The conference addressed the existing schedule of European Union enlargement and the political and social influence it has on countries aspiring for membership as well as on the Union itself. Another topic were the security and political aspects of NATO enlargement in the region.
Sanader said the EU project had no alternative for the future of Southeast European countries, the future of Europe and the world, or for transatlantic ties.
He highlighted Croatia's leading role in Euro-Atlantic integration in the region, estimating that Croatia would complete entry negotiations with Brussels in two and a half years and become a full EU member in 2009. He advocated the continuation of the integration process and the accession of all the region's countries.
The historic EU project cannot be completed without Southeast Europe, said Sanader. There are problems such as Kosovo's status and Bosnia and Herzegovina's constitutional reforms, but Croatia advocates the admission of all, he said, adding that this part of the world deserved very strong and sound European perspectives.
Sanader advocated the signing of Stabilisation and Association Agreements between the EU and BiH, Montenegro and Serbia, emphasising that the international community's High Representative must not leave BiH in July 2007 without the SAA having been signed.
Sanader described how Croatia engaged its political and social forces in the EU accession project, and that he and opposition leader Ivica Racan shared the responsibility for the success of the accession process.
He also commented on EU enlargement fatigue, problems with the European constitution, saying these problems could be solved. Speaking of the Union's absorption capacity, he said the new members would not be absorbed but integrated, without losing their national identities.
Participants in the debate spoke of the negative effects which a standstill in EU enlargement could have on the stability and development of their countries, and warned about a possible unequal treatment their countries might have even after joining the EU.
The conference was organised by Croatian historian Ivo Banac and his Greek colleague Dimitris Keridis, both Yale professors. In attendance were incumbent BiH PM Adnan Terzic and Montenegrin Foreign Minister Miodrag Vlahovic, former Macedonian PM Vlado Buckovski and former foreign ministers Nadezda Mihailov of Bulgaria and Goran Svilanovic of the ex-Yugoslavia, and others.