Expressing support for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina as they seek to hold government officials accountable, prepare for elections at the state, entity, and cantonal level, and consider constitutional or other reforms to enhance the country’s prospects for European and Euro-Atlantic integration.

reaffirms its continuing strong support for the sovereignty, legal continuity, unity, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina within its internationally recognized borders;

affirms equally strong support for the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina as they seek greater democracy, economic prosperity, and successful integration in European and Euro-Atlantic institutions;

expresses profound dissatisfaction with the inability of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political leaders to achieve agreement on reforms necessary for progress in these areas;

deplores the divisive rhetoric and abuse of legal protections that have become part of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s political discourse, including the wrongful denial or mischaracterization of crimes and genocide associated with the conflict between 1992 and 1995, the excessive and unwarranted reliance on veto powers to block decisionmaking at the state-level even when such decisions do not present any reasonable threat to the “vital interests” of constituent peoples, and the general fomenting of distrust, division, and fear among citizens based on the country’s ethnic and religious diversity;

views the October 12, 2014, elections at the state, entity, and cantonal level as an opportunity for voters to address Bosnia and Herzegovina’s current political stagnation and associated problems as well as to express support for reform and for European and Euro-Atlantic integration;

calls upon the relevant authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to ensure these elections are conducted in a free and fair manner;

encourages the growth of peaceful, civic activism to hold public officials accountable and to engage citizens in the political life of the country, including in the election process and any new initiatives to achieve structural or constitutional reform, in order to achieve increased public trust in the political process, broader consensus on the reforms to be adopted, and more effective, efficient, and democratic governance;

calls upon the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and their member states to make clear the specific steps Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to take in the integration process;

supports the maintenance of a robust international presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the full retention and necessary use of all powers accorded to the international community, including the Office of the High Representative, to meet fully the objectives and conditions set by the international Peace Implementation Council; and

urges the United States and concerned members of the international community, in all aspects of their relations with Bosnia and Herzegovina, to place renewed emphasis, on respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms held by the individual, which should not be compromised by any collective protections and privileges accorded to a group, ethnically based or otherwise.