ZAGREB, April 4 (Hina) - The European Union should strengthen political dialogue and regional co-operation with five countries included in the Stabilisation and Association Process (Croatia, Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Macedonia and Albania)
by holding regular meetings at the ministerial level with political leaders in the region, the European Commission reported on Thursday.
ZAGREB, April 4 (Hina) - The European Union should strengthen
political dialogue and regional co-operation with five countries
included in the Stabilisation and Association Process (Croatia,
Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Macedonia and Albania) by holding regular
meetings at the ministerial level with political leaders in the
region, the European Commission reported on Thursday. #L#
In its first report for the year on the Process adopted on
Wednesday, the EC proposes that a new political forum be set up.
Within the framework of the forum, conceived as a continuation of a
successful summit held in Zagreb in November 2000, political
leaders from countries participating in the Process and their
European colleagues would discuss key issues of common interest,
notes the EC report released Thursday.
The objective of the forum would be to better understand the process
of association, in the region itself, the EU, as well as the
international scene, and to further promote regional co-operation,
the report says.
The EC report further evaluates the entire process of stabilisation
and association and achievement to date, as well as challenges in
the future.
The report is followed by five annexes relating to the political and
economic situation in each of the countries participating in the
Process, as well as a review of the assistance given by the EU to the
region in the period between 1991 and 2001, and further annexes of
ratified instruments for the protection of human rights.
The report refers to significant advancement in the past few years
by countries participating in the Process, as well as specific
problems that each country should concentrate on as potential
candidates for membership in the EU.
The main challenges for the future are the rule of law and the
activities of democratic institutions. The report points to the
feeble constitutional frameworks in Bosnia, Yugoslavia and
Macedonia
The report reiterates the EU's stance towards respect of
constitutional frameworks and that it will not support changes that
could lead to further fragmentation of the region.
Warnings are noted against organised crime and corruption and the
threat of extremist nationalism, as well as poverty, undeveloped
civil society and insufficient independence and criticism by the
media.
(hina) sp sb