HR to Visit Moscow, Berlin and Brussels , Lobby for Visa Facilitation, More Investment 

The High Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, will this afternoon leave for Moscow on the first leg of a six-day trip during which he will meet senior officials in Moscow , Berlin and Brussels . These meetings are part of the High Representative's continuing effort to lobby European and PIC capitals on BiH’s behalf.

In Moscow tomorrow the High Representative will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Discussion will focus on BiH's progress to full statehood, and the OHR’s transition to an EUSR Office planned to take place by the end of June next year. The  talks will also cover the progress that has already been made and that still needs to be made on key reforms required for the completion of BiH’s SAA negotiations with the EC and  on co-operation with the ICTY.

We expect to be able to provide more information on the details of this meeting tomorrow.

In Berlin on Monday the High Representative will meet German State Secretary Reinhard Silberberg and on Tuesday he will meet Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble. Issues including visa facilitation and further efforts that can be made to attract international investment in order to create jobs in BiH will be among the topics of these meetings.  

On Wednesday the High Representative will be in Brussels for a meeting with Javier Solana. The two will discuss issues related to the political and administrative aspects of OHR's transition into an EUSR Office.

We will, of course, be providing more details about the Berlin and Brussels legs of this trip early next week.