Thursday, 21 October 2010
PROACTIVE POLICIES FOR ACCELERATING THE INTEGRATION OF THE REGION IN THE EURO-ATLANTIC STRUCTURES
„We firmly believe that all of the Balkan countries have the capacity to build the new Balkans, free from the remnants of the past. We have a common goal, common interests and common future. We need further efforts to ensure that the progress achieved so far will be lasting and irreversible. Our policies must be pro-active and aimed at speeding up the integration of the region in the Euro-Atlantic structures”- emphasized Mr. Talat Xhaferi, Head of the Delegation from the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia to the NATO PA, on the third day of the 75th Rose-Roth Seminar on the topic “Kosovo after the International Court of Justice advisory opinion: what next?”
Mr. Krešimir Ćosić, Head of the Croatian Delegation tot he NATO PA, chaired the fifth and final session of the Seminar. General Erhard Buehler from KFOR, Mr. Silvio Bonfigli - Head of EULEX Kosovo, Mr. Krenar Gashi - Director of the Kosovo Institute for Research and Policy Development, Mr. Dušan Reljić - Senior Researcher in the German Institute for International Affairs and Security, and Mr. Naim Rashiti and Mr. Srdjan Djerić - Analysts of the International Crises Group, were keynote speakers, while Mr. Talat Xhaferi - Head of the Delegation from the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia to the NATO PA, and Mr. David Hobbs - NATO PA Secretary General, gave the concluding remarks.
Regarding the youngest country in the region Kosovo, the participants emphasised the need for further consolidation of the state institutions, the rule of law and the democratic processes, with support of the international community. They also pointed out that this country belongs in Europe and that its future is in the Euro-Atlantic Integration.
During the three-day Seminar the experiences from the learned lessons were presented by representatives of the NATO member states, while MPs from several parliaments, professors, NGO representatives and other participants exchanged opinions on various topics. The prevailing view was that the international community should be more committed to the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina because of the serious open issues.
The participants emphasized that the Republic of Macedonia is leader in the region and promoter of peace, but because of its unresolved issue regarding the name of the country it is still not a member of the NATO club.
They also reiterated the need for further implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement, as well for building an integrated multiethnic society, which is seen as a good example in the region and beyond.
The Seminar emphasized the important role of parliaments and the parliamentary dimension as one of the main pillars for the building and strengthening of transparency of the process of Euro-Atlantic integration of the countries from the Region.
At the end of the Seminar the participants underlined that if we can not agree on the events from the past, we can agree on the future - integration in the EU and NATO. They also reiterated the need for resolving all the outstanding issues or disputes in the region which would contribute for faster integration in NATO.
„I would like to underline that even though the main topic on the next Lisbon Summit will be the new NATO Strategy, we still expect that the open door policy of the Alliance will be reaffirmed, and that the process of NATO enlargement will continue”, said Mr. Talat Xhaferi in his final remarks on the 75th ROSE-ROTH Seminar “South-Eastern Europe: Creating New Momentum”, organized jointly by the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia and the NATO PA.
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