11 October 2010 -PARLIAMENTARIANS TO DEBATE NEW BALKAN STRATEGY

The seminar on “South Eastern Europe: Creating New Momentum”, will take stock of 15 years of international intervention in the Balkans since the Dayton Accords, looking at lessons learned in stabilisation, international administration and institution building, as well as at the achievements and remaining challenges of the Euro-Atlantic integration process.  The situation in Kosovo will feature prominently on the seminar’s agenda as will the political developments in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia *and the country’s NATO and EU membership aspirations. 

Being held at the confluence of several major events such as the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 3 October;   the recent release of the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on Kosovo; the ongoing negotiations between the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece on the name issue and the upcoming NATO summit in Lisbon in November, the seminar will aim to examine whether the current dynamics in the region can provide an opportunity for renewed positive momentum towards domestic reform, the resolution of bilateral disputes, and Euro-Atlantic integration.

Among the many scheduled speakers are Nikola Gruevski, President of the Government of the Republic; General Erhard Buehler, KFOR commander; Amb. Erwan Fouéré, EU Special Representative and Head of the European Union Delegation in Skopje; Abdilaqim Ademi, Vice Prime Minister for the Implementation of the Ohrid Framework Agreement.  The keynote address will be delivered by Ambassador James Pardew, US negotiator of the Ohrid Agreement and former Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Operations at NATO.

NATO and US representatives as well as eminent journalists and academics will also address current efforts in preventing conflict, resolving bilateral disputes, promoting regional co-operation, and furthering reform and integration into Euro-Atlantic structures.

The Western Balkans region has seen a remarkable deployment of international efforts. Yet, 15 years after Dayton, the region continues to face a number of difficult challenges.  The Seminar, co-sponsored by the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia and the Swiss ministry of Defence, will provide an opportunity for an open dialogue between NATO countries' legislators and their counterparts from partner nations on the way forward in the region.

For more information on the programme contact the NATO PA press and media relations service (press@nato-pa.int, tel: 32 (0) 2 50 48 154)