Data: 14/10/2001 20:43
Da: "Vladimir Krsljanin"
Oggetto: A Balkans proposal from SPS
BORDERS AND NATIONAL MINORITIES
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, THESSALONIKI, GREECE,
OCTOBER 6, 2001
Zivadin Jovanovic,
Former Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia
Vice-President and Acting President
of the Socialist Party of Serbia
BALKANS CONVENTION PROPOSED
Horouble Mr. Minister,
Distinguished participants of Conference,
Dear friends,
I wish, first of all, to thank our hosts and in particular to the
publisher and the Director of the daily "Makedonia", distinguished Mr.
George Sachpatzidis and Mr.Traianos Hatzidimitriou, for the warm
hospitality and excellent organization of the Conference dedicated to
such important topics for the Balkans and Europe as the national
minorities and borders.
To the daily "Makedonia" I congratulate the great jubilee, and wish
further and even greater success to its management and journalists in
the future. Your daily was not only a faithful witness of the turbulent
events taking place in the Balkans and in Europe during the past ninety
years, but also an active participant in defending the ideas of
freedom, independence and democracy. Today, when the media in some
countries are dominated by servility, various stereotypes and mere
imitation, your daily, thanks to its long and rich tradition of the
professional, objective informing and solidarity vis-�-vis friends, is
reminding that only the media respecting the truth, facts and universal
values of the man can serve the goals of peace, freedom and
understanding.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the last two centuries or, more precisely, starting from the Vienna
Congress held in 1815, where the then political map was sketched of our
continent, Europe has on several occasions proceeded to the building of
its security orders. This was always done by more or less successful or
unsuccessful resolution of the national issues.
National issues of small nations most frequently were in the function
of interests of the great powers.
The Conference on the Security and Cooperation in Europe was
established in 1975 in Helsinki to precisely strengthen the stability
in the European continent and to prevent new war tragedies.
As one of the most important determinations of the Conference stands
the principle of non-changeability of the borders in Europe, the
principle having its stronghold in the Charter of the United Nations
and the entire international law.
In early nineties of the past century this principle was by a skillful
strategic game, fully devalued. The best illustration of this fact is
that the Summit Conference on the Security and Cooperation in Europe
held in Paris in 1990 was attended by 34 member countries, while only a
year-and-a-half later, the Helsinki Summit held in April 1992 was
attended by 53 states.
In other words, the respect for human rights was reduced to the right
of the selected nations to self-determination, which right to self-
determination transformed quickly, almost overnight, into verification
of the territorial claims, verification of the secession and
verification of the forceful change of the existing, internationally
recognized borders in Europe, despite the valid universal international
principle of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
the states.
Internal, administrative borders in some European countries of the time
were accepted as international. In this way the proclaimed principles
of the Conference on the Security and Cooperation in Europe and of
other international documents were violated.
The consequence of the fragmentation of certain countries is not only
the increase in the total number of members of the Organization of
European Security and Cooperation, and the new relations between the
big and small, but also the increase in the number of minorities in
Europe, and especially in the Balkans. The conversion of large parts
of certain nations into refugees and displaced persons is even now
tenyears after burdening the relations in the region with undiminished
intensity. Only in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia there is today
about one million of refugees and displaced persons without a clear
perspective for a free and safe return to their original homes. Many
new minorities are deprived of their basic rights due to new
administrative obstacles, borders, animosities. On the other hand, by
this territorial redrawing the very concepts of the majority and the
minority are particularly distorted.
It is not logic that while in the region of West Europe the processes
of integration are underway, in the Balkans and East Europe a process
of disintegration is taking place. This represents a danger for the
future of Europe and of the world as a whole.
We consider in this regard that a broad regional agreement on borders
and national minorities, a Balkan Convention on borders and Minorities,
would represent good legal and political framework in our efforts aimed
at removing the obstacles and misunderstandings, and that all issues be
solved in the spirit of good neighborly relations and mutual
understanding.
Such a convention would be based upon the principles of the Final
Helsinki document, the Paris Charter and, in particular, of the Council
of Europe's frame work Convention on National Minorities. Such endeavor
would also incorporate all positive experiences from the existing
bilateral agreements between some Balkan countries.
The first and the most important part of the Convention would be joint
mutually acceptable standards on equal rights, and/or equal position of
the members of all national minorities in the Balkans. Such standards
would help remove the sources of the numerous problems of the past
resulting from double standards, "special statuses", and/or different
approaches regarding to the rights of national minority members in some
countries.
The second, also essential element of the Convention and a prerequisite
for a lasting and stable solution, would be the strict respect for the
non-changeability of the internationally recognized borders.
The third, establishment of a system of open borders for a free
circulation of people, goods, cultural, informational, spiritual and
other values, which includes, inter alia, creation of a free trade zone
in the Balkans � Balkan Free Trade Association (BAFTA).
And fourth, non-interference with internal affairs, I.E. respect for
all principles of the Crete Declaration (1997).
Such a Convention would be one of the guarantees for the future of the
Balkans, a guarantee against practice ofdouble standards, particularly
when the minorities and borders are in question, one of the guarantees
for development, security, equality, economic cooperation, and for the
respectof the obligations by the minorities.
No doubt that such Balkan Convention would also represent a positive
achievement in the facing challenges to which the modern world is
exposed, which the Balkans is facing � let us just mention the ghost of
terrorism that we in the Balkans are very much familiar with and whose
consequences we had a chance to suffer from in the recent past.
As to the problem relating to the Province of Kosovo and Metohija, our
unambiguous stand is that the problem can be peacefully resolved on a
lasting basis by a consistent, full implementation of the Security
Council's Resolution 1244 (1999), and of the principles of soverenity
anterritorial integrity of FR of Yugoslavia. The United Nations
mission � UNMIK and KFOR � have not, unfortunately, even after two
years of its deployment implemented a single of the key goals set out
in the Resolution of the Security Council. The best illustration is the
fact that in Kosovo and Metohija the security and freedom of movement
of all citizens are not in place, that terrorist attacks have continued
to date, and that not even minimal conditions have been created for a
free and safe return of more than 300 thousand of expelled persons
living now in exile in other parts of Yugoslavia. It is clear that free
and fair elections are in such conditions out of question and that they
need, at least, to be postponed, unril apropriate frames and conditions
are created.
Dear friends,
In closing may I once again express my deep belief that acceptance of a
Balkan Convention on the National Minorities and Borders in the Balkans
would represent important step in a right direction towards peace,
stability and a faster progress for all nations of our region. It would
also be an expression of the awareness that only an active attitude and
initiative of the Balkan peoples and countries can guarantee a
prosperous future and a faster incorporation into European
integrations � Into Europe that has its West and East, its North and
South. The old Serbian proverb says that nobody can help us if we do
not help ourselves.
Thank you for your attention.
Thessaloniki, October 6, 2001
To join or help this struggle, visit:
http://www.sps.org.yu/ (official SPS website)
http://www.belgrade-forum.org/ (forum for the world of equals)
http://www.icdsm.org/ (the international committee to defend Slobodan
Milosevic)
http://www.jutarnje.co.yu/ ('morning news' the only Serbian newspaper
advocating liberation)
---
Questa lista e' curata da componenti del
Coordinamento Nazionale per la Jugoslavia (CNJ).
I documenti distribuiti non rispecchiano necessariamente
le posizioni ufficiali o condivise da tutto il CNJ, ma
vengono fatti circolare per il loro contenuto informativo al
solo scopo di segnalazione e commento ("for fair use only").
Archivio:
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---- Spot ------------------------------------------------------------
IL FONDO PER LA TERRA HA SUONATO LA CARICA DEI 100.000!
Entra a far parte della comunita' online del Fondo per la Terra
e insieme potremo creare la piu' grande comunita' online italiana
per la tutela dell'ambiente e raccogliere, senza interventi economici
diretti dai soci, importanti risorse economiche da destinare
a progetti di conservazione dell'ambiente in Italia e ai tropici.
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Da: "Vladimir Krsljanin"
Oggetto: A Balkans proposal from SPS
BORDERS AND NATIONAL MINORITIES
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, THESSALONIKI, GREECE,
OCTOBER 6, 2001
Zivadin Jovanovic,
Former Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia
Vice-President and Acting President
of the Socialist Party of Serbia
BALKANS CONVENTION PROPOSED
Horouble Mr. Minister,
Distinguished participants of Conference,
Dear friends,
I wish, first of all, to thank our hosts and in particular to the
publisher and the Director of the daily "Makedonia", distinguished Mr.
George Sachpatzidis and Mr.Traianos Hatzidimitriou, for the warm
hospitality and excellent organization of the Conference dedicated to
such important topics for the Balkans and Europe as the national
minorities and borders.
To the daily "Makedonia" I congratulate the great jubilee, and wish
further and even greater success to its management and journalists in
the future. Your daily was not only a faithful witness of the turbulent
events taking place in the Balkans and in Europe during the past ninety
years, but also an active participant in defending the ideas of
freedom, independence and democracy. Today, when the media in some
countries are dominated by servility, various stereotypes and mere
imitation, your daily, thanks to its long and rich tradition of the
professional, objective informing and solidarity vis-�-vis friends, is
reminding that only the media respecting the truth, facts and universal
values of the man can serve the goals of peace, freedom and
understanding.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the last two centuries or, more precisely, starting from the Vienna
Congress held in 1815, where the then political map was sketched of our
continent, Europe has on several occasions proceeded to the building of
its security orders. This was always done by more or less successful or
unsuccessful resolution of the national issues.
National issues of small nations most frequently were in the function
of interests of the great powers.
The Conference on the Security and Cooperation in Europe was
established in 1975 in Helsinki to precisely strengthen the stability
in the European continent and to prevent new war tragedies.
As one of the most important determinations of the Conference stands
the principle of non-changeability of the borders in Europe, the
principle having its stronghold in the Charter of the United Nations
and the entire international law.
In early nineties of the past century this principle was by a skillful
strategic game, fully devalued. The best illustration of this fact is
that the Summit Conference on the Security and Cooperation in Europe
held in Paris in 1990 was attended by 34 member countries, while only a
year-and-a-half later, the Helsinki Summit held in April 1992 was
attended by 53 states.
In other words, the respect for human rights was reduced to the right
of the selected nations to self-determination, which right to self-
determination transformed quickly, almost overnight, into verification
of the territorial claims, verification of the secession and
verification of the forceful change of the existing, internationally
recognized borders in Europe, despite the valid universal international
principle of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
the states.
Internal, administrative borders in some European countries of the time
were accepted as international. In this way the proclaimed principles
of the Conference on the Security and Cooperation in Europe and of
other international documents were violated.
The consequence of the fragmentation of certain countries is not only
the increase in the total number of members of the Organization of
European Security and Cooperation, and the new relations between the
big and small, but also the increase in the number of minorities in
Europe, and especially in the Balkans. The conversion of large parts
of certain nations into refugees and displaced persons is even now
tenyears after burdening the relations in the region with undiminished
intensity. Only in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia there is today
about one million of refugees and displaced persons without a clear
perspective for a free and safe return to their original homes. Many
new minorities are deprived of their basic rights due to new
administrative obstacles, borders, animosities. On the other hand, by
this territorial redrawing the very concepts of the majority and the
minority are particularly distorted.
It is not logic that while in the region of West Europe the processes
of integration are underway, in the Balkans and East Europe a process
of disintegration is taking place. This represents a danger for the
future of Europe and of the world as a whole.
We consider in this regard that a broad regional agreement on borders
and national minorities, a Balkan Convention on borders and Minorities,
would represent good legal and political framework in our efforts aimed
at removing the obstacles and misunderstandings, and that all issues be
solved in the spirit of good neighborly relations and mutual
understanding.
Such a convention would be based upon the principles of the Final
Helsinki document, the Paris Charter and, in particular, of the Council
of Europe's frame work Convention on National Minorities. Such endeavor
would also incorporate all positive experiences from the existing
bilateral agreements between some Balkan countries.
The first and the most important part of the Convention would be joint
mutually acceptable standards on equal rights, and/or equal position of
the members of all national minorities in the Balkans. Such standards
would help remove the sources of the numerous problems of the past
resulting from double standards, "special statuses", and/or different
approaches regarding to the rights of national minority members in some
countries.
The second, also essential element of the Convention and a prerequisite
for a lasting and stable solution, would be the strict respect for the
non-changeability of the internationally recognized borders.
The third, establishment of a system of open borders for a free
circulation of people, goods, cultural, informational, spiritual and
other values, which includes, inter alia, creation of a free trade zone
in the Balkans � Balkan Free Trade Association (BAFTA).
And fourth, non-interference with internal affairs, I.E. respect for
all principles of the Crete Declaration (1997).
Such a Convention would be one of the guarantees for the future of the
Balkans, a guarantee against practice ofdouble standards, particularly
when the minorities and borders are in question, one of the guarantees
for development, security, equality, economic cooperation, and for the
respectof the obligations by the minorities.
No doubt that such Balkan Convention would also represent a positive
achievement in the facing challenges to which the modern world is
exposed, which the Balkans is facing � let us just mention the ghost of
terrorism that we in the Balkans are very much familiar with and whose
consequences we had a chance to suffer from in the recent past.
As to the problem relating to the Province of Kosovo and Metohija, our
unambiguous stand is that the problem can be peacefully resolved on a
lasting basis by a consistent, full implementation of the Security
Council's Resolution 1244 (1999), and of the principles of soverenity
anterritorial integrity of FR of Yugoslavia. The United Nations
mission � UNMIK and KFOR � have not, unfortunately, even after two
years of its deployment implemented a single of the key goals set out
in the Resolution of the Security Council. The best illustration is the
fact that in Kosovo and Metohija the security and freedom of movement
of all citizens are not in place, that terrorist attacks have continued
to date, and that not even minimal conditions have been created for a
free and safe return of more than 300 thousand of expelled persons
living now in exile in other parts of Yugoslavia. It is clear that free
and fair elections are in such conditions out of question and that they
need, at least, to be postponed, unril apropriate frames and conditions
are created.
Dear friends,
In closing may I once again express my deep belief that acceptance of a
Balkan Convention on the National Minorities and Borders in the Balkans
would represent important step in a right direction towards peace,
stability and a faster progress for all nations of our region. It would
also be an expression of the awareness that only an active attitude and
initiative of the Balkan peoples and countries can guarantee a
prosperous future and a faster incorporation into European
integrations � Into Europe that has its West and East, its North and
South. The old Serbian proverb says that nobody can help us if we do
not help ourselves.
Thank you for your attention.
Thessaloniki, October 6, 2001
To join or help this struggle, visit:
http://www.sps.org.yu/ (official SPS website)
http://www.belgrade-forum.org/ (forum for the world of equals)
http://www.icdsm.org/ (the international committee to defend Slobodan
Milosevic)
http://www.jutarnje.co.yu/ ('morning news' the only Serbian newspaper
advocating liberation)
---
Questa lista e' curata da componenti del
Coordinamento Nazionale per la Jugoslavia (CNJ).
I documenti distribuiti non rispecchiano necessariamente
le posizioni ufficiali o condivise da tutto il CNJ, ma
vengono fatti circolare per il loro contenuto informativo al
solo scopo di segnalazione e commento ("for fair use only").
Archivio:
> http://www.domeus.it/circles/jugoinfo oppure:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crj-mailinglist/messages
Per iscriversi al bollettino: <jugoinfo-subscribe@...>
Per cancellarsi: <jugoinfo-unsubscribe@...>
Per inviare materiali e commenti: <jugocoord@...>
---- Spot ------------------------------------------------------------
IL FONDO PER LA TERRA HA SUONATO LA CARICA DEI 100.000!
Entra a far parte della comunita' online del Fondo per la Terra
e insieme potremo creare la piu' grande comunita' online italiana
per la tutela dell'ambiente e raccogliere, senza interventi economici
diretti dai soci, importanti risorse economiche da destinare
a progetti di conservazione dell'ambiente in Italia e ai tropici.
Se vuoi saperne di piu':
http://www.domeus.it/ad4005340/clicktheplanet
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Per cancellarti da questo gruppo, invia un messaggio vuoto a: jugoinfo-unsubscribe@...