President of Republika Srpska (RS) Milorad Dodik said on Friday that he and Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Neighbourhood and the Western Balkans in the EU's External Action Service Miroslav Lajchak had discussed issues of government formation at the level of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), as well as obligations on the part of BiH arising from the Stabilisation and Association Agreement.

In a statement to the press in Banja Luka, Dodik said the talks touched on issues such as the implementation of the decision of the Strasbourg Court relating to the case of Sejdic Finci, the national census and state aid.

We consider these issues important and if there is agreement in the BiH Federation, the matter can be dealt with very quickly and BiH will then be able to apply for the EU candidate status, said Dodik.

The Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) and the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) are ready for a technical meeting in the BiH parliament that would decide the new authorities in BiH, he said.

Dodik said he had informed Lajcak about the BiH Federation problems between Bosnians and Croats which had prevented a government at the state level from forming after the general elections in October last year.