STABILITY PACT OFFICE FOR MIGRATION, ASYLUM OPENED IN VIENNA

VIENNA, Oct 22 (Hina) - A Stability Pact for South-East Europe migration and asylum coordination office was opened in Vienna on Monday. The office was opened by Stability Pact Coordinator Bodo Hombach, who said there could be no peace and stability in the region without progress and development. This requires foreign investments, he said, describing this process as unsatisfactory at the moment. The office is very important because it will coordinate numerous migration and asylum issues, he said. It is important for South-East European countries to continue the process of reforms, stabilisation and democratisation with increased regional cooperation, which will lead them to the European Union, Hombach said. Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero Waldner said the regular coordinated management of migrations was important for South-East Europe as well as for the European Union. Swedish State Secretary Gun Britt-Andersson said Sweden had from the start been supporting the idea about such an office as a place where all activities and projects regarding migration and asylum policy in the western Balkans would be coordinated. (hina) rml