We are, can and must be only allies. For me there is no dilemma about it nor can there be, Mesic said in his address at a conference organised by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Friends of Europe and the Constantinos Karamanlis Institute for Democracy. The conference was called "Europe's Balkan Partners" and discussed whether EU membership was a collective ambition or caused rivalry among Balkan countries.
Mesic labelled as untruth and nonsense the claims of some he called individuals and minor groups, who he said wanted to convince first themselves and then the whole world that Croatia does not belong to the region and has nothing in common with the countries in the region.
Geographically, and partly historically, we belong to Southeast Europe, the Balkans, the Western Balkans, the Mediterranean, whichever term we will use, said Mesic.
Speaking of the reasons why Southeast European countries must be allies, he mentioned the reform they all must undergo, the need to fight organised crime, smuggling or terrorism together, the obligation to cooperate with the Hague war crimes tribunal and settle the refugee return issue, as well as economic reasons.
Whether we want it or not, progress in vital areas such as trade, energy, transport, telecommunications, environmental protection, and safety is certain only through cooperation, Mesic said, adding that in case of rivalry progress was sentenced to death.
Mesic said he insisted on the need to face the truth about the past, regardless of what it was and despite the fact that this was often painful. He added that he also insisted on fighting historical revisionism that had been present in the region's states in the past 15 years.
As long as the excesses of neofascists and the neo-Nazi remain only that, excesses which the state punishes, we have not stepped outside normality, but when the state starts to encourage such excesses or tolerate them, it is time to sound the alarm, said Mesic.
He underlined that it was indisputable that the key responsibility for the bloody and brutal wars on the territory of the former Yugoslavia lay with the then leadership of Serbia with Slobodan Milosevic at the helm, but added that it was also indisputable that all three sides had committed war crimes.
Mesic said that all those talking about enlargement fatigue should be clearly told that the process of EU enlargement and unification must continue and that it must not be slowed down. He added that enlargement should continue according to each country's individual merits.
Attending the conference were numerous politicians from the EU and Southeast Europe.