15 May 2013

ANKARA SUMMIT DECLARATION

We, the Chairman and the Members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the President of the Republic of Serbia and the President of the Republic of Turkey,

Having met in Ankara at the level of Heads of State,

-Reiterating the underlying principles of the trilateral consultation process, including promotion of good neighborly relations and regional cooperation,

-Referring to the overarching objective of creating a stable, peaceful and prosperous Balkans,

-Reaffirming the commitment to building our future based on common European values, democracy, rule of law and cultural pluralism,

-Highlighting the importance of dialog, tolerance and mutual understanding in a multi-ethnic social environment to promote reconciliation,

-Noting with satisfaction the overall progress achieved in the Balkans in the last decade, particularly in the fields of peaceful co-habitation and integration within the European structures,

-Stressing the significant role of the trilateral consultation process as a functioning institutional framework of regional cooperation, with a particular emphasis on economic, cultural, educational, scientific, energy, infrastructure, transportation, sports and tourism cooperation as we agreed in previous Trilateral Summits.

-Appreciating the contribution of the confidence building measures evolved in this process to normalize the relations among the countries of the region,

Declare on this important occasion that;

1. We welcome the recent positive developments, including visits and statements as significant confidence building steps.

2. We express support for the ongoing reform processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Turkey, which will facilitate integrating within the European structures.

3. We underline the commitment to encourage and support each other to integrate with the European Union and to share experience in the accession process.

4. We welcome the recommendation of the European Commission about Serbia on April 22, to start the accession negotiations, which came in the aftermath of the Belgrade-Pristina agreement.

5. We express our determination for the mutual protection of the cultural heritage in our respective countries, and to cooperate on this matter in various fora.

6. We welcome the ongoing cooperation among the Ministers of Economy of our three countries to give a boost to their economic and trade relations, and note with satisfaction the Declaration to establish a Trilateral Trade Committee signed on May 14, in Ankara, thereof.

7. We have decided to invite the business communities of our three countries to meet more frequently to intensify economic cooperation and trade, and to embark on joint business initiatives.

8. We acknowledge the importance of building a better future for the young generations in order to overcome the existing prejudices and to prevent hate speech.

9. We pledge mutual support for each other’s candidatures at international organizations.

10. We underline the relevance of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) for regional cooperation and development, and agree to work closely to make the necessary adjustments in order to improve functionality.

11. We encourage the Parliaments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Turkey to work closely and cooperate further as an important tool for reinforcing mutual understanding, friendship and dialog among their peoples.

12. We stress the importance of close cooperation and coordination in fighting against terrorism, all forms of extremism and organized crime in order to create a safe and secure environment in our region.

13. We express interest to interact closely with the initiatives in surrounding regions, including Black Sea, Adriatic, Mediterranean and Central Europe.

14. We welcome the conclusions of the Meeting of our Ministers of Foreign Affairs held in Sarajevo on May 8. We task the Ministries of Foreign Affairs to follow-up the results of our Meetings and to report to the Heads of State on the progress achieved.

15. We have agreed to continue meeting at the level of Heads of State at least once a year.

16. We thank Turkey, as the host country to organize this Meeting and for the generous hospitality.

17. We have concluded to hold our next Trilateral Meeting in 2014 in Sarajevo.

                                                                                     Ankara, 15 May 2013