Austrian President Heinz Fischer said optimism about further enlargement was justified because the EU's development so far had been successful, despite some difficulties.
He said the admission of Romania and Bulgaria was certain and that the decision to open entry negotiations with Croatia was correct and justified. He voiced confidence Croatia would continue to cooperate with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
The Austrian president dismissed speculations about a link between Croatia and Turkey when decisions were being made to open membership talks with them, saying that everything happening in one day was not mutually linked.
As far as Austria is concerned, the negotiations with Croatia could have begun before the summer, Fisher said adding that it was not Austria's fault that they were delayed.
Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov said European prospects offered the best framework for the stabilisation and democratisation of a country. Bulgaria and Romania are expected to join the EU on January 1.
The countries in the region do not share the same problems, formal status or situations, but they share the same aspiration, European integration, and should therefore talk about a European future, said Serbia and Montenegro President Svetozar Marovic, adding that the state union was happy about the launching of Croatia's EU entry negotiations.
Europe must win within ourselves, he said, adding that he meant that solidarity and democracy must win over belligerence and violence.
Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski said his country was at a crucial stage on its EU integration path.
Next month we expect the European Commission to correctly evaluate the efforts we have invested in reforms and give us a positive opinion on the launching of membership negotiations, he said.
Bosnia and Herzegovina President Ivo Miro Jovic said his country had done a lot in carrying out reforms, but complained that it had been offered some undemocratic and unjust reform solutions to the detriment of Bosnia's least numerous people.
Romanian President Traian Basescu said the Kosovo crisis had pointed to the need of developing early warning mechanisms in Europe so that such causes of instability in the western Balkan could be averted in the future.
He called on the inclusion of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia into the European integration process and giving them prospects of full EU membership.
Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom too supported the enlargement process, saying it would bring economic wellbeing and security to a region bordering his country and be important for ensuring better protection of minorities.
Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus, who is attending the two-day summit as a special guest, was the last speaker today. He said the EU and NATO had an obligation to help the countries in the Union's neighbourhood so that they could carry out the necessary reforms and achieve economic and security stability, from the western Balkan countries to Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.