ZAGREB SUMMIT - FINAL DECLARATION ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - Following is the full text of the "The Declaration of the Zagreb Summit" which heads of state or government of European Union member-states and countries covered by the
Stabilisation and Association Process adopted in the Croatian capital on Friday: "1. We, the Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the European Union, Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, and the President of the European Commission, in the presence of the Secretary-General/High Representative for the CFSP, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General, the Special Representative of the EU to act as Coordinator of the Stability pact for south-east Europe and the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, are meeting in Zagreb at a time when democracy is about to carry the d
ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - Following is the full text of the "The
Declaration of the Zagreb Summit" which heads of state or
government of European Union member-states and countries covered
by the Stabilisation and Association Process adopted in the
Croatian capital on Friday:
"1. We, the Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the
European Union, Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia, as well as the Foreign Minister of
Slovenia, and the President of the European Commission, in the
presence of the Secretary-General/High Representative for the
CFSP, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-
General, the Special Representative of the EU to act as Coordinator
of the Stability pact for south-east Europe and the High
Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, are meeting in Zagreb at
a time when democracy is about to carry the day throughout this
region.
The year 2000 began with democratic change in Croatia, following
the presidential and legislative elections. It continued with the
victory of democratic forces in the FRY in the elections of 24
September. This movement is developing in the interests of all the
countries in the region and offers them new prospects.
"2. The recent historic changes are opening the way for regional
reconciliation and cooperation. They enable all the countries in
the region to establish new relations, beneficial to all of them,
for the stability in the region and peace and stability on the
European continent. They give new impetus to a policy of good
neighbourliness based on the negotiated settlement of disputes,
respect for the rights of minorities, respect for international
obligations, including with regard to the ICTY, a lasting
resolution of the problem of refugees and displaced persons and
respect for States' international borders. They strengthen
regional security and are bound to assist the conclusion by the
countries concerned of the negotiations on weapons control and
reduction at regional level, as provided for in the Dayton
agreements.
We would like to stress the important contribution made by the
Stability Pact to the implementation of reforms, economic
development and the strengthening of regional security and
cooperation. The European Union was the initiator of the Stability
Pact and will continue to act as its driving force.
Our aim is to hold a second Regional Funding Conference at which the
countries concerned should submit economic recovery and reform
programmes.
Democracy and regional reconciliation and cooperation on the one
hand, and the rapprochement of each of these countries with the
European Union on the other, form a whole.
3. Henceforth, the Heads of State or Government of the five
countries concerned undertake to establish between their countries
regional cooperation conventions providing for a political
dialogue, a regional free trade area and close cooperation in the
field of justice and home affairs, in particular for the
reinforcement of justice and the independence thereof, for
combating organised crime, corruption, money laundering, illegal
immigration, trafficking in human beings and all other forms of
trafficking. These conventions will be incorporated in the
stabilisation and association agreements as they are concluded
with the European Union. The Heads of State or Government of the
five countries concerned have declared the importance they attach
to the training of police officers and magistrates and to the
strengthening of border controls.
Rapprochement with the European Union will go hand in hand with this
process of developing regional cooperation. Various initiatives by
the partners also contribute to this aim. Hence, it is a matter of
priority o develop regional cooperation, which must be applied to
specific projects, such as re-establishment of navigation on the
Danube. In this regard, we note with satisfaction that an
extraordinary session of the Adriatic and Ionian Council took place
this morning in Zagreb, with the participation of the President of
the European Commission.
The European Union notes with satisfaction the first steps towards
settling the question of the succession of the SFRY and urges the
parties concerned to move forward. It also commends the rapid
establishment of diplomatic relations between the countries in the
region where they don't yet exist.
4. In this context, the way is now open to all the countries of the
region to move closer to the European Union as part of the
stabilisation and association process.
The European Union confirms its wish to contribute to the
consolidation of democracy and to give its resolute support to the
process of reconciliation and cooperation between the countries
concerned. It reaffirms the European perspective of the countries
participating in the stabilisation and association process and
their status as potential candidates for membership in accordance
with the Feira conclusions.
This stabilisation and association process is at the heart of the
Union's policy towards the five countries concerned. It takes
account of the situation of each country and is based on respect for
the conditions defined by the Council on 29 April 1997 concerning
democratic, economic and institutional reforms. On the basis of
these criteria, the Union proposes an individualised approach to
each of these countries, the content of which appears in the Annex.
The prospect of accession is offered on the basis of the provision
of the Treaty on European Union, respect for the criteria defined at
the Copenhagen European Council in June 1993 and the progress made
in implementing the stabilisation and association agreements, in
particular on regional cooperation.
The European Union will shortly be launching a single Community aid
programme for the countries participating in the stabilisation and
association process, entitled CARDS (Community Assistance for
Reconstruction, Democratisation and Stabilisation).
This new Community instrument for Albania, the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will be endowed with a financial
reference amount of EUR 4.65 billion over the period 2000-2006. It
will accompany and support the democratic, economic and
institutional reforms of the five countries concerned.
The Union is implementing and will extend to the five countries
concerned asymmetric exceptional trade preferences which will
favour access to the Community market for their industrial and
agricultural products, so as to help relaunch their economies by
stimulating their exports. The Union invites these countries to
continue their reforms so as to draw maximum benefit from the trade
opportunities created by these measures. The aim is to bring about
the establishment of a balanced free trade between these countries
and the European Union in compliance with the rues of the World
Trade Organisation.
ANNEX
Stabilisation And Association Process On An Individual Basis
ALBANIA: the Union has commended the progress made since the
feasibility study conducted by the Commission and it calls on the
country's leaders to continue their efforts. The Union has decided
to step up its cooperation and to spell out the reforms to be carried
out. To this end it has been agreed that a high-level EU/Albania
steering group will be set up. A report will be submitted to the
Council before the middle of 2001 in preparation for the
negotiation of a stabilisation and association agreement.
FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA: we are today initialling the
first stabilisation and association agreement, which marks an
important stage in the implementation of the reforms carried out.
The Union calls on the leaders of this country to continue their
reforms in line with the provisions of the agreement.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: the Union calls on the authorities of this
country to continue their efforts, on the basis of this progress
made, to enable Bosnia and Herzegovina to fulfil by the middle of
2001 all the conditions laid down in the "road map" drawn up last
spring, so that the Commission can undertake a feasibility study.
CROATIA: the Union commends the scale of the efforts and the success
of the reforms embarked upon since the start of this year by this
country's authorities. They have now enabled negotiations to be
started for a stabilisation and association agreement: we hope they
will progress rapidly.
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA: the prospect of a stabilisation and
association agreement is now established in accordance with th
invitation issued by the Council on 9 October 2000. A decision has
been taken to set up a "EU/FRY consultative task force". The
Commission will work on a feasibility study with a view to
negotiating directives for a stabilisation and association
agreement."
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