ZAGREB, July 27 (Hina) - The special coordinator for the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, Bodo Hombach, on Thursday commended the results achieved within the pact, even though analysts say the reality of the pact initiated in
Sarajevo a year ago is not so bright.
ZAGREB, July 27 (Hina) - The special coordinator for the Stability
Pact for Southeast Europe, Bodo Hombach, on Thursday commended the
results achieved within the pact, even though analysts say the
reality of the pact initiated in Sarajevo a year ago is not so
bright.#L#
Addressing a press conference in Brussels a year after Sarajevo
hosted the first summit on the pact on 30 July 1999, Hombach said the
Stability Pact had become a catalyst for processes necessary for
democratisation, human rights, economic revival, and security in
the region.
Speaking about the first year's balance, the coordinator mentioned
improved regional cooperation and good neighbourly relations,
citing as examples a Romania-Bulgaria agreement on the building of
a new bridge across the Danube, and a "reconciliation" between the
governments of Croatia and Montenegro.
Hombach voiced satisfaction with the economic progress the pact
contributed to, particularly to infrastructure support and
advancement projects, but pointed out it was still necessary to
fight the slow pace of bureaucracy.
Hombach said EUR2.4 billion had been unfrozen by April this year for
200 fast realisation projects, adding the establishment of the
Stability Pact had enabled stronger private investments which,
after EUR2 billion last year, should reach EUR3.5 billion in 2000.
Hombach set four major objectives for next year, namely meeting
planned deadlines for projects and programmes which have been
okayed, attracting private investments, improving the
effectiveness of international institutions, and making it
possible for the region to make use of developments in technology
and computer science.
Hombach applauded French President Jacques Chirac's initiative to
hold a Balkans summit in Zagreb in November, saying it proved the
European Union wanted to be the Stability Pact's driving force. The
summit should succeed, and we shall do everything to support the
initiative, he said.
Analysts, however, say that a year after wealthy western countries
established the pact, their promise to assist in reconstruction in
the Balkans, worth several billion U.S. dollars, continues to seem
more dream than reality.
The caution of potential donors, the slowness of bureaucracy, and
poor political leadership have slowed down an ambitious programme
envisaging the building of quality roads and railways which should
connect Western Europe with Greece, Turkey, and the Near East.
The pact's creators foresaw that the renovation of the region's
infrastructure could fastest contribute to an accelerated economic
recovery, the creation of new jobs, attracting foreign investors,
and the realisation of the pact's proclaimed objectives, namely the
establishment of lasting peace, stability and democracy in the
Balkans.
(hina) ha mm