Selmo Cikotic
Encyclopedia
Selmo Cikotić is a politician of Bosnia and Herzegovina
, member of the Party of Democratic Action
, and former Army officer. He is the current Minister of Defence, a post he was appointed to in February 2007, but unable to take up officially until 22 April 2007, when a ban on former army officers performing defence-related civilian duties expired.
In February 1993 he was made commander of operational group Zapad of the 3rd Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
in Bugojno
.
Cikotić served as the military attaché at the embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United States in Washington, D.C.
from December 1994 to 1997. As Brigadier General he was enrolled at the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College
at Fort Leavenworth in June 1997, before being expelled as a result of unconfirmed accusations made by Croatian officials that he commanded soldiers who killed and tortured people in and around Bugojno.
From 2000 to 2004 he was the Commander of the 1st Corps of the Federation Army, and from 2004 to 2007 CEO of OKI in Sarajevo.
In June 2007 he jointly attended a Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
at the NATO headquarters in Brussels with the Serbian defence minister Dragan Šutanovac
, together they expressed their governments' wish to join NATO as soon as possible.
In March 2008 he led a five member delegation to Pakistan, to discuss "bilateral cooperation between the two Muslim countries".
Cikotić has a master's degree from the University of Sarajevo
in 2004 and is fluent in English.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, member of the Party of Democratic Action
Party of Democratic Action
The Party of Democratic Action is a Bosniak national political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The Party of Democratic Action was founded in May 1990 by Alija Izetbegović, representing the Bosnian Muslim population...
, and former Army officer. He is the current Minister of Defence, a post he was appointed to in February 2007, but unable to take up officially until 22 April 2007, when a ban on former army officers performing defence-related civilian duties expired.
In February 1993 he was made commander of operational group Zapad of the 3rd Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
3rd Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 3rd corps of the Bosnian Army was one of five, later seven. It was established by the order of the Commander of Main Staff of the Bosnian Army Sefer Halilović on 9 November 1992...
in Bugojno
Bugojno
Bugojno is a town and municipality of the same name in central Bosnia and Herzegovina on the river Vrbas. It is located in the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity. The town is to the northwest from Sarajevo, with an estimated population of 50,000 .To the west...
.
Cikotić served as the military attaché at the embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the United States in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from December 1994 to 1997. As Brigadier General he was enrolled at the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College
Command and General Staff College
The United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas is a graduate school for United States Army and sister service officers, interagency representatives, and international military officers. The college was established in 1881 by William Tecumseh Sherman as a...
at Fort Leavenworth in June 1997, before being expelled as a result of unconfirmed accusations made by Croatian officials that he commanded soldiers who killed and tortured people in and around Bugojno.
From 2000 to 2004 he was the Commander of the 1st Corps of the Federation Army, and from 2004 to 2007 CEO of OKI in Sarajevo.
In June 2007 he jointly attended a Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council , a NATO institution, is a multilateral forum created to improve relations between NATO and non-NATO countries in Europe and those parts of Asia on the European periphery. The member states meet to cooperate and consult on a range of political and security issues...
at the NATO headquarters in Brussels with the Serbian defence minister Dragan Šutanovac
Dragan Šutanovac
Dragan Šutanovac is the current Minister of Defence in the Government of Serbia.- Background :...
, together they expressed their governments' wish to join NATO as soon as possible.
In March 2008 he led a five member delegation to Pakistan, to discuss "bilateral cooperation between the two Muslim countries".
Cikotić has a master's degree from the University of Sarajevo
University of Sarajevo
The University of Sarajevo is the first university in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was originally established in 1531 as a Madrasah or Islamic Law college, with a modern university being established and expanded on top of that in 1949. Today, with 23 faculties and around 55,000 enrolled students, it...
in 2004 and is fluent in English.