Professor & Chair R. Bruce Hitchner
Chair, Department of Classics
Director, Archaeology Program
Chairman, Dayton Peace Accords Project
Tufts University Arts, Sciences and Engineering
320 Eaton Hall
Boston

Dear Mr. Hitchner:

Thank you for inviting me to your conference entitled Bosnia and Herzegovina at an International Crossroads.

Upon reviewing the conference agenda and other relevant information that has come to my attention, I have decided to respectfully decline your invitation.

With all due respect, I have concluded, based on all the information available to me, that your conference will not provide an appropriate and adequate forum for a constructive discussion of the process of constitutional reform that The Congress of North American Bosniaks has called for. At the contrary, I am of the opinion that your conference is intended to be a forum for further discussion of the deeply-flawed and discredited April ’06 package of constitutional amendments. As you know, the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina rejected this package last year and, from our point of you, that decision is final and definitive. The Congress will not engage in any further discussions of the April ’06 package of amendments, for it deems that package to be practically and legally dead.

The Congress’ firm position is that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs a completely new constitution and that such a new constitution must be drafted and ratified through a democratic, transparent, open, and inclusive constitutional reform process, which is guided by the following basic principles:

The process must, in a meaningful fashion, involve all of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s citizens at home and abroad;

The process should be designed, executed, and owned by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s institutions;

The sole and exclusive goal of the process should be the modification of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s internal structure with the aim of creating a democratic, functional, self-sustainable system of governance that would be capable of meeting its international obligations and would enable Bosnia-Herzegovina’s integration into European and Euro-Atlantic institution.

Any proposed constitutional solution that jeopardizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina or can result in blocking or dissolution of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina must not be taken into consideration during the process. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina are legally and historically established and unquestionable under international law.

The Congress will, therefore, engage only in a dialogue about a process of drafting and ratifying a completely new constitution based on the above principles. We are of the opinion that your conference is, unfortunately, not going to be such a dialogue.

The Congress encourages and is willing to support any public forum that would foster such a dialogue. Should you consider accepting our position as a platform for your conference, we would gladly accept your invitation to participate and would provide you with all necessary support.

Sincerely yours,
Emir Ramic
President of CNAB