HOMBACH: FINANCING CONFERENCE "MOMENT OF TRUTH" In a major interview in the 17 January edition of the German news magazine Der Spiegel Bodo Hombach underlines that the financing conference for south eastern Europe, set for the end of March, is "the moment of truth". According to Bodo Hombach the conference would show whether the Stability Pact was just "fine words for summits" or was meant really seriously. While the conference will clearly involve billions of Euros Hombach made clear that no specific sum for the cost of the necessary projects would be named: "We want to move away from the classic donor conference, where a basket is put on the table and people are asked who will put how much in. This time we want a conference result which consists not of naming a sum of money, rather presenting projects for which there is assured financing and which, via a quick start programme, can be started immediately". Asked by Der Spiegel whether he would give up his role as Special Coordinator if his expectations were not fulfilled Bodo Hombach said he would not make threats. But if the financing conference was not a success the foundation for a sucessful implementation of the Stability Pact would be missing. Commissioner Chris Patten, in a letter to the same edition of Der Spiegel, emphasises the importance of the Stability Pact and the Commissioner’s full support for Bodo Hombach in his work as Special Coordinator.