BRUSSELS, March 19(Hina) - The European Union Council of Ministers on Monday held a regular session where it supported efforts of the international community's high representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Wolfgang Petritsch, on the
implementation of the Dayton peace accord, and decried the violence of Albanian guerrillas in Macedonia. The Council firmly supports efforts of High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch on the implementation of the Dayton peace agreement, and the European Union is determined to continue its long-term involvement in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Council of Ministers' conclusions on the western Balkans said. The Council stressed that citizens and peoples in Bosnia-Herzegovina can move towards Europe only within an integral state. In this context, the Council again denounced the recent unilateral act of the so-called Croat National Assembly on pronouncing a Croat self-rule, whereby they have stepped out of
BRUSSELS, March 19(Hina) - The European Union Council of Ministers
on Monday held a regular session where it supported efforts of the
international community's high representative to Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Wolfgang Petritsch, on the implementation of the
Dayton peace accord, and decried the violence of Albanian
guerrillas in Macedonia.
The Council firmly supports efforts of High Representative
Wolfgang Petritsch on the implementation of the Dayton peace
agreement, and the European Union is determined to continue its
long-term involvement in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Council of
Ministers' conclusions on the western Balkans said.
The Council stressed that citizens and peoples in Bosnia-
Herzegovina can move towards Europe only within an integral state.
In this context, the Council again denounced the recent unilateral
act of the so-called Croat National Assembly on pronouncing a Croat
self-rule, whereby they have stepped out of the framework of the
Dayton Agreement. The Council called on Bosnian Croats to promote
their interests within legal institutions in Bosnia at all levels.
EU foreign ministers condemned the attempt of Albanian extremists
to destabilise Macedonia and the entire region, and called on them
to immediately cease the violence.
Macedonian Foreign Minister Srdjan Kerim who was present at one
part of the session, received similar support from NATO during this
morning's meeting with NATO's Secretary-General George
Robertson.
The foreign ministers of the 15 EU members applauded NATO's
decision to grant a gradual and controlled reinstatement of
Yugoslav troops into the safety zone between Kosovo and Serbia,
with the final goal being to abolish the zone.
The Council also endorsed a recently signed cease-fire agreement in
the Preseva Valley, as well as the decision of EU High
Representative for foreign affairs and joint security, Javier
Solana, to increase the number of European monitors in Southeast
Serbia.
The EU has so far had ten observers on the border between Serbia and
Kosovo. Solana increased their numbers to 30.
(hina) lml sb