crossroads special edition: me eting of ministers of foreign affairs of the south eastern europe...

7/28/2019 CROSSROADS SPECIAL EDITION: Me eting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South Eastern Europe Cooperation

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CROSSROADSThe Macedonian Foreign Policy Journal

nk PoPoSKi

SEECP: Vision of Good-neighbourliness,Social and Economic Development

amt davuTolu, vs PuSi, i MrKi, i luKi

Solidarity in Action SEECP Mottoi leanc, Kst georgieva

SEECP as an Instrument for Cooperation and Solidarityin the Changing International Environment

K erJavec

Special EditionMay 2013

TOGETHER ON THE PATHTOWARDS EUROPEAN FUTURE


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Fuded b te Miistr Frei Afairs te Repubi Maedia.Fiip II Maedsi 7, 1000 Spje, Repubi Maedia

www.ma.v.m

Previous Editors-in-Chief: Paj Avirvi, Deember 2006-Apri 2008; Zvimir Ppvi, Ma 2008-Deember 2009

Editor-in-ChiefVadimir EFREMoVSkI

Editorial Board:Zu RIZVAnSkI

Saba JAShARIkateria STAVRESkAoa JAnEVSkA JoVAnoVIkSejua ShAqIRI

Adviser:Beti koRUnoVSkA

Publsh by: Macedonian nformation entre (M)Draa AnTonoV, Director

n.n. Bre 73, 1000 SpjeRepubi Maedia

www.miews.m.m

CROSSROADSThE MAcEDonIAn FoREIgn PolIcy JoURnAl

May 2013, Special Edi tion


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SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN COOPERATION PROCESS

Macedonian chairManship-in-office

2012-2013

CROSSROADSCROSSROADSThe Macedonian Foreign Policy Journal

Special EditionMay 2013


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Solidrity

inaction


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C o n t e n t s

Na PoPoSkiSeecP: ViSion oF good-neighbourlineSS, Social and econoMic

deVeloPMenT, Walking TogeTher The PaTh ToWardS euroPean FuTure 5

SEECP: Vsn f Gd-neghbness, Sca and Ecnmc Devepmen

Ahme DAVutolua ForWard looking ViSion For The balkanS Through The PriSM

oF The SouTh eaST euroPean cooPeraTion ProceSS 9

Vesna PuSii belieVe The reSulTS are ViSible 17

ivan MrkienlargeMenT Policy iS one oF The unionS MoST

iMPorTanT inSTruMenTS 21

ig lukiSeecP enabled uS To STrengThen STabiliTy and euroPean PerSPecTiVe 27

Sday n Acn SEECP M

ie lEANCSolidariTy in acTion SeecP MoTTo FiT For The region 33

ksana GEorGiEVA

The SeecP and eu ciVil ProTecTion: SolidariTy in acTion 37

SEECP as an insmen f Cpean and Sday n he Changnginenana Envnmen

ka ErjAVEC The SouTh eaST euroPean cooPeraTion ProceSS aS an inSTruMenT

For cooPeraTion and SolidariTy in The changing inTernaTional

enVironMenT 45


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4 South East European Cooperation Process

H.E. Mr. Na PoPoski,

Mner Fregn Afar he Repbc Macedna


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SEECP: Vision of Good-neighbourliness, Social and Economic Development, Walking Together the Path Towards European Future 5

SEECP: ViSion of Good-nEiGhbourlinESS,SoCial and EConomiC dEVEloPmEnt,

WalkinG toGEthEr thE Path toWardS

EuroPEan futurE

Some thoughtS onregional cooperation

This is likely the most inspiring and challengingtopic to write on.Especially when one comes rom the southeast

part o Europe...Regional cooperation - as you have

rightully presumed.

A short break and aterwards I look through an

airplane window. Below is the North Sea.

Further to the right, there are lands I always gladly

visit, even in winter time. That region sets benchmarks

in many respects. Among them is the present topic.

Still, just think about these countries:

Some o them are in NATO, others are not. Some o

them are in the EU, others are not. Some o them were

empires, others have been ruled. Some o them use

the euro, others do not. Some o them are rich with

natural resources, others are not. Some understand

each other, others do not. Some are monarchies, oth-

ers are not...

In policy-making terms, perhaps this is not the most

compact group o countries.

Still, their decisions allow them to grow ever more

integrated. And there is a reason why. The ocial

agendas o these countries rank regional meetings

and initiatives right on the top. This is their prior-

ity. They are all very open economies and interact

globally. But they have understood that in order to

inuence the world, you need rock-solid relations with

your next door neighbours. This is even more evidentor smaller countries.

Challenges exist there as everywhere. However,

open, cool-headed, argumented dialogue does help,

as does mutual interaction.

Focusing on the uture and the common interests

o countries, rather than on divisive positions and

sticking to collision courses are some o the tested

recipes.

It seems that this works in that region to the point

o having a joint cross-border supranational airline. A

very delicate area. Unthinkable still in the SEE context.

We in the See alSo cooperate,

With hopefully riSing

enthuSiaSm

Dierences in our peer regional organization naturally

exist. Among others, in GDP per capita terms. Some

claim that wealth is essential.

Some are in avour o frst fxing the misperceptions

and avouring engagement with neighbours. This

indeed is not related to wealth. Either way, there are

things we can do better in the SEE. Our joint engine

driving us orward is the wish to integrate all the

countries o the Region in the European peace and

stability project. It is the best recipe or us to put any

bilateral dierences in a perspective, enabling us to

ocus on what brings us together.


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6 South East European Cooperation ProcessWe have approached the SEECP Chairmanship

with a wish to push orward a ew concrete projects

that link us across borders. The trio with our Serbian

and Romanian riends worked well on many topics,including the ollowing:

Cultural cooperation has been one o the priorities

o the Macedonian SEECP Chairmanship. Together

with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), we

have raised and pursued the initiative or creating a

network o museums in Southeast Europe, aiming to

enhance cross-border cooperation between cultural

institutions. We have worked hard to promote and

preserve cultural diversities in Southeast Europe.

Further eorts have been made with a view to

developing the SEECP parliamentary dimension.

The 15th anniversary o the Athens Conerence was

marked by organizing an International Conerence

and several accompanying events. We believe that

the upcoming 10th Conerence o Speakers o SEECP

Parliaments in Ohrid will be crowned with a decision

or the establishment o the SEECP Parliamentary

Assembly.

We have also tackled the issue o strengthening

the institutional dialogue with the European Com-

mission and with EU institutions. The increased level

o synergy and cooperation achieved between the

SEECP Chairmanship and the RCC has contributed

both to the urther improvement o the relations

among our countries, as well as to the advance-

ment o the relations between the Region and the

European Union.

In the health care area, we have undertaken ac-

tivities towards strengthening regional ownership

and providing support to the health network in the

Southeast European Region. We have inauguratedthe Seat o the Southeast European Health Network

Secretariat in Skopje.

Each o us is aware that: All inclusiveness and re-

gional ownership are the necessary prerequisites i

we are to move orward in all these and even more

ields o regional cooperation. Progress is visible

there, too.

topic driven SummitS

This year, the Republic o Macedonia is commemo-

rating 50 years o the disastrous Skopje earthquake,which destroyed the entire city o Skopje in 1963. In

this respect, we are sending an important message,

that international solidarity o 50 years ago is still

very much present and relevant today and remains

a strong element o our regional cooperation.

The spirit o solidarity has prevailed in building a

stable climate o cooperation among us. Bearing this

in mind, we have chosen Solidarity in Action as the

motto o the Macedonian Chairmanship. This motto

calls or increased unity and solidarity in the Region.

For the irst time, the upcoming SEECP Summit o

Heads o State or Government will be ocused on a

topic, which is o crucial regional importance. In the

context o the 50 years o the Skopje earthquake and

the Solidarity in Action motto, the Summit will ad-

dress the issue o disaster risk reduction and climate

change adaptation.

Climate change and disaster risk are our todays

reality, posing as well a threat to the uture. As we

know, risks and disasters recognize no political bor-

ders. While taking on board the complexity o these

two concepts, we have worked very hard with a view

to building a Region more resistant to natural disas-

ters. Our major goal is environmentally clean, sae,

secure, prosperous and accessible Region that will

ensure better tomorrow or our coming generations.

The main outcome o the up-coming Summit is a

political commitment to creating a Regional Action

Plan that will help oster regional cooperation on this

matter. The results o this Summit should be taken as

an additional impetus to jointly taking advantage o

possibilities or attaining sustainable development

in our Region.

We believe that the next SEECP Chairmanships

(2013-2014), in close cooperation with the SEECP

Troika and the Regional Cooperation Counci l, wil l

persist with the practice o organizing thematic Sum-

mits and addressing issues o regional importance.


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SEECP: Vision of Good-neighbourliness, Social and Economic Development, Walking Together the Path Towards European Future 7a look around the corner

Finally, the term o one chairmanship is never enough

to ulfl the ambitious regional agenda. What mattersare countries persistence and the coordination across

chairmanships. We might not be up to Scandinavian

standards yet, but our determination to achieve sub-

stantial progress is visible...As is our wish to create

synergies through cross-border cooperation. There,

we all speak the same language. The European one.

Lets act upon our commitments now.

Res, non fabula.


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H.E. Mr. Ahme DAvutolu,

Mner Fregn Afar he Repbc trey

SEECP: ViSion of Good-nEiGhbourlinESS, SoCialand EConomiC dEVEloPmEnt


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A Forward Looking Vision for the Balkans Through the Prism of the South East European Cooperation Process 9

a forWard lookinG ViSion for thE balkanSthrouGh thE PriSm of thE South EaSt

EuroPEan CooPEration ProCESS

As the successul Chairmanship o Macedonia drawsto an end, I would like to use this opportunity to

share my thoughts on the the South East European

Cooperation Processs (SEECP) uture reorganization

towards increased cooperation in the Balkans. Despite

its short history, SEECP, the unique home-grown initiative

in the region, has become a prototypical orum o high-

level dialogue. As such, it provides a perect conduit or

the countries o the region in their quest to emancipate

themselves rom the bad memories o the 20th century

and avoid the danger o being trapped in a vicious cycle

o tensions, crises, conicts and problems that were

endemic to that particular era.

It is high time or regional countries to reect on the

past years since the establishment o the SEECP and

reassess the potential role this process could play in the

uture o the region. Let me be more clear by asking some

questions: What was the joint vision that prompted the

Balkan nations to initiate this process? What have been

the achievements o the SEECP? What are the actors

that render this process a vital component o regional

aairs? What are the challenges that must be met or the

urther development o the SEECP? These are but a ew

questions that we, as the stakeholders in the creation

o a peaceul and stable regional order in the Balkans,

have to seriously ponder upon.

Despite the argument that the orces o globalization

will reduce local dierences and acilitate the emergence

o a single global society, we are still living in a world o

regions where local and regional processes increasingly

gain prominence. The reality o regional or sub-regionalcooperation has increasingly become a act o the 21st

century as many nations move towards closer cultural,

economic, and political interaction, i not integration,

at the regional level.

The Balkan region, which traditionally has been reerred

to as the model o ragmentation and disintegration, now

has a chance to emerge as yet another regional order

in the making where a culture o cooperation prevails.

This essay proposes an alternative vision o urthering

regional cooperation around the SEECP, based on a set

o methodology and policy principles, in an attempt to

stimulate a wider debate on the subject in the intellectual

and policy circles in the Balkan region. In particular, this

essay outlines the normative bases and policy principles

or regional cooperation as the Balkan nations contem-

plate how to reorganize their institutional architecture

in this new era.

Seecp: from the 20 century into

the 21s century

Although it was established in 1996, close to the end o

the 20th century, the SEECP has surely and confdently

evolved as an organization that will live up to the unique

conditions o the 21st century. It is poised to emerge as

an organization that will pave the way orward or the

countries in the region as they seek to orge a new uture

in this region and sharply break with the mentality o the

previous century, which was characterized by two world


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10 South East European Cooperation Processwars and a blody regional war in the recent history. The

SEECP provides a perect conduit or the countries o

the region in their quest to emancipate themselves rom

the bad memories o the 20th century and avoid thedanger o being trapped in a vicious cycle o tensions,

crises, conicts and problems that were endemic to

that particular era. Such a psychological break with the

past is a precondition i the regional countries sincerely

aspire to see the SEECP evolve as a major organization

that will help to shape the uture o the Balkans.

The quintessential challenge we have to address is how

to oster a joint vision that will unite the Balkan countries

around common objectives as we prepare to cope with

the challenges o the 21st century. Unortunately, the

20th century was mired in negative memories and the

regions experience in this period was ar rom being a

source o inspiration or our task o preparing or a more

peaceul and prosperous uture.

In the frst hal o the 20th century, the region wit-

nessed three wars: the Balkan Wars, World War I and World

War II. In the second hal o the 20th century, there was

the long Cold War and the blody Yugoslav wars that stil

haunt our memories. These wars, whether hot or cold,

drew lines o demarcation in the region and created

uncertainties, instabilities and prejudices.

The Balkan nations are at a point o critical choice as

to whether they will perpetuate the mentality o the

previous decades that was based on enmity and conict

or whether they will adopt a new political language that

will place an emphasis on shared destiny and coopera-

tion. This new approach can only emerge rom a shared

understanding about the Balkan peoples expectations

or the uture o the region. More importantly, such a

orward-looking vision implies that we should devote

our intellectual eorts to imagine how the Balkans andthe SEECP would look like in the decades ahead rather

than engaging in useless debates on what happened

in the past.

At this point, we need to pause and ask ourselves

the question o what role we envisage or the region

in global aairs in 2020 and beyond. Turkeys sugges-

tion is to approach this new era as a period o restora-

tion, cooperation, and construction: Restoration in

the sense o restoring shared cultural, economic and

political ties; Cooperation in the sense o developing

a new spirit o joint action; and Construction in the

sense o a way to both overcome the legacy o thepast decades and respond to the challenges o the new

decades to come. These are the preconditions to having

a new atmosphere o partnership and a constructive

approach or building a peaceul and prosperous era

in the region. The remainder o the essay outlines the

normative bases and principles which suggest a way

orward as we contemplate how to construct this new

era in the Balkans. A novel approach should be based

on methodology and policy principles. Here, I present

three methodology and our policy principles which,

in their entirety, might help ormulate an approach to

regional cooperation in the Balkans.

principleS of methodology

The frst methodology principle highlights the impor-

tance o having a vision-oriented approach as opposed

to a crisis-oriented one. The leaders and peoples o

the Balkan region still recall the crises, among others,

in Bosnia- Herzegovina and Kosovo. A crisis-oriented

approach remains fxated on the details o these past

crises as they tackle contemporary problems, and as

such, they, purposely or not, constantly reproduce the

negative legacy o this bitter episode in dierent con-

texts. A vision-oriented approach, in contrast, seeks

to move beyond these crises and proposes to handle

todays issues with a new ramework and a resh vision.

We need to pause and ask ourselves the question o

what role we envisage or the region in global aairs in

2020 and beyond.

The second methodology principle calls or adoptinga orward-looking rather than a backward-looking ap-

proach. Societies and leaders interpret and make use o

history in various ways. Arguably the most dangerous

way is one that conceptualizes history as a burden o

the past and a hindrance or the uture. It is true that

history is what makes the world o today. However, as

actors possessing determination and ree will, we are

not bound by our past legacies as we build our uture.


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A Forward Looking Vision for the Balkans Through the Prism of the South East European Cooperation Process 11Keeping that in mind, the Balkans need to have a view

or the uture rather than being captive to the past when

addressing the challenges o the age. A vision-oriented

approach proposes to handle todays issues with a newramework and a resh vision.

The third important methodology principle suggests

a value-based approach rather than an ideology-based

approach to regional problems. A value-based vision pre-

sumes that the Balkan nations agree on certain common

values, regardless o ethnic, religious, or sectarian dier-

ences. This vision stands in contrast to the ideology-based

approach which essentially reproduces an ideological

dogmatism reminiscent o the Cold War era or the later

ethno-nationalistic ideologies that have destroyed the

region with a spillover eect on the neighboring areas.

To sum up, a novel approach to regional cooperation

is vision-oriented rather than crisis-oriented, orward-

looking rather than backward-looking, and its under-

standing is value-based rather than ideology-based.

These principles may serve as guiding principles or the

SEECP as a orum in dealing with the issues in this region.

policy principleS

These methodology principles should be complemented

by policy principles in order to be eective in practical

terms. In this category, we could include our policy

principles. The frst one is regional ownership and inclu-

siveness. Our starting premise is that, this region belongs

to the local peoples who have lived there or centuries

and will continue to live there. All ethnic, sectarian

and linguistic groups are an integral part o the region

and will remain so in the years ahead. No one should

contemplate any expulsion o a population or the exile

o a single individual. The nations o the Balkan regionare not only neighbors living side by side, but they also

orm one amily with close societal and cultural ties that

bind them. This region is like shorba, and it will only

taste good i salt and all the ingredients are properly

there. I one takes any o these out, that shorba will be

tasteless; hence, the importance o regional ownership.

Serbs, Albanians, Turks, Greeks, Bosnians, Bulgarians,

Croats, Romanians, Macedonians among others, will

all live together in the next century, bringing their own

richness to the table. The nations o the Balkan region

are not only neighbors living side by side, but they also

orm one amily with dense societal and cultural tiesthat bind them.

Regional ownership and inclusiveness does not mean

that there will never be any disagreements, but a amily

approach essentially requires that the countries o the

region should manage crises with the spirit o a amily.

We can also name it as regional responsibility. Just as

nobody can deny his or her brother or sister, we can-

not simply turn our back on each other and go about

our own ways. What we need is to develop ways and

means to resolve problems. In this sense, we could call

the trilateral mechanism between Turkey, Bosnia and

Serbia a historic step. Nobody could even have imagined

in the 1990s, or example, that Turkey and Serbia would

be working together now. Similarly, there is the Turkey,

Croatia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina trilateral mechanism,

in addition to a Turkey, Greece, and Bulgaria one. The

initiation o such bilateral, trilateral or other multilateral

processes would pave the way or wider regional initia-

tives, which could be the leading ocus o the SEECP

orum. Policy makers should have the determination

to turn the 21st century into a century o re-integration

in the Balkan region.

The second policy principle is regional reintegration.

The 20th century was a century o division. In order to

normalize the region to conorm to the spirit o the time,

policy makers should have the determination to turn

the 21st century into a century o reintegration in the

Balkan region. Instead o micro-level division, we need

to bolster macro-level integration. On this point, having

political dialogue is o paramount importance. There

should be bilateral and multilateral high-level politicaldialogue mechanisms that meet on a regular basis, similar

to the European Unions mechanisms. Instead o having

one annual summit, the SEECP might hold two or three

summits, supported by a number o relevant bilateral

mechanisms and permanent committees.

One possible example or regional high level dialogue

mechanism is the Turkey-Greece High Level Coopera-

tion Council (HLCC) Meeting. The establishment o the


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12 South East European Cooperation ProcessHLCC during Prime Minister Erdoans visit to Athens

in 2010 has been an important cornerstone in improv-

ing our bilateral relations with Greece. Yet in one day,

on May 14, 2010, Turkish and Greek authorities signed22 agreements and there was a joint cabinet meeting

with ten Ministers rom each side around the table.

This was beyond imagination just fve or ten years ago.

The second meeting o the HLCC was held on 4 March

2013 in Istanbul with the two Prime Ministers and 13

Ministers rom each side. The common will o the two

governments to urther improve their bilateral relations

in all felds was confrmed and this time 25 documents

were signed, meaning that 47 documents were signed

in total at the two consecutive HLCC meetings. The HLCC

mechanism also increases the capability to explore new

ways to overcome dierences between Turkey and

Greece. Turkey and Greece will continue to hold HLCC

meetings regularly.

Another successul example in this vein can be the

High Level Cooperation Council (HLCC) between Turkey

and Bulgaria whose frst meeting in Ankara on 20 March

2012 was a remarkable success in elevating the existing

bilateral relations to a level o genuine partnership. While

both Prime Ministers met with each other, every Minister

included in their delegations had seperate meetings with

their counterparts. Following the signing o the docu-

ment marking the establishment o the Turkish-Bulgarian

HLCC, delegations rom the two countries, headed by the

two Prime Ministers, attended the HLCCs frst meeting.

During that meeting, 17 agreements on diverse areas

including economy, transportation, tourism, culture,

environment, deense industry and broadcasting were

concluded.

Global economy is passing through challenging and

dicult times. Our region is not immune rom the ad-verse eects o the global crisis. While Eurozone is the

epicenter o the crisis, we have to remain vigilant and

attentively monitor the spillover eects o the Eurozone

crisis on South East European economies. We must remain

in solidarity throughout the crisis as our economies are

interdependent by trade and investments.

The region aces inter-related and multi-dimensional

challenges. Several South East European countries are

experiencing a signifcant slowdown. We need to ocus

more on the reasons and the outcomes o this gloomy

situation.

Weaknesses in competitiveness may undermine al-ready ragile growth perormances and diminish the

ability o some countries to achieve sustainable fscal

dynamics. We should ensure that the South East European

economic zone has a sound fnancial system with strong

fnancial institutions. Austerity has to be reconciled with

growth. As the Turkish case demonstrates, this is not an

easy but doable job.

Another crucial challenge is that the region has among

the highest unemployment and poverty rates in Europe.

We should implement policies that would establish a air

balance between economic interests and social realities.

Generating jobs is the key to make economic recovery

more supportive o social cohesion. Reorming the labor

market and improving the quality o labor skills are es-

sential or job creation.

In this interconnected World no one is spared rom

the scarring eects o the ongoing economic crisis. It

is true that Turkish economy proved to be one o the

most resilient ones in conronting the challenging eco-

nomic conditions. It was not an easy task, however. At a

time when our major trade markets have been aected

negatively by the global economic crisis, we were able

to diversiy our trade by fnding new partners.

Because we believe that by creating higher degree o

economic interdependency, we could lessen the volatil-

ity in our neighborhood. This is precisely what we have

done in promoting the regional trade by various policy

measures. As a result the share o our neighbors in our

total trade volume has quadrupled in the last ten years,

comprising 32% o it. Last year or instance our trade

with the countries in the wider Middle East region wason par with our trade with Europe.

Similarly we have signifcantly increased our economic

and trade relations with our partners in the Balkans. By

signing ree trade agreements with the regional countries,

showing keen interest in the privatization processes

in the region, promoting investment in the region by

introducing various incentives, we tried hard to present

the Balkans as an attractive option or Turkish investors.


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A Forward Looking Vision for the Balkans Through the Prism of the South East European Cooperation Process 13Turkey today has ree trade agreements with all Balkan

countries except or Kosovo.

As a result o this, Turkeys oreign trade with the

Balkan countries has made impressive strides in recentyears. Our total trade volume has increased rom 2.9

billion dollars in 2000, to 18.4 billion dollars in 2012.

Turkish direct investments in the Balkan countries are

also showing an upward trend.

Such policies go beyond their economic signifcance.

This has not only helped our economy in weathering the

storm during the crisis, it has also been used as an instru-

ment to stabilize the political environment around us.

Along the same line, I argue that by deepening

economic interdependence, our region can not only

overcome its imminent economic challanges but also

move towards regional integration. In that respect,

SEECPs operational arm, the RCC (Regional Cooperation

Council) provides an important orum that needs to be

strengthened. Now that the RCC Participants have agreed

on a revised Statute to enhance the capabilities o the

organization, RCC can be more instrumental in orging

better cooperation means in the region. RCC, like other

organizations must embrace every stakeholder in its

target area. I am very happy that the rapprochement

between Belgrade and Prishtina led to the resolution

o representation issue in the RCC.

Moreover the agreement reached ater the latest

round o talks o the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue process

held in Brussels on April 19, 2013 will make important

contributions to Serbia-Kosovo relations and to the peace

and stability, particularly in the Balkans but also in the

world at large. Furthermore this agreement will also

strengthen Serbia and Kosovos European orientations.

I believe that such an agreement, which marks a new

chapter in the relations between Serbia and Kosovo, cre-ates an opportunity not to be missed or constructing

the Balkans common uture.

Such developments induce our hopes or a better

regional cooperation, not only on the political sphere,

but also in the economic area. Such a resh approach to

regional integration also requires a new look at the role

o the cities in the region. Many cities have suered rom

the divisions imposed upon the region throughout the

course o history. For example, Thessaloniki was previ-

ously the center o economic activity in South Eastern

Europe, serving as the cultural and economic gateway

to its hinterland throughout centuries. It was similar tothe role o Edirne, Adrianapolis, o Turkey, in this respect.

While Thessaloniki was the port or the entire Balkans,

today it is an important city o only Greece. Skopjes situ-

ation is no dierent. Now, those cities are ar past their

magnifcent days. They can thrive and prosper again i

the region prioritizes economic re-integration and re-

moves barriers to closer interaction. I have or instance

witnessed the progress in Skopje during my visit to this

beautiul city in December 2012.

We need regular airline connections, better high-

ways and railroad connections in the Balkans so that

our communities can be linked with each other closer.

Such links will induce establishing a sae, secure and

prosperous Balkans as an integral part o Europe. Thus,

the Balkans will have a chance in moving towards be-

coming a sphere o well-being based on cooperation

rather than competition. And as a genuine shareholder

o this history and culture-rich geography, we believe

that the target is within reach more than ever beore.

Another area where re-integration is long overdue,

is in cultural and intellectual sphere. Lets state the

obvious: More cultural and intellectual interaction is a

sine qua non or any regional cooperation process. In

order to lit the barriers erected by cultural prejudices,

there needs to be more interaction in felds such as

cooperation and exchange programs between univer-

sities, as well as educational and research institutions.

Only then can we lay a solid oundation or bolstering

the regional integration. The Balkans has the potential

to present a model o cultural coexistence which may

set an example or other European countries in deal-ing with the issues o multiculturalism. In that respect,

I always use Macedonia as a good example o success.

The third policy-relevant principle is the importance

o taking the European integration process into account.

Obviously, the regions past was immersed in the his-

tory o the wider European continent and its uture

will still be in Europe. Given the tight coupling o their

destinies, the uture o Europe will also be shaped by


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14 South East European Cooperation Processthe uture o the Balkans. The EU should continue its

eorts to become a more politically and strategically

relevant, multicultural, economically competitive actor

on the world stage.Although a stable and prosperous Balkans is likely

to become eventually a microcosmos o the EU, the

perception is unortunately dierent. Many Europeans

think that the Balkan region is a burden on the EU. The

peoples o the Balkan region should work together to

show their European partners that their region is not

a burden but a valuable asset that can contribute to

European culture more than any other region. It is in

the hands o the policy makers o the region to make

the Balkans a center o attraction or the EU and an area

o mutually-beneicial economic interaction. Policy

makers need to adopt a new vision in tune with the

spirit o the 21st century as they devise solutions to

regional problems.

The Balkans has the potential to present a model o

cultural co-existence which may set an example or other

Europeans in dealing with the issues o multiculturalism.

Despite the bitter experiences o the 1990s, multicultur-

alism as experienced and practiced in the Balkans over

the centuries is authentic in the sense that it reects the

diversity o the region. It is not only a recent by-product

o the imperative conditions triggered by migrations;

Balkan multiculturalism is mainly a culmination o the

authentic historical experience that has accumulated

over centuries. Whereas the multiculturalism in Paris,

London or Berlin is the result o migration, which has

hence resulted in reactionary and, to a certain extent,

deensive opposition by some, the Balkan region re-

ects many valuable practical lessons and has a great

potential to contribute to the shaping o the European

cultural sphere.The ourth policy principle necessitates the develop-

ment o a common stance and position in regional and

global organizations. In the United Nations, there are

currently no intra-Balkan consultation mechanisms; this

needs to be addressed urgently. On certain issues there is

room to promote an intra- Balkan dialogue, which would

make it easier to orm joint positions. Also in NATO such

dialogue and consultation mechanisms would bear much

ruit. In NATO, or instance, we should spend more eorts

dwelling upon matters such as this one: How can the

Balkan countries come together in NATO to discuss and

promote the interest o their region? The oering o theMembership Action Plan (MAP) status or Bosnia-Herze-

govina, albeit conditionally, three years ago was a good

example which all Balkan countries supported. Although it

has not yet been ulflled, it is still a positive step orward.

Another issue concerns the representation o the

Balkans in the global economic and fnancial institu-

tions, especially at a time when the region is acing the

negative implications o the international fnancial crisis.

Turkey is a G-20 country. As the only Balkan country in

the G-20, it could represent the interests o the Balkans

there. A new understanding o solidarity, consultation

and development o joint projects in this global ora

will positively aect regional cooperation in the Balkans

and vice versa.

concluSion

The ideas and principles put orth in this essay, drawing

on both methodology and policy principles, are a modest

attempt on how to urther the institutional architecture

o regional cooperation in the Balkan region and could

very well be expanded with relevant intellectual and

policy insights rom other stakeholders in the region.

The thrust o the discussions in this essay is that policy

makers need to adopt a new vision in tune with the

spirit o the 21st century as they devise solutions to

regional problems.

A major step in the direction o creating a new uture

or the region would be to adopt certain new ideas, or

instance:

conducting regular meetings on the margins ointernational gatherings;

strengthening the parliamentary dimension o the

SEECP;

working practically on cross-border projects espe-

cially in the areas o transport and energy;

having the SEECP countries represent each other

in dierent international ora, to which some o us

are not members;


17/52

A Forward Looking Vision for the Balkans Through the Prism of the South East European Cooperation Process 15 establising a Wise Men Group to elaborate on all

the suggestions put orward by SEECP member

states;

or orming an intellectual platorm to bring togetherthe eminent members o academic world, media

and think-tank communities are a ew to mention.

Another idea that merits due consideration pertains

to our relations with other regional and international

organizations. In this regard, I would like to particularly

highlight the importance o enhancing cooperation and

coordination between the SEECP and BSEC, the members

o which largely overlap.Overall, these ideas do not in any

way aim at creating a new, cumbersome bureaucratic

giant. We simply wish to inject new dynamism into SEECP.

Furthermore I would like to elucidate on o wise-men

idea. This group may assess the challenges o the 21st

century and develop proposals or the improvement o

regional cooperation. It has been called only a process

up until now, but probably it is high time to deepen the

institutional architecture o the SEECP so that it moves

beyond a mere consultative orum or process. It needs to

have a more institutionalized structure to be sustainable

and eective. In that respect, one mandate o the group

o wise-men, to be composed mainly o intellectuals,

politicians, or diplomats rom all member countries,

could be to suggest ways to devise new institutional

rameworks or the SEECP to guide the work o policy

makers in the region.

In short, the Group shall drat a report where its

members fnd out how to make the SEECP more ecient

to cope with and respond to the current political and

economic challenges as we approach the 20th anniver-

sary o SEECP in 2016.

The Group would represent a broad spectrum o SEECPmember states and oer a balanced combination o

insiders and outsiders, including rom the private sector,

diplomatic circles, think tanks and the academic com-

munity, who are experienced in the regional aairs. The

Foreign Ministers would agree on a list o members and

the Heads o States and Governments would endorse it.

The Group may perorm a number o consultationswith relevant stakeholders all along their work. Inspired

by the similar works done beore, the SEECP member

states shall also be involved throughout the process by

organizing seminars with the Group or drating ood-

or-thought papers. The Group shall be able to reconcile

dierent views in the end and bring about a coherent

work. The fnal outcome should set a clear uture direc-

tion that each SEECP member state can endorse and

that all will embrace or years to come.

Our starting premise is that this region belongs to

the local peoples who have lived there or centuries and

will continue to live in this region. All ethnic, sectarian

and linguistic groups are an integral part o the region

and will remain so in the years ahead. No one should

contemplate any expulsion o a population or the exile

o a single individual. The nations o the Balkan region

are not only neighbors living side by side, but they also

orm one amily with dense societal and cultural ties that

bind them. We all know that it is not only our common

past or shared values, but a joint vision or the uture that

binds us together. No one questions that the uture o

the Balkans lies within the European and Euro-Atlantic

structures.

This region is like shorba, and it will only taste good i

salt and all the ingredients are properly there. I one takes

any o these out, that shorba will be tasteless; hence,

the importance o regional ownership. Serbs, Albanians,

Turks, Greeks, Bosnians, Bulgarians, Croats, Romanians,

Macedonians among others, will all live together in the

next century, bringing their own richness to the table.

Excerpts o this article has been printed by Center or Strategic

Research o the Ministry o Foreign Aairs o the Republic o

Turkey in its October 2011 Vision Papers series.


18/52


H.E. M. Vena Pusi,

Frt Depty Prme Mnterand Mnter o Foregnand Eropean Afar othe Repblc o Croata



19/52

I Believe the Results Are Visible 17

i bEliEVE thE rESultS arE ViSiblE

For seventeen years now, we have been working withinthis process o cooperation in Southeast Europe, frst

to establish and then to develop and strengthen coo-

peration and good neighbourly relations, and we have

proved that in spite o everything historical background,

current circumstances, diering views and positions or

precisely because o that it is possible, and imperative,

to cooperate. Nobody will or can do it or us. It is us who

must be aware o what our common interest is, meaning

that we must jointly act to see it through.

I am talking rom the viewpoint o Croatia, a state on

the verge o ull membership o the European Union,

and a state that is European, Central European, Medi-

terranean and Balkan all at once. The Balkans had all the

negative connotations and image war, death, eud,

disorganisation, crime and corruption. It primarily stood

or ragmentation and inability to cooperate.

All this, to a greater or lesser extent, really did charac-

terise this area, Southeast Europe, and Croatia in it. It is,

thereore, a huge challenge to change this perception

by perseveringly working on ourselves, on reorms, on

building state institutions, because only a well organised

state can guarantee its citizens security and stability

that translate to economic prosperity and better lie or

our citizens. For this reason the key interest o Croatia

is the stability o the entire region, because without

a stable region there is no lasting stability or Croatia

either, irrespectively o our pending admission to ull

EU membership. By joining the European Union we are

not moving to a dierent geographical location, we are

staying where we are, and we wish to use our geostra-tegic position as best we can to be o service to Europe

and the region at large.

Our twelve-year experience with the European in-

tegration processes can best be utilized in this region

due to linguistic reasons, our common history, our lie

together in previous state organizations, and last but

not least our common uture.

Undergoing the almost six-year long negotiating

process, the key chapter was the one on justice, and

Croatia was the frst state to have had justice as a sepa-

rate chapter. No state beore us had this task, and we

successully completed it and showed it could be done.

Through the negotiations and creation o acquis, i.e. the

legislation that would become acquis communautaire

to the uture candidate states, and action plans, imple-

mentation o reorms, we were building the oundations

or the institutions o the state.

No part o society can unction i there is no unctional

judiciary, or i laws do not apply equally to all, i some are

more equal than others. Without healthy judiciary there

is also no social or economic development, no investors

and no investment.

Among the last fve generations in this area, nobody

was born and died in the same state, although they

remained in the same town the whole time. It is time

to change that. It is fnally time to leave well organized

states to the generations to come. In this we need the

cooperation o our neighbours, because in this small

part o the globe everything is connected.


20/52

18 South East European Cooperation ProcessThe basic goals o regional cooperation within the

South East European Cooperation Process are security

and political cooperation, intensifcation o economic

relations, cooperation in strengthening the judiciaryand combating illegal activities, and development o

democratic standards and culture. It is meant as a plat-

orm or strengthening good neighbourly relations and

transormation o the region into an area o peace and

stability, to enable SEECP participating states to approach

European and Euro-Atlantic structures.

I believe the results are visible. They did not come

as quickly as we perhaps had hoped, but they are here.

Croatia is one step away rom ull membership, Monte-

negro has begun the negotiations, Macedonia, Albania

and Serbia are candidates, and ater Serbia and Kosovo

reached agreement in Brussels, they will get a new

incentive to carry on the European integration process.

SEECP itsel changed during the seventeen years it

has been in existence, closely ollowing the change o

circumstances both in the region and in the European

Union. However, it is key that the region has come to

own the process, that we no longer need help rom the

outside, but can manage it ourselves.

To return to the example o my own country that

in the beginning was not a ull member o the SEECP,

only an observer, but when we realized that it was in

our interest to make decisions about our own destiny,

we accepted ull membership o this regional initiative.

I would call this a process o maturing o the political

elites and accepting the reality. Even though during our

accession to the European Union we were not always

too enthusiastic about it, we die lay frm oundations

or the institutions o the state. We did not think o the

European Union as a solution to all our problems, and we

do not think that now. We do not think it is a promisedland, but it is a guarantee o greater stability, security

and unctioning institutions.

I believe that key to our path to the EU was achieving

the political consensus, and that did take us very long,

but it was achieved nevertheless in spite o all the ups

and downs.

However, we were and are connected to this re-

gion geographically, demographically, politically

and economically, and that is why the stabilization o

Southeast Europe is not only in our Croatian interest,

but in the interest o the countries o the region and

Europe as well. Croatia is ready to use EU knowledgeand experience to strengthen the institutions o the

neighbouring countries.

We are aware o our role and responsibility in the

region. This round o enlargement is enlargement with

a mission: Croatia is expected to exert positive inuence

and to play an active role in the stabilization o the region.

This can only be achieved in cooperation with other

countries in the region. For the frst time in history we

can stabilize this region on our own. As countries o the

region we have the chance to assume such responsibility,

and I believe we can do it.

We have established a Centre o Excellence with the

Ministry o Foreign and European Aairs, bringing to-

gether the experts who negotiated on specifc chapters.

We are ready to transer our knowledge and experience

to all the states in the region, because we know what the

support o those who had undergone the negotiating

process beore us meant to us. Our added value is lan-

guage that can be understood by more than 20 million

people in the region.

All states in the region have European prospects that

include good neighbourly cooperation. This not just a

nice fgure o speech, it really means continuous work

on bilateral and multilateral relations and partnership

approach. It means respecting other and dierent people

who are not a priori rivals or enemies, and the sooner

we understand that, the sooner we shall fnd solutions

to open issues.

I can confrm rom my own experience how settling an

open issue meant building better neighbourly relations

between Croatia and Slovenia. Acting as responsiblestates, responsible primarily to our respective citizens,

we saw settling the open issue as a challenge we were

capable o tackling in the best possible manner by

fnding a compromise with no winners and losers, but

with realized realistic and acceptable goals.

Today, Croatia is ully ready to unction as an EU

Member State. Croatia is also aware that we are acceding

at less than avourable time that characterised the last


21/52

I Believe the Results Are Visible 19two rounds or enlargement in 2004 and 2007. Then, the

economy was on the rise, and enthusiasm peaked among

the citizens o the old and new Member States, but now

we have a completely dierent situation. Europe, as wellas a large part o the world, is in economic crisis. There

is less investment, and the enthusiasm about urther

enlargement has long been replaced by enlargement

atigue.

What we, the states in the region, need to jointly work

on is changing such a perception.

There is no complete and stable Europe without the

ull inclusion o Southeast Europe, just like there is no

stable region without its ull integration with Europe. To

make it happen we need mutual support and solidarity.

By helping our neighbours, we are helping ourselves

in all areas, whether it is disaster relie or reorm o the

justice system. Combating smuggling o people, arms

and narcotics can only be eective i we cooperate and

help each other. In the interdependent and globalised

world nobody is an island.

It is in the best interest o us all to stir the economy,

create positive investment climate and attract oreign

investors. We are, individually, small states, which is our

disadvantage, but it is also our advantage in that wecan bring some things to ruition aster and eel their

eects stronger. This also means that we depend on

each other, on the stability o our neighbours, and on

the unctionality o the institutions and judiciary o both

our own state and o the neighbouring states.

Last but not least, the European Union i.e. the then

Coal and Steel Community, was created owing to the

prevalence o the political will o the until then conicting

parties to overcome the barriers rom the past and ocus

on the uture cooperation, banning war as a means to

achieve political goals.

It is or this reason that I believe it is important to

have regional cooperation orums such as the South East

European Cooperation Process, to jointly build stability

and success or every single one o our states and the

entire region at large.


22/52


H.E. Mr. ian MRki,

Mner Fregn Afar he Repbc serba

The primary objective of the South-East European Cooperation

Process SEECP - is to strengthen the good-neighbourly

relations among all states in this region, for transforming this

region into an area of peace, security,

stability and cooperation.

From the Bucharest Charter on Good Neighbourly Relations, Stability,

Security Cooperation in South Eastern Europe, o February 2000



23/52

Enlargement Policy Is One of the Unions Most Important Instruments 21

EnlarGEmEnt PoliC y iS onE of thE unionSmoSt imPortant inStrumEntS

tranSforming the region

When the Ministers or Foreign Aairs o the Coun-tries o South-Eastern Europe gathered in Sofa,in July 1996, they expressed their strong conviction that

the time has come or a new beginning o inter-State

relations between the countries o South East Europe

and or developing a modality or a comprehensive

multilateral cooperation. In the Declaration adopted in

Sofa, they committed themselves that every eort shall

be made to transorm the region into an area o stabil-

ity, security and cooperation in line with the broader

developments throughout Europe. These endeavours

were aimed at contributing to the construction o a

new Europe a Europe o democracy, peace, unity and

stability, thus enabling all nations in the region to live

together in peace with each other as good neighbours.

Among the oremost reasons that emphasized the

need or and drove the eorts to achieve an enhanced

cooperation in South East Europe, the ollowing need

to be accentuated:

AnecessitytogetclosertotheEuropeanUnion

and other European and Euro-Atlantic integra-

tions; At the same time, a clear intention to utilise

cooperation within South East Europe as a positive

contribution to the overall European architecture;

Aninterdependenceamongneighbours,particu-

larly in view o relatively limited national markets,

modest levels o economic development, a neces-

sity to develop inrastructure and to regulate the

growing number o economic and social issues at

regional/international level;

Aneedforabetterexploitationofoneormore

common resources, and or market liberalization;

ExternalpressurebytheEuropeanUnionand

other centres o inuence on the Balkan states to

set up a better and a more ecient bilateral and

multilateral cooperation;

Perceivedbenefitof followingthemodelsof

other sub-regions in Europe and beyond (such

as Benelux States, Scandinavia, Mediterranean

or Baltic States).

The Ministerial meeting and the Sofa Declaration o

July 1996 launched the South-East European Cooperation

Process - SEECP, as genuine Balkan cooperation orum,

later recognized by the international community as the

authentic voice o the region. The SEECP emerged as

an expression o the will o the regions states to start a

long-term process o multilateral cooperation covering

a wide range o issues rom security, economic coopera-

tion, humanitarian, social and cultural cooperation, over

the cooperation in the felds o justice and home aairs,

but above all - to oster true political cooperation and

dialogue.

Could we, more than sixteen years later, agree whether

the SEECP achieved its goals?


24/52

22 South East European Cooperation Processauthentic voice of the

South eaStern europe

When talking about the role o the SEECP, we have tobear in mind certain acts:

The SEECP conerences were held on the highest

political level o heads o state or government or

ministers o oreign aairs, which had been virtu-

ally impossible in previous periods.

Thus, it represented a unique orum or multilateral

political dialogue in the region on high and senior

political levels. That had, in principle, opened up the

possibility or improving the general atmosphere

in the region, ater the dicult period linked to

the disintegration, wars, transition, as well as the

general economic crisis.

The SEECP, while adopting its main document -

Bucharest Charter on Good Neighbourly Relations,

Stability, Security Cooperation in South Eastern

Europe, o February 2000, oresaw multilateral

co-operation in all main domains o inter-state

co-operation, upon the lines that corresponded

to contemporary trends o European co-operation.

Geographically, it included all o the Balkan coun-

tries, regardless o their international position or

internal developments.

The SEECP meetings, by demonstrating positive

interaction o the political leadership o the partici-

pating states, have also had some positive eects

on the public opinion in SEE countries.

Equally, it should not be orgotten that this prompt-

ed the EU to establish an inormal consultative

committee or the Troika, bringing together rep-

resentatives o the European Commission, Stability

Pact (later transormed into the Regional Coopera-

tion Council) and SEECP to ensure synergy with

regional initiatives.

The SEECP values and its profling into an authentic

voice o the region has evidently helped consolidate our

political cooperation and intensifed economic relations,

as well. The frst decade o SEECP has above all confrmed

the commonly held understanding that substantive re-

gional cooperation is a precondition or accomplishing

sustainable national and regional economic development.

In this respect, the crucial achievement was unequivocally

represented by the successully accomplished processo remodelling and enlarging o the CEFTA Agreement

in 2006, which created a ree trade area, enabled coun-

tries and economies o the Balkans to become more

investment attractive and to become a part o a larger

regional market. This arrangement was and still is an

excellent preparation o the national economies and

the respective business communities or their orthcom-

ing entry into the European common market, but also

into global markets and wider integration processes.

At the same time, the countries o the region witnessed

a growing sense that regional cooperation represented

the fnest promoter o their aspirations or the European

Union integration. Transormation o the Stability Pact

o SEE into the Regional Cooperation Council, directly

linked to the SEECP and with institutionalized com-

munication with the EU, represented an essential and

uture-oriented step at that time. This was the concrete

proo that regional cooperation in South East Europe

had reached a decisive point. This was the proo that the

region had made signifcant progress, that violence had

been discredited as a means o achieving political goals

in the Balkans, that the establishment o democratic

institutions and the development o civil society were

not only on the right track, but the real way orward to

prosperity. Economic development was in progress,

regional cooperation become stronger and integration

into European structures had come a long way.

The transormation o the Stability Pact initially

created to support the reconstruction o the Balkans

into the Regional Cooperation Council, oered the

SEECP a unique opportunity to become a more eec-tive contributor to common European policies but also

a notable contributor to the EU-integrative aspirations o

the participating states. On the other hand it was obvious

then, as it is now, that the SEECP-RCC relationship needs

to be ecient and that the bond between the political

and the executive levels proves that the higher stage o

cooperation, widely recognized as regional ownership,

has been truly reached.


25/52

Enlargement Policy Is One of the Unions Most Important Instruments 23the european perSpective

All SEECP countries are part and parcel o the European

integration process in one way or another. Some othem are already members or are at the doorstep o

the European Union, others are engaged in intensive, at

times undoubtedly dicult, negotiations towards their

own EU membership. Some have this prospect ahead

o them and others, again, are in the process o orming

close neighbourly links.

Having in mind that within the Union there has been

talk or some time now o an enlargement atigue, o

rising Euro-scepticism, with a concurrent need or EU

institutional consolidation rom within beore the new

prospective members enter, one particular question

emerges repeatedly: does the European Union still stand

by its pledge that the uture o the whole o the Balkans

lies in the EU?

Perhaps this is a good time to remind ourselves that

the experiences with the enlargement in the past suggest

that economic, political and primarily social benefts o

this process have been sizeable, both to the European

Union as a whole and to its member states in particular,

the new and the old ones alike. This process has been

crucial or the stability and or the rising importance o

the EU as a global partner, capable o greater inuence in

world aairs and having a pronounced conict preven-

tion and post-conict stabilisation capacity.

Despite these positive experiences, an alarming act

remains: delaying or slowing o the process o EU enlarge-

ment to the Western Balkans will surely result in a urther

deceleration o the regions economic development and

o the broader societal reorms in it. In a serious economic

situation acing the Balkan countries, this could also

aect the regions very political stability.

In other words, the enlargement policy is one o the

Unions most important instruments not only in stabilis-

ing the region and in helping achieve its economic and

general prosperity, but or ensuring the stability and the

security o the Union as a whole. Serbia believes that

these considerations should be taken into account when

deciding on the hinted, temporary pause in urther EU

enlargement. The consequences o such a decision could

prove more costly to the Western Balkans and, in turn,

the EU itsel, than the actual costs o ull membership

status when objectively deserved.

In the Western Balkans there remains a strong convic-tion o that decision makers in Brussels and the current

members o the European Union are truly aware o

how much energy is being invested here into the EU

integration process, and . However, it is crucial to stress

that these eorts do not have as their primary aim the

European integration as such, but rather they are o the

utmost importance or the unhindered continuation

o the internal development and reorm process o all

Western Balkan countries the benefts o which, as well

as the merits o which will bring about the integration

into the European Union as well. This is precisely why

it is very important that all Western Balkan countries

proceed in a mutually supportive manner, taking the

region o South Eastern Europe on a continued and

sustained joint journey to urther economic, social and

political advancement, that must, in due time, result in

deserved EU membership or all still outside o it.

raiSing the level of

regional cooperation

The Republic o Serbia recognizes cooperation among

the countries o our region as a conditio sine qua non

or the regions economic development, its security and

stability, as well as or the European integration process o

all countries belonging to it. Simply put, regional coopera-

tion is one o the cornerstones o Serbias oreign policy.

In the past couple o years, Belgrade was symboli-

cally the centre o regional cooperation. Serbia held

the presidencies o the Central European Initiative (CEI);

the Migration, Asylum and Reugees Regional Initiative(MARRI); the Adriatic Ionian Initiative (AII) and the SEECP

(June 2011 June 2012) as well. The SEECP Chairmanship

was approached very ambitiously and the calendar o

events included more than thirty meetings at the expert

and ministerial level. On the ringes o the UN General

Assembly in New York, Serbia organized the frst ever

working breakast with ministers o oreign aairs o the

SEECP, Central European Initiative and Adriatic Ionian


26/52

24 South East European Cooperation ProcessInitiative, together with the secretaries general o the

two regional initiatives and the Regional Cooperation

Council.

The oremost priority o Serbias SEECP Chairman-ship was an enhanced cooperation in the fght against

organized crime and terrorism. Resolute steps were taken

towards joining orces in removing all threats seriously

jeopardizing security in the SEE region. Raising the level

o regional cooperation in the felds o environmental

protection, prevention and elimination o the conse-

quences o all types o disasters, was also one o the

priorities that Serbia was particularly committed to.

Cultural cooperation was high on the priority list

o Serbias Chairmanship-in-oce (CiO), as well as the

deepening o the institutional dialogue with the European

Commission and with the EU institutions. An increased

level o synergy and cooperation achieved between

the CiO o SEECP and the RCC contributed both to the

urther improvement o the relations among our coun-

tries as well as to the relations between the region and

the European Union.

During its Chairmanship-in-Oce, Serbia ormally

launched, with great enthusiasm, the exchange o the

ideas among the SEECP participating countries on deep-

ening and expanding the regional cooperation. The core

issue raised in this respect was how to institutionally

strengthen our organisation, by providing it with the

necessary tools to more eectively meet contemporary

regional challenges.

In urtherance o this, it was agreed by all that a more

up-to-date concept o regional ownership within theSEECP needed to be promoted. It was urther agreed

that this would help the common eorts to consolidate

the role and capacity o the SEECP in deepening politi-

cal dialogue, economic cooperation, and cultural com-

monalities throughout South East Europe. In addition,

stronger links and interaction between SEECP and RCC,

on the one hand, and the European Commission, on the

other, have been sought.

The Republic o Serbia will ully contribute to the

continuation o the debate about the uture o the SEECP

under the current and orthcoming Chairmanships in O-

fce, with the aim o urther strengthening the regional

cooperation in SEE, that could contribute to a unctional

consolidation o the regional cooperation within SEECP

as well as to the strengthening o the coordination and

synergy with its operational arm - the RCC.

Having in mind that our common goal remains a

stabile, prosperous and developed region becoming

part o the EU, we look orward to the European Union

continuing to work together with us, or the strength-

ening o European values and or a reinvigorated and

smoother integration process o this region into the

European amily where it rightly belongs.


27/52


28/52


H.E. Mr. igr luki,

Depy Prme Mner andMner Fregn Afarand Erpean inegran Mnenegr



29/52

SEECP Enabled Us to Strengthen Stability and European Perspective 27

SEECP EnablEd uS to StrEnGthEnStability and EuroPEan PErSPECtiVE

There is an old Chinese malediction May God let youlive in interesting times. The Region o South East

Europe, world-wide known as the Balkans, by the old

Persian term blkneh or blkhna, meaning high,

above, or proud house, has experienced these interesting

times throughout its unparallel history, as many times

as a ew other regions in the world.

This proud house has every reason to be proud or

all the things that made it the barrel o wisdom, as or

the pearls o the antiquity, such as philosophy, drama,

democracy, architecture and art. The birthplace o 17

Roman emperors, among which Constantine the Great,

who split the empire hal into the east and the west, by

pen or by sword, right through the Balkans, has ever

since been struggled by this dichotomy between the

East & the West.

Nevertheless, decent people rom the Balkans can,

and sometimes must, carry an unbearable burden o gilt

and shame or all those reasons that turned it into the

barrel o gun powder. Way too much blood, seldom the

innocent ones, has been shed all over this marvellous

piece o Earth. The shield that a Spartan mother gave her

son beore his frst battle, with notorious Laconic With

it, or on top o it seem to be overarching tumultuous

history o this peninsula. A bristling act that not more

than 35 years o piece in a row has ever occurred around

here, puts one in ront o an epic dilemma whether the

Balkan is the mountain o Sisyphus, because, each time

the rolling stone reaches the top, by great eorts o

great generations that appear around here every once

in a while, by some ugly coincidence, it stumbles downcrushing one beautiul idea that is, I am sometimes

araid, just an illusion.

Montenegro, in a way, summarises vast majority o

Balkans typical eatures. It is small, yet proud. It has

experienced on its own skin whips, as well as caresses,

o all the major powers and civilizations o this part o

the globe, which, each at its own peak, were oten the

major world powers. It has an incredible coast line and

stunningly beautiul mountain ranges. The smallest

population with the tallest people in Europe.

Yet, it has certain specifcities. By one German military

history expert, Montenegrins are the second most suc-

cessul warrior nation in the world, right aters Vietnamese.

During the last war in the Balkans, Montenegro remained

one single country o all ex-Yugoslav republics without

a war on its territory. In this brutal decade, our doors

were open or all those in need rom each conict area. In

one moment, over 20% o all the people on our territory

were reugees. This act is still very strongly embedded

in minds o many around the Region. Montenegro has

exquisite relations with all the surrounding countries, as

well as with, our riends rom Macedonia, Greece, Turkey,

Romania, Bulgaria or Slovenia. Thus, regional coopera-

tion ound its place, both actually and ormally, among

the three major oreign policy priorities o Montenegro.

The frst instance o political regional cooperation

ater the end o the war came with the ormation o

the South East European Cooperation Process in 1996.

In the ollowing dozen o years, large transormation o


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28 South East European Cooperation Processthe region occurred. Environment changed all around,

new hope emerged, tolerance, mutual dialogue, slowly

but surely, took loor rom the speech o hatred, all

kinds o initiatives were built, Montenegro regained itsindependence

In 2008 the ground was sound or the ~Chapter

on good neighbourly relations, stability, security and

cooperation in the South East Europe~. Since this, lets

say historical event, in Bucharest, a progress in joint

cooperation was made in various felds, covering the

range rom economy, social and cultural aairs to ju-

diciary and interior aairs, and fghting corruption and

organized crime.

The SEECP is a regional ramework that enabled us

to strengthen stability and the European perspective o

our countries, in a short and dynamic period o time. The

political, economic and social situation in the region has

changed. We are constantly working on urther develop-

ment o democracy, tolerance, the rule o law and market

economy. The stereotyped Balkans mentality matrix is

changing, as is the negative perception o the Balkans,

both internally and externally.

Formation o the Regional Cooperation Council in

Sarajevo, as a coordination body, derived rom the Sta-

bility Pact, gave this region credibility in the eyes o the

international community, by taking regional ownership

idea to a higher level. Guidelines provided by the RCC

to the countries, regional organizations and initiatives,

on basis o their own inputs, made signifcant marks in

results achieved through cooperation in all the aspects

it covers, rom environment, energy, inrastructure, se-

curity, education, culture to parliamentary cooperation.

A choice o the city host o the RCC Headquarters,

was, in a certain way, a declaration o an undivided

recognition o appreciation to the Olympic city, as wellas a frm decision that, rom then on, the only instru-

ments to wage battles will be arguments, knowledge

and expertise.

Montenegro has demonstrated its strong commit-

ment to the regional cooperation through the recent

presidencies o the most important regional initiatives,

ully arming good neighbourhood policy and preserv-

ing regional dialogue as the best reccomendation or

social and economic development and progress on the

European and Euroatlantic path.

During its Chairmanship-in-Oce o the SEECP, in

2010-2011, Montenegro strived to promote the basicprinciples established by the Chapter, directing its ocus

primarily on the judiciary and home aairs, and fght

against corruption and organized crime, as detected the

prime issues our region have aced in recent years, as well

as to the sustainable development, which we believe is

the largest potential or our regions brighter perspec-

tive. At the same time, we gave our best not to neglect

any o areas o cooperation, which was demonstrated

through organizing numerous meetings at expert and

ministerial level.

In political terms, Montenegro ocused on enhancing

an institutional dialogue with the European Commission

and other EU institutions towards promoting European

perspective o all the SEECP member states that are

not yet a part o the EU. It is my sincere pleasure to be

able to state that Montenegro received unanimous

appreciation rom all o our partners or having done

an excellent work in promoting the role and activities

o the SEECP on both national and international level.

This recognition was best shown by granting us to host

Regional school or public administration, a joint project

o the SEECP, RCC and EC. RESPA is establishing itsel as a

suitable regional platorm or networking and exchange

o good practises in the process o modernization o

public administration.

By constituting the Secretariat o the RCC Task Force

on culture and society, our old capital Cetinje became a

regional cultural centre or promoting and preserving

precious heritage in the South East European countries.

The SEECP has proven to be the regional political

orum which largely contributed to the stabilisation othe South East European counties and thusly, confrmed

their European perspective. For the whole 17 years since

its ormation, we have jointly made our region saer and

more prosperous. With our project-oriented work we

have promoted valorisation o our national potentials

and values in order to realize commonly defned goals.

Political, economic, and social reorms have been going

on with a decent level o success. We are constantly


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SEECP Enabled Us to Strengthen Stability and European Perspective 29working on urther development and promotion o

democracy, tolerance, rule o law and market economy.

European and Euro-Atlantic path has been walked on,

pretty surely.We have to fnd a ormula on how to continue on

our road to the EU and NATO, both individually and as

a region, each in our own responsibility. How can we

help Europe and our international partners to help us?

Especially today, when we have economic crisis and new

global challenges, consequences o which we eel in

the region. The answer lays in realizing that we are the

closest to each other, not just geographically, but also

culturally and historically, and that our diversity is the

greatest link o our togetherness. We have to materialize

this, not through political talk, but through concrete,

project-oriented cooperation.

We are all very well aware that regional dimension plays

a crucial role in the EU enlargement strategy. This includes

regional cooperation, as an important EU membership

pre-condition, but also as a means to oster dialogue,

reconciliation and stability across the SEE region.

Regional cooperation needs to be eective, inclusive,

representative and ecient.

This is also one o the main reasons or consolidating

regional cooperation within the SEECP ramework. As the

most relevant political orum, ully regionally owned and

governed rom the very beginning, the SEECP is recog-

nized as orum or dealing with demanding challenges

in the region. Through strong prism o cooperation, di-

erences are overleaped and intertwined, thus orging

ever stronger bond o our unity. It brings us courage to

do what it takes and make lasting results.

The SEE aspirants are moving on the European and

Euro-Atlantic integration paths in accordance with their

individual merits. Within the SEECP ramework, we haveacceding country preparing to join the community o

27 EU member states, country that has started EU ac-

cession negotiations, countries that have been granted

candidate status or working to achieve candidate status,

countries whose European aspirations are pursued within

a dierent EU institutional ramework, as well as several

EU member states that are providing great support to

the eorts to the SEE aspirants.

The success o some SEECP member states in negotia-

tions or EU membership should be a strong incentive

and encouragement or others. The mutual support,

all-inclusive and intensive regional cooperation is theright way to achieve political goals towards European

and Euro-Atlantic structures.

Changes brought by global challenges are elt all

around us. The global economy crisis has hit us all

but also stimulated to join eorts, within regional

ramework, to fnd an ecient ormula to minimize its

eects that threaten to undermine stability and shake

up still ragile mosaic o regional stability. The change

o environment that we live in creates the need or

reorm in various areas. We need to ocus our activi-

ties towards taking over the regional responsability in

order to prepare appropriate strategy or servicing the

needs o all SEE countries, with stimulatory eects o

EU enlargement policy.

The central challenge or all our countries is the econ-

omy. Weaknesses in competitiveness may undermine

already ragile growth perormances and diminish the

ability o some countries to achieve sustainable fscal

dynamics. We should implement policies that would

establish a air balance between economic interests

and social realities. Generating jobs is the key to make

economic recovery more supportive o social cohesion.

Reorming the labor market and improving the quality

o labor skills are essential or job creation.

Regional cooperation is dynamic process with struc-

tures that need to be intensively enhanced in order to

better reect the developments on the ground. We

believe that only our common eort and constructive

dialogue will bring about results which are rational,

concrete and oriented to common European uture.

Its necessary to evaluate the current level o coopera-tion and analyze achieved results. We should be ocused

on thematic areas such as inrastructure, energy, justice

and home aairs, environmental protection, science and

culture in order to secure eective implementation o

the planned activities within the regional context. Only

our willingness to cooperate within the region and only

our capacity to integrate the region may legitimize our

European aspirations. And only that will prove that we


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30 South East European Cooperation Processare capable o fnding not only our European orienta-

tion but also our European soul.

Also, in the context o closer relation between di-

erent regional actors, we need to emphasize synergybetween SEECP and RCC. We must strenghten the

role o the Process, as unique voice o the region, by

the region and or the region, thus contributing and

resolving open questions, translating political into

practical solutions and bringing closer region to the

EU. RCC can be proud to have ensured all-inclusiveness

in its activities. It shows that the region is able to take

responsibility or its own uture and create a climate

or overall progress in the spirit o tolerance

crossroads special edition: me eting of ministers of foreign affairs of the south eastern europe...

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