Simon Coveney
Question:167 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress made to date in bringing peace, stability and prosperity to all parts of the former Yugoslavia. [6547/03]
Vol. 562 No. 5
167 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress made to date in bringing peace, stability and prosperity to all parts of the former Yugoslavia. [6547/03]
Last year was the first in more than a decade not marked by violent conflict in the Western Balkans, the term used in referring to the countries of the former Yugoslavia and neighbouring Albania. Remarkable, if fragile, progress has been made in the past three years in the prevention of conflict and the establishment of functioning democratic structures throughout the region. Although it has been uneven, there has also been progress in many aspects of the economic and institutional reform processes and in working towards stability based on respect for human rights and the rule of law. Problems of ongoing concern include the prevalence of organised crime and unsatisfactory levels of cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
The EU is taking the leading role in building peace and stability in the region. The overall framework for EU engagement is provided by the Stabilisation and Association Process, which holds out the prospect of eventual integration into European structures on the basis of the implementation of a very detailed series of political and economic reforms. A summit meeting, bringing together the heads of state and government of the five states in the region and of the EU member states, plus Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, will be held in Thessaloniki on 21 June 2003, the day after the European Council. The aim will be to strengthen the EU-Western Balkans relationship and to institute a process of enhanced political dialogue. I hope that the summit will reconfirm the commitment of the EU to addressing the individual circumstances of the countries of the region, in the context of improved regional cooperation. It should also clarify for the people of the region that the goal of eventual integration requires a recognition that the primary responsibility for driving reform rests with their democratically-elected governments. Ireland will play a full part in developing the EU-Western Balkans relationship during 2003 and especially during our EU Presidency in 2004.
In relation to the individual countries of the region, if the referendum on EU membership is passed next month, Slovenia will sign its treaty of accession on 16 April 2003. Croatias economic and political progress enabled the conclusion of a stabilisation and association agreement with the EU in October 2001. Prime Minister Racan formally submitted Croatias application for membership of the EU to the Presidency on 21 February. The next step in the process will be the formulation of a commission opinion for consideration by the Council. This is expected to take at least a year to complete.