Media Opportunities 27 & 28 June at Council Building Justus Lipsius

After the democratic changes in Belgrade, the Stability Pact brokered an "Agenda for Regional Action" for refugees and displaced persons (AREA). For the first time since the war, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Yugoslavia will now jointly resolve the fate of the remaining 1.2 million refugees and displaced in a co-ordinated effort with donors and international organisations. The AREA will be officially launched on 27 June, in Brussels, by ministers from the three countries, donors and International Organisations.

A breakthrough of equal proportions is the signing, also in Brussels on 27 June, of a memorandum of understanding for Liberalising Trade in the region in view of establishing a network of Free Trade Agreements for SEE by end of 2002, which would enlarge regional market size considerably to 55 million consumers. Signatory countries will be: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, Romania and FR Yugoslavia. Moldova is part of this process and has signalled its intention to join.

The Regional Table (June 28) is the highest decision making body of the Stability Pact, uniting all Stability Pact partners (countries, international organisations). On the agenda are strategy and priorities for action in the Balkans, as the Pact enters a new phase two years after it was agreed in Cologne (10 June 1999). The preparation of the forthcoming Regional Conference on assistance and reforms in Bucharest (October 26/27) is also a key item for discussion.