(Communicated by the Foreign Ministry Spokesman)
Mr. Sven Alkalaj, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia-Herzegovina, will arrive in Israel tomorrow (Monday, 15 October) as a guest of Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni.
The purpose of the visit is to promote the relationship between the two countries, including economic and agricultural cooperation. During the visit, FM Alkalaj and FM Livni will sign a consultation agreement in a ceremony that will be held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem.
The visiting Foreign Minister will also meet with President Shimon Peres, Minister of Agriculture Shalom Simchon, MK Benny Alon - Chairman of the Israel-Bosnia Friendship Association and with Mr. Hilik Assia, Director General of the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute. The guest will also visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial and the Volcani Institute of Agricultural Research.
FM Alkalaj's first visit to Israel in his current position marks a decade of diplomatic relations between Israel and Bosnia-Herzegovina, which were established in 1997. His previous visit to Israel was in 1995, to attend the funeral of the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. At the time, he was serving as special ambassador to the United States, and was instrumental in formulating the peace agreement that brought an end to war in Bosnia. FM Alkalaj served as his country's ambassador to Washington from 2000 to 2004, and as ambassador to the European Union between 2004 and 2007.