SARAJEVO SUMMIT SARAJEVO, July 30 (Hina) - Shortly after 12 o'clock on Friday, Finland's President Marti Ahtisaari opened a summit of the Stability Pact for South-East Europe in Sarajevo, which has gathered representatives from 71
states and international organisations. Ahtisaari opened the meeting on behalf of his country, which currently chairs the European Union.
SARAJEVO, July 30 (Hina) - Shortly after 12 o'clock on Friday,
Finland's President Marti Ahtisaari opened a summit of the
Stability Pact for South-East Europe in Sarajevo, which has
gathered representatives from 71 states and international
organisations.
Ahtisaari opened the meeting on behalf of his country, which
currently chairs the European Union. #L#
Croatia's delegation at the summit is headed by President Franjo
Tudjman. The summit is attended by 17 heads of state and 15
premiers.
The Sarajevo summit is aimed at defining the tasks in strengthening
peace and stability, and in the democratic and economic
transformation of nine countries in South-East Europe - Croatia,
Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, Albania, Romania,
Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Turkey.
In his introductory remarks, Ahtisaari said the purpose of the
summit was to leave all horrors the region had recently faced in the
past and secure its permanent prosperity.
According to Ahtisaari, the south-east part of Europe has always
been in the focus of attention due to the crises it was exposed to,
however now is the time for the region to link internally and
integrate into Europe at a speedier pace, and at the same time
undergo democratic transformation and strengthen its economic
potential.
The Stability Pact sees Europe as a permanent free and indivisible
area in which wars will be unimaginable in the future, Ahtisaari
said.
The Pact coordinator Bodo Hombach announced direct support for the
forces which are in opposition to Milosevic's regime. He added
Hungary would soon host a special meeting which would gather mayors
from Serbia who belong to opposition parties.
The armed conflict in the Balkans was stopped with a coordinated
political action, and the Stability Pact now sets a framework
which, according to Hombach, does not guarantee success but offers
great opportunities for further progress.
South-East Europe needs the support of international economy,
which has an opportunity to use the current favourable situation
for further investments on the basis of realistic planning, he
added.
Hombach said the region's main priority was strengthening
infrastructure. He reiterated the EU and NATO wanted to see south-
east European countries establish closer ties before drawing
closer to wider integration processes.
Bosnian Presidency Chairman Ante Jelavic said that his
introductory speech represented the joint stand of the state
presidency, which was a confirmation of the unity of the country's
leadership.
"My address is the joint stand of the BH Presidency, which is an
important confirmation of a consensus among the state leadership
and the beginning of a new approach toward and partnership with the
international community", Jelavic said.
Expressing hope that the adoption of the Stability Pact by all
countries of the region would enable a speedier accession into
Euro-Atlantic associations, Jelavic said, "today's inauguration
of the Stability Pact will permanently change the basic model of
communication between countries in the region, as well as the
general global approach toward South-East Europe".
The Sarajevo summit will give impetus to the development of
democracy, the protection of human rights, mutual trust, stability
and peace in the whole region, he added.
The BH Presidency chairman announced Bosnia-Herzegovina's active
role in the work of all Stability Pact working meetings, especially
those concerning regional stability.
That is why Bosnia-Herzegovina has supported the idea that the
final document of the Sarajevo summit should also include an
initiative on cutting military expenses and reducing armed forces
not only in Bosnia-Herzegovina but in the whole region, he added.
"We attach special importance to the prevention of organised crime,
corruption and terrorism, which represent a major threat to the
healthy development of democratic society and permanent stability
in the region", Jelavic said.
(hina) rml