

Euro-Atlantic integration; 

Whereas the Dayton Peace Accords included many compromises imposed by the need for quick action to preserve human life that have hindered efforts to develop efficient and effective political institutions; 

Whereas the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission has concluded that the current constitutional arrangements of 

Bosnia and Herzegovina are neither efficient nor rational, and that the state-level institutions need to become 

more effective and democratic if the country is to move 

toward EU membership; 

Whereas the ‘‘April package’’ of reforms, agreed upon by five 

major political parties in 2006, failed to achieve the requisite two-thirds majority in parliament; 

Whereas in February 2008, the PIC stipulated five objectives 

(resolution of state property, resolution of defense property, completion of Brcko Final Award, fiscal sustainability, and entrenchment of rule of law) and two conditions (signing of SAA with the EU and a ‘‘positive assessment’’ by the PIC) that must be met before the OHR 

is closed; and 

Whereas in March 2009, the PIC determined that Bosnia 

and Herzegovina has not yet met the five objectives and 

two conditions that will determine when the OHR should 

be closed and oversight power transferred to the EUSR: 

Now, therefore, be it 
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Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that— 

(1) it is increasingly urgent that Bosnia and 

Herzegovina work toward the creation of an efficient and 

effective state able to meet its domestic and international obligations with more functional institutions, including a state government capable of making self-sustaining reforms and fulfilling European Union (EU) and 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) requirements; 

(2) any agreement on constitutional reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina should take as its basis the Dayton 

Peace Accords, advance the principles of democracy and 

tolerance, rectify provisions that conflict with the European Charter of Human Rights, include the general public in the process, provide the conditions to enable economic development and the creation of a single economic 

space, and be consistent with the goal of EU membership; 

(3) continued efforts should be made domestically 

and at the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY) to achieve justice for victims of war 

crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, as well 

as to promote reconciliation among ethnic groups; 
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(4) the United States should continue to provide assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina to build effective 

state-level law enforcement and judicial institutions that 

can combat and investigate international terrorism, organized crime, and corruption; 

(5) the United States should appoint a Special 

Envoy to the Balkans who can work in partnership with 

the EU and political leaders in Bosnia and Herzegovina 

to facilitate reforms at all levels of government and society, while also assisting the political development of 

other countries in the region; 

(6) the Office of the High Representative (OHR) 

should not be closed until the Peace Implementation 

Council (PIC) can definitively determine that Bosnia 

and Herzegovina has met the five objectives and two 

conditions; 

(7) the EU should carefully consider any future 

plans for the reduction or redeployment of the European 

Union Force (EUFOR) given the psychological reassurance of security and deterrence of violence provided by 

its continued presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and 

(8) the United States should work closely with and 

support the EU in the transition to a European Union 

Special Representative (EUSR) to ensure that the 

EUSR has the authority and tools to manage effectively 
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post-OHR Bosnia and Herzegovina, including a clear set 

of EU candidacy and membership conditions with explicit and objective yardsticks and a precise list of benchmarks to increase the functionality of the Bosnian state 

to be achieved by constitutional reform. 

Attest: 

Clerk.