Belgrade, 26 May 2006
Stability Pact's Biannual Forum Meets to Discuss Future of Regional Co-operation in SEE
Date: May 29 -30, 2006
Venue: Sava Centre Belgrade (Milentija Popovića 9, Belgrade, http://www.savacentar.com)
Contact/ further information: Stability Pact's Spokesperson Mr Dragan Barbutovski (+381 64 316-1817 or +32 498 982-984, press@stabilitypact.org)
Information about the meeting will be regularly updated on the following web site: http://www.stabilitypact.org/rt/
BACKGROUND
The Stability Pact's biannual Regional Table, its highest decision-making forum, will meet in Belgrade on 30 May to discuss issues of regional ownership.
About 250 participants representing over 80 countries, territories and organisations (including representatives of South Eastern European governments, EU Member States, Norway, Switzerland, the US, the European Commission and the European Council, NATO, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo, OSCE, Council of Europe, OECD, World Bank, IMF and EBRD) will debate the future of regional co-operation in SEE in general and the ownership process of the Stability Pact in particular.
The meeting of the Regional Table in Belgrade will be the venue to take decisions on the future of the Stability Pact and regional co-operation in SEE based on the recommendations of the Senior Review Group (SRG). In its final report, the Group, chaired by Finish diplomat Alpo Rusi, recommends a phased evolution of the current Stability Pact into a more streamlined and effective co-operation framework with countries in the region gradually taking ownership of the co-operation processes initiated within the Pact.
Specifically, the SRG suggests the establishment of a Council, later christened Regional Co-operation Council (RCC), which would act as a supporting body of the new regional co-operation framework. The RCC would comprise the countries of the region, the EU and the international community. It would be chaired by a Secretary General from the region, who would in turn also support the SEECP Chairmanship. The RCC would help safeguard the legacy of the Stability Pact and uphold a close relationship to the European integration process. It shall offer an operational platform for the steering of regional co-operation in the priority areas.
Full report of the Senior Review Group is available on the following web site:
http://www.stabilitypact.org/documents/Final_Report_of_the_SRG.pdf
The Stability Pact and the European Commission have prepared their joint position on the SRG recommendations. The non-paper can be accessed:
http://www.stabilitypact.org//media/regionalownership/ECSCSP.asp
Confirmed participants of the Regional Table Meeting include President Boris Tadic of Serbia, Minister Vuk Draskovic of Serbia and Montenegro, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schwarz-Schilling, Minister Mladen Ivanic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Minister Miodrag Vlahovic of Montenegro and Members of the European Parliament Doris Pack and Alexander Lambsdorff.
Deputy Foreign Ministers of Albania (Edith Harxhi), Bulgaria (Lyubomir Kyuchukov), Moldova (Valeriu Ostalep), The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (Fuad Hasanovik) and Ukraine (Andriy Veselovsky) will also take part.
The meeting of the Regional Table will be preceded by a day (29 May) of theme-focused Working Table meetings where issues of building and fostering human capital and parliamentary co-operation (Working Table I - Democracy), trade liberalisation and investment promotion (Working Table II - Economy) and the fight against organised crime and corruption as well as security co-operation in SEE (Working Table III - Security) will be debated. Confirmed participants include Ministers Milan Parivodic, Slobodan Vuksanovic and Aleksandar Popovic of Serbia and Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Dejan Jankovic of UNMIK/Kosovo.
DRAFT PROGRAMME
Monday, 29 May 2006 (all closed for the media)
09:00- 11:30 Meeting of Working Table I
13:00-15:30 Meeting of Working Table III
16:00-18:30 Meeting of Working Table II
Agendas of the Working Table meetings are available at the following page: http://www.stabilitypact.org/rt/
Press conferences will be organised at the following times (in the Media Centre):
11:30-12:00 Press Conference of Working Table I
Following the meeting of the Stability Pact’s Working Table I, which covers the issue of democracy, there will be a presentation of a new area of work for the Stability Pact – Fostering and Building Human Capital.
South Eastern Europe has not been offering a stable environment for the professional development of individuals, many of them, successful in their field of expertise. This undoubtedly has a negative impact on the overall reform of South Eastern European states and societies. With this in mind, the future activities of Working Table I will focus on how to build upon the human potential of each of the countries of the region.
Moreover, Parliamentary Co-operation continues to be a top priority area of work for Working Table I. There is a great need to strengthen the role of parliaments in South Eastern Europe as they play a key role in guaranteeing stability in the region. How to enhance co-operation among them will be the focus of their discussions.
Panellists at the press conference will be:
· Chair of Stability Pact Working Table I Mr Goran Svilanović,
· Minister of Education and Sport of Serbia Mr Slobodan Vukasnović,
· Member of the Croatian Parliament Ms Gordana Sobol and
· Member of the European Parliament Ms Doris Pack (tbc).
12:00-12:30 Press Conference of Working Table III
Working Table III of the Stability Pact deals with questions of both internal and external security. The aim is to establish a stable security environment in the region and to promote regional co-operation in various areas such as fight against organised crime and corruption, migration issues and defence and security sector reform.
Fight against organised crime and corruption has become one of the most talked about topics recently. Recognised as an area where regional co-operation is necessary if result are to be achieved, the Stability Pact has for years been focusing on how to tackle this area regionally. Moreover, having a mandate to help the countries of South Eastern Europe meet EU and NATO membership criteria, the Stability Pact has also been involved in many areas of security sector reform.
Panellists at the press conference will be:
· Chair of Stability Pact Working Table III Mr Janez Premože,
· Chair of Stability Pact’s Initiative Anti Corruption Initiative (SPAI) Mr Ugo Draetta,
· Team Leader of the South Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons
(SEESAC) Mr Adrian Wilkinson and
· Director of Stability Pact Working Table III Mr Pieter Verbeek.
12:30-13:00 Press Conference of Working Table II
The overall objective of Working Table II is to stimulate economic growth and employment in South Eastern Europe through the development and implementation of regional strategies in infrastructure, trade and investment.
Taking into account the recent developments, it is natural that the upcoming meeting of Working Table II will focus on the issues of trade liberalisation and investment promotion.
In the area of trade liberalisation, we have seen great developments over the last few months with the April political launch of negotiations on the creation of a Single Free Trade Agreement in South Eastern Europe. To be achieved through simultaneous amendment and enlargement of CEFTA, the members states have embarked on an ambitious path to finalise the negotiations by the end of this year.
Panellists at the press conference will be:
· Chair of Stability Pact Working Table II Mr Fabrizio Saccomanni (also Vice President of the EBRD),
· Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of Romania Ms Georgeta Molosaga
(representing Romanian CEFTA Chairmanship) and
· Director of Working Table II Mr Laurent Guye.
Tuesday, 30 May 2006
09:00-10:00 Opening Session (open for the media)
· Special Co-ordinator Erhard BUSEK
· Address by Foreign Minister of S&M Vuk DRASKOVIC
· Address by Enlargement Commissioner Olli REHN
· Addresses by other high level participants
10:00-10:30 Session I: Report by the Chair of the Senior Review Group and the Working Table Chairs
(open for the media)
· Chair of the Senior Review Group, Alpo RUSI
· Chair of WT I, Goran SVILANOVIC
· Chair of WT II, Fabrizio SACCOMANNI
· Chair of WT III, Janez PREMOZE
10:30-11:00 Press Conference (Media Centre, 2nd Floor of Sava Centar)
The framework of regional co-operation in South East Europe (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and UNMIK/Kosovo) will receive a serious facelift in the future if proposals on a phased evolution of the current Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe into a more streamlined and effective co-operation framework will be endorsed by the Regional Table, Stability Pact's highest decision-making political forum, when it meets in Belgrade on 30 May.
The establishment of a Regional Co-operation Council (RCC) has been proposed. It would act as a supporting body of the new regional co-operation framework where the countries of the region would gradually take over the ownership of the co-operation processes initiated within the Pact.
The RCC would comprise the countries of the region, the EU and the international community. It would be chaired by a Secretary General from the region, who would in turn also support the Chairmanship of the South Eastern Europe Co-operation Process (SEECP). The RCC would help safeguard the legacy of the Stability Pact and uphold a close relationship to the European integration process.
Panellists at the press conference will be:
· Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe Mr Erhard Busek,
· Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro Mr Vuk Drašković and
· Enlargement Commissioner Mr Olli Rehn.
11:00-12:30 Session II: Discussion on the Future Development of the Stability Pact (closed for the media)
· Programmatic Speech by the Special Co-ordinator on the future development of the Stability Pact
· Statements from High Level Participants
13:00-15:00 Continuation of Discussion and Concluding Remarks by the Special Co-ordinator (closed for the media)
N.B. A press release with the conclusions of the Regional Table meeting will be send to the media following the closure of the meeting.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
All press conferences and briefings will take place in the Media Centre located on the 2nd floor of the Sava Centre (for more information please consult their web page http://www.mediacenter.org.yu).
For technical information please contact Ms Gordana Mladenovic, Head of Press Centre (Tel. +381 11 220 6901 or mladenov@mediacenter.org.yu).
ACCREDITATION
All representatives of media organisations must be accredited. A form can be downloaded from the following web page:
http://www.stabilitypact.org/rt/RT_Belgrade-media_accreditation.doc
The accreditation form should be sent to the following e-mail address:
dinfmsp@smip.sv.gov.yuor direkcijazainformisanje@smip.sv.gov.yu
As the deadline for the accreditation has passed, please send all necessary documents immediately!
After processing the form, the accreditation will be confirmed by e-mail from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For additional information, please contact Ana Kruta or Jelena Jankovic (Tel. +381 11 306-8882, Fax. 361 1997 or e-mail addresses above)
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PA2006/006
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