Celebrated CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour and former US President Bill Clinton were among the speakers at yesterday's conference organized by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

Tactics and vision

Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, said he was sorry it took a long time for NATO action to end the war and killings in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that there is still too much tension in B&H, as well as those who do not want it to be recognized as a legitimate state.

- The late Holbrooke said that success requires "flexibility of tactics and a constant vision for the ultimate goal". That was essential for achieving peace 25 years ago, but also for making progress - Clinton pointed out.

Clinton stated that both are missing today in relation to B&H.

- There are no flexible tactics or vision to achieve the goal. The United States, everyone who cares about B&H, needs to be actors again to untie this Gordian knot. Progress is possible within the framework of Dayton, especially if the United States is active - Clinton said.

He also quoted Alija Izetbegović, the first president of the B&H presidency, who said: "Even the worst peace is better than the continuation of the war" and added that it can be used as a new beginning for everyone.

According to him, cooperation of NATO and the EU are priorities for the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serious efforts must be made to fix the economy in the country for the betterment of all citizens.

Work together

- My country will have a new president in a month, who is a friend of B&H. He said he was committed to your future. President Biden will enable partnership and our shared values of democracy. We must move on, the long-term successes of B&H and the Balkans are key to the EU and the US. We must be partners and continue to work together - said Kilnton.

Crimes could have been prevented earlier

Christiane Amanpour who reported from B&H during the war and is one of the most deserving people that the world learned about the scale of horrific crimes in our country, pointed out that the intervention of American forces in B&H showed that mass crimes and genocide could have been prevented much earlier.

- After the massacre in Srebrenica, after the second massacre in Markale, NATO carried out air strikes and cleared some military strongholds of Bosnian Serbs, and that stopped the war in a very short period of time - said Amanpour.