ZAGREB, July 29 (Hina) - Over the past year, the Stability Pact has proved to be an important and far-reaching process which, by promoting economic development, democracy, regional cooperation and security mechanisms in the area of
South-East Europe, facilitates and speeds up the process of integration of countries in that part of Europe into the European Union and NATO, read a statement issued on Saturday by the Croatian Foreign Ministry on the occasion of the first anniversary of the Stability Pact, which was adopted at a conference in Sarajevo.
ZAGREB, July 29 (Hina) - Over the past year, the Stability Pact has
proved to be an important and far-reaching process which, by
promoting economic development, democracy, regional cooperation
and security mechanisms in the area of South-East Europe,
facilitates and speeds up the process of integration of countries
in that part of Europe into the European Union and NATO, read a
statement issued on Saturday by the Croatian Foreign Ministry on
the occasion of the first anniversary of the Stability Pact, which
was adopted at a conference in Sarajevo. #L#
Croatia plays an active role in the Stability Pact by acting as a
generator of stability in the region and as a country which sees the
Pact's mechanisms as significant assistance for the achievement of
its principle foreign policy goals - its speedy accession to Euro-
Atlantic associations and the permanent stabilisation of the
security and economic situation in the region.
Croatia's active role in the Pact is confirmed by concrete projects
of which Croatia is the main bearer, such as a meeting of
parliamentary presidents of all member-countries of the Pact (to be
held in Zagreb in September this year), as well as a regional
verification centre (which is to be opened in Zagreb in October in
cooperation with Germany and other NATO member-countries and
countries in the region). This role will be additionally
accentuated in January 2001, when Croatia will take over the co-
chairmanship of the Working Table on Security.
Croatia pays special attention to large Stability Pact projects
aimed at stimulating foreign investments in the region, such as the
Anti-Corruption Initiative and the Investment Charter. Of
infrastructure projects within the Pact, the most important one for
Croatia is the Adriatic-Ionian highway. This autumn, interested
countries will meet in Athens to continue preparations for the
implementation of that project in line with conclusions adopted at
a working meeting held in Dubrovnik in January.
Croatia attaches great importance to the speedy implementation of
the so-called quick-start projects of the Pact, which include five
projects in Croatia (the largest one being the highway Breznicki
Hum-Varazdin). To quickly and efficiently implement these
projects, by using funds raised at the Pact's funding conference in
Brussels, is of utmost importance for the Pact's credibility in the
region and for keeping its direction and dynamics as set in Cologne
and Sarajevo a year ago. The basic documents of the Pact, adopted at
the ministerial meeting in Cologne and the Sarajevo summit remain
Croatia's basic political framework regarding the Pact's
objectives and implementation mechanisms.
Croatia appreciates efforts invested by the Pact's Special
Coordinator Bodo Hombach and his associates so that the complex
structure of the Pact could function as effectively as possible and
its demanding mechanisms could start giving the desired results.
Croatia expresses its gratitude to the European Union for its
leading role in the creation and activating of the Pact, as well as
to the United States for its exceptional contribution in promoting
the activities in all three working tables of the Pact. Credit
should also go to all other participants in and assistants to the
Pact, without whose joint efforts the Pact could not have realised
as much as it did in the first year.
Croatia will continue to decisively support the Pact's operation
based on the principles of full transparency, efficiency and
equality of all participants. The principle that the Pact belongs
to the countries in the region should be respected in a more
consistent manner in the future.
The link between the Pact and the process of stabilisation and
association is for Croatia of utmost importance, especially in the
light of the imminent beginning of talks with the EU on a
Stabilisation and Association Agreement. In its drawing closer to
the EU, Croatia intends to continue using the Pact as a framework
within which it will more easily and quickly achieve full
compatibility with standards required for EU and NATO membership.
The expansion of the Pact to four new members - Norway, Switzerland,
Canada and Japan - has confirmed an increasing interest of the
international community in this strategic process. Today the
Stability Pact is an unavoidable factor in all processes and
consideration regarding stability, development and progress in
South-East Europe. Croatia will continue to actively participate
in the Pact, supporting a speedy implementation of its principles,
aims and projects to the benefit of every country in South-East
Europe and the entire Europe, the Foreign Ministry's statement
read.
(hina) rml