Ashdown, who retires early next year, told an OSCE meeting in Vienna that, in particular, the two organizations will carry much of the responsibility for ensuring that Bosnia and Herzegovina achieves its full potential.
As the main priorities for Bosnia in 2006, he named reform of the public administration and the strengthening of civil society. He also said stressed that both organizations should play a role in educating voters and mobilizing young Bosnians.
Ashdown said Bosnia’s education system must become “a bulwark against ethnic, religious, cultural and any other kind of prejudice or segregation."