PRESIDENT MESIC WELCOMES CONCLUSIONS OF MADRID CONFERENCE

MADRID, Oct 27 (Hina) - Young democracies are facing a number of old and new challenges, including terrorism, reactions to globalisation, and growing inequality, which is why preventing the re-establishment of authoritarian regimes must be a priority task, reads a declaration adopted at the end of a two-day international conference on transition to democracy and its consolidation, held in Madrid. #L# It is possible to prevent the re-establishment of authoritarian regimes by strengthening democratic processes, with balanced security and freedoms, reads the document. Around 30 former and incumbent heads of state and government of countries from four continents, including Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic, attended the conference. Mesic welcomed the meeting of the heads of state whose countries are undergoing or have completed the process of democratisation. "I think it is a brilliant idea to bring together the leaders of the countries which have successfully completed transition and us, whose countries are undergoing transition," Mesic told Croatian reporters. "Spain sets a good example as one of the leading countries in the economic and any other aspect," he said, adding Croatia could only benefit from the transition experience of countries such as Spain, Portugal and Ireland. The Madrid conference was organised by the Spanish non-government foundation for international relations and dialogue, FRIDE, and the Gorbatchev Foundation from Boston. The purpose of the meeting was to establish communication between the academic world and politicians. The conference is the biggest meeting of heads of state and government to be held at the initiative of non-government organisations. The presidents of Ukraine, Peru and Columbia sent letters of support. Wishing to define a set of specific mechanisms for preventing and solving problems related to the establishment and strengthening of democratic systems, a group of some 100 experts prepared reports in the first stage of the conference, which were used as the basis for discussion. Participants in the conference pointed to the need for strengthening democracy in globalised world, the importance of the constitution in democratic systems, and the need to make a clear distinction between the judicial, executive and legislative authority. They also emphasised the need to strengthen social pluralism, political mobilisation, and political parties. Fair social and economic conditions are inseparable from a stable democracy. The reform of state bureaucracy should result in greater efficiency and the reduction of administrative and political corruption, the declaration says. The document also stresses the need for civil army control, whereas independent media are considered a guarantee of freedom and political criticism. Establishing a process in which the leaders of new democracies will be able to exchange experience requires the establishment of a permanent committee, said a co-ordinator of the meeting, former Canadian Premier Kim Campbell. The committee will be named the Madrid Club, in honour of the city which hosted the conference, and it will have three tasks: to act as an advisory body and support group for countries undergoing democratic transition; to distribute information on topics discussed at the conference; and follow the international situation and organise conferences on democracy-related issues. The committee will be chaired by the last Soviet president Mikhail Gorbatchev, who presided over the conference, and include the presidents of the organisers of the conference - FRIDE and the Gorbatchev Foundation. Speaking at the end of the conference, some participants objected that debates were too general but the prevailing opinion was that the Madrid conference was a useful initiative, which should be supported. In his speech at the closing plenary session, Spain's King Juan Carlos said that democracy should be recognised as the only political system worthy of the human race. (hina) rml