"We have agreed to bring together Serb, Croat and Bosnian leaders and solve the crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina," President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said late Tuesday in a press conference with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic.
"International community must act together to overcome crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina."
"Our aim is to bring an end to tensions in Bosnia using a positive approach," Erdoğan also added.
"If such an approach is realized on a win-win basis, Turkey will do everything it can."
The Turkish leader also underlined Turkey's respect towards Bosnia's territorial integrity, emphasizing the dangers of ethnic divide in the restive Balkan state.
"I have told Mr. Vucic that Turkey fully respects Bosnia and Herzegovina's territorial integrity," he said.
For his part, Vucic also underlined that Belgrade highly respects the territorial integrity of neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Erdoğan also noted that Turkiye and Serbia recently increased their trade volume to $2 billion, adding that the two countries' next goal is to reach $5 billion.
Vucic added that Serbia's trade volume with Turkiye had reached its "best momentum in history."
Last month, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar also said that "Turkey is ready to act as a mediator on the political crisis in Bosnia-Herzegovina" and will do what it can to ensure stability, amid concerns over separatist moves by Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik.
As part of a visit to Sarajevo this week, Akar met with his Bosnian counterpart, the Bosnian presidency and other officials, according to the Defense Ministry.
"We view Bosnia-Herzegovina as a whole. We have done all we can for its unity and stability, and we will continue to do so," Akar told reporters after his talks, referring to its Bosniak, Croat and Serb peoples making up one nation.
"If requested, Turkey can work as a mediator in Bosnia-Herzegovina," Akar said, without elaborating further.
The surge in separatist rhetoric in Bosnia-Herzegovina does not serve any party, Akar also said Monday during his visit to the country.
"We believe the separatist rhetoric in Bosnia-Herzegovina benefits no one,” he told a joint news conference with his Bosnian counterpart Sifet Podzic in the capital Sarajevo.
“We’re following the situation closely. We invite the relevant parties to think reasonably, sensibly and act prudently. Existing and potential problems can also be resolved through negotiations and peaceful means,” he said.
