Bosnian foreign minister: Türkiye is ‘major political factor’ globally

SARAJEVO

Bosnian Foreign Minister Elmedin Konakovic praised Türkiye's political role in the Balkan region and the entire world.

"Türkiye is an important and major political factor in the entire world. It can be serious, and sometimes it is a mediator in the Balkans, because it has ties with other countries, and I respect that," Konakovic told Anadolu.

Konakovic, who has a model of the Bayraktar TB2 drone made by Türkiye on his desk, said relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Türkiye are more brotherly than friendly.

"In the future, the focus should be on economic opportunities. I think there is a lot of room for two-way cooperation and that BiH (Bosnia and Herzegovina) exports much more to Türkiye and that Türkiye uses our rapprochement with the EU and the opening of borders for its economic interests, We are currently working on strategic planning of processes that should make our relations even more functional," said Konakovic.

He also said he has excellent relations with his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, as well as his predecessor Mevlut Cavusoglu.

He noted recent meetings with Fidan in Dubrovnik, Lisbon, and Malta, as well as intensive communication regarding the adoption of a resolution on the Srebrenica genocide at the UN.

"I appreciate him very much. I consult with him. He is serious and one of the best foreign ministers I have met,” he said.

Anadolu’s news editor at the Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian-Montenegrin service, Talha Ozturk, briefed Konakovic on Anadolu's global and regional operations and presented him with The Evidence, a book by the Turkish news agency which documents Israel’s war crimes in the Gaza Strip through photographs.