The need for regional co-operation as a qualifying criteria for future EU membership and a vital component for regional development was highlighted at the annual Southeast European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Summit in Sarajevo by Special Co-ordinator Erhard Busek.  He underlined the importance of the decision by the Summit to welcome Croatia as full member to SEECP and the recommendation to the next SEECP Foreign Ministers Meeting to favourably consider observer status for Moldova.  This brings the SEECP — an important partner of the Stability Pact — even more in line geographically with the eight Southeast European beneficiary countries of the Stability Pact.

Busek also emphasised that the positive Opinion by the European Commission on the Croatian EU-membership application, which was made public 20 April, illustrates that the Croatian way can be a guiding example for other countries to follow and he called upon Croatia to share its experiences with its neighbrors. He urged Macedonia, which has filed a membership application, to use the examination period of its application for achieving progress and push reforms.  Busek again condemned the violent clashes in Kosovo in March as deplorable: “Even though the image of the region received a blow, we must stand together to repair the damage, since it affects the region as a whole.”  He added that the containment of the riots, helped by the unanimous call by Kosovo’s neighbours for moderation, was a good regional demonstration showing how far the countries have come in aligning themselves with European standards of addressing mutual and neighbourly concerns.

Attachment:           Statement by SC Busek