On the occasion of the 18th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide committed in 1995 which resulted with the murder of more than 8.000 of our Bosniak brothers, we mourn and commemorate with respect our Bosniak brothers who lost their lives in that painful event, share the deep grief of the families of the victims and once again strongly condemn this grave crime against humanity.

We are firmly convinced that the countries of the region and the international community will draw the necessary lessons from what happened in Srebrenica, will exert every effort to prevent the repetition of similar acts which occur as an outcome of extreme nationalism and ethnic hatred, will always stand against attempts to downplay or deny the Genocide in Srebrenica and will take the necessary measures.

We believe that the preservation and consolidation of Bosnia and Herzegovina's multi-ethnic and multi-cultural social structure and the perpetuation of the concept of peaceful and harmonious coexistence is the best answer to those trying to cast a shadow upon peace.

We also believe that looking forward to the future with hope necessitates not only not to forget one’s pains, but also to encourage friendship, trust and cooperation. We stress our belief that a legacy dominated by mutual understanding and tolerance must be left to the future generations of the brotherly people of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On this occasion, we reaffirm our firm desire towards ensuring lasting peace and stability in the Balkans, to which we attach special importance and priority in our foreign policy; strongly support the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is of vital significance for the region and emphasize once more the importance of its integration with the European and Euro-Atlantic structures.

Turkey, which customarily ensures high-level participation at Srebrenica Commemoration Ceremonies, is represented this year by H.E. Mr. Ömer Çelik, Minister of Culture and Tourism.