STABILITY PACT SUMMIT ENDS BY ADOPTION OF SARAJEVO DECLARATION

SARAJEVO, July 30 (Hina) - The first Summit of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe finished on Friday in Sarajevo by the adoption of a final Declaration. Leaders of 56 delegations (39 state and 17 international organisations' delegations) at the plenary session of the Sarajevo summit did not sign the final document, as this Declaration cannot be treated as an agreement, but they assumed moral and political obligations to respect principles outlined in the declaration by accepting this document. The first out of the total 15 points of the Declaration read that the Sarajevo Summit had been organised to support the aims and principles of the Pact, adopted on June 10 in Koeln. "We affirm our collective and individual readiness to give concrete meaning to the Pact by promoting political and economic reforms, development and enhanced security in the region" in order to overcome the tragedies which have afflicted the south-east of Europe during this decade, read the document. According to the second point, participants voiced their readiness to cooperate toward the full achievement of the goals - democracy, the respect for human rights, economic and social development and enhanced security to which they committed themselves by adopting the Stability Pact. South-eastern Europe will be integrated into an area in which "borders remain inviolable but no longer denote division and offer the opportunity of contact and cooperation." European Union member-states, other countries and international organisation that have taken part in the Pact commit themselves to sparing no effort to assist countries in this region that want to be admitted to Euro-Atlantic structures through the accomplishment of the Pact's objectives. "We also reaffirm the inherent right of each and every state participating in the Pact to be free to choose or change its security and association arrangements, including treaties of alliance as they evolve," read the third point of the document. According to the Declaration, participants in the Sarajevo Summit regret that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) could not be a participant in the Pact, and appealed to Yugoslavia's people to embrace democratic change. Respecting Yugoslavia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, world statesmen expressed their intention in the Declaration to find ways of making Montenegro an early beneficiary of the Pact. They also supported the implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution on Kosovo (UNSC Resolution 1244) and reiterated the importance of preserving the multiethnic character of Kosovo. The point 6 comments on regional cooperation which "will serve as a catalyst to the aspirations of the countries in the region to integrate themselves into broader structures" and it backed proposals and projects of cross-border or regional character. According to the point 8 "the Stability Pact will concentrate on the areas of democracy and human rights, economic development and cooperation as well as security." The following three points revolve around these three groups of issues. The Declaration read that participants in the Pact welcomed and supported the appointment of Bodo Hombach as the EU Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact, and pledged their full cooperation to him in accomplishing their objectives. The remaining points of the declaration deal with the implementation of the Stability Pact. Participants expressed their confidence that the South Eastern Europe Regional Table be an effective framework for coordinating the Pact's activities. They are glad to hear that the first meeting of this Round Table will be convened in September. All countries are called, at the end of the document, to continue "to participate generously in the process of transformation, economic development and reconstruction of South Eastern Europe". (hina) ms