World Bulletin/News Desk

Turkey strengthens bonds among Balkan nations and  the Balkans economically, said Reis- ul- Ulema of Bosnia and Herzegovina Huseyin Kavazovic on Tuesday. 

Kazovic told Turkish press that Turkey adopts a policy which is for the benefit of all Balkan countries as well as building peace in the region. 

"Turkey has done important works to reinforce peace, stability and welfare in the region contributing to ease the tension among Bosnian, Serbian, Romanian and Greek people," said Kazovic.

Kazovic said that Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic's apology for crimes committed by Serbs in Srebrenica was a forward-looking step. 

"President Nikolic apologized for the tortures not for the massacres of Bosnian Muslims. However, the Bosnians and Serbians should find a way to live together. Old Serbian generation massacred in Srebrenica. New Serbian generation should learn a lesson from it," noted Kazovic.

Kazovic also touched upon the importance of population census, set for October 2013, adding " We will have the opportunity to identify ourselves for the first time in independent Bosnia and Herzegovina.  We will be able to choose our mother tongue and our religion."

Bosnian Serb forces had laid siege to Srebrenica where  thousands of civilians had taken refuge from earlier Serb offensives in north-eastern Bosnia.

Over 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were killed at Srebrenica in 1995 after Bosnian Serb forces overran the UN-defended safe area there.