Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04BRATISLAVA294
2004-03-25 16:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:  

Bratislava II: A Carrot for Balkans and Caucasus

Tags:  PREL EU LO NATO 
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UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000294 

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EU LO NATO
SUBJECT: Bratislava II: A Carrot for Balkans and Caucasus

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000294

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EU LO NATO
SUBJECT: Bratislava II: A Carrot for Balkans and Caucasus


1. Introduction: Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda hosted a
conference March 19 under the banner "Towards A Wider
Europe: The New Agenda." With most Visegrad-4 and Vilnius-
10 countries moments away from full membership in both NATO
and the EU, the conference focused on how to expand the
process of transformation to additional countries,
particularly in the Balkans and Caucasus. Panelists
stressed the need for continued reform and the highly-
motivating factor of eventual EU and NATO membership. A
common theme was the need to work together to overcome the
global threat of terrorism. More information about the
conference, including the full text of most speeches and the
concluding statement, can be found on the website
www.wena.sk.

The Panels
--------------

2. Panel One: The Balkan Democracies and the Challenges of
European Integration. Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister of
Sweden, moderated a panel consisting of Albanian PM Fatos
Nano, Croation PM Ivo Sanader, Macedonian PM Branko
Crvenkovski, Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic, Serbian PM
Vojislav Kostunica, Bosnian FM Mladen Ivanic, and Finnish FM
Erkki Tuomioja. The speakers campaigned for timely NATO and
EU talks towards their accession. Each state pointed to its
democratic improvements and regional cooperation. All
supported one another's bids towards accession. Sanader
alone presented Croatia as progressing faster than its
neighbors. Tuomioja, speaking for the EU, argued that these
states continued to make progress towards democratization
and regional stability, but that EU and NATO must see
significant additional advances before they offer membership
to any Balkan country.


3. Panel Two: Europe's Black Sea and Caucasus Neighborhood.
Panelists were Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, Azeri
President Ilham Aliyev, Romanian PM Adrian Nastase,
Bulgarian FM Solomon Passy, and ARMENIAn FM Vartan Oskanian.
The discussion revolved around the treatment of these
countries by the soon to be enlarged EU, assistance for the
region to fully encompass democratic principles, and the
potential for inclusion in the EU. All the panelists agreed
that integration into the EU and adoption of the wider
European policy was important for their countries' future.
However, they also mentioned continuing problems and
stressed their concerns with lack of stability, internal

conflicts, and each country's individual nature. These
problems were most explicitly highlighted during the
interchange between President Aliyev and FM Oskanian.
Although the overall attitude and themes presented during
the discussion were positive, both leaders used this forum
to showcase their opinions on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and requested international attention to facilitate
resolution.


4. EUR DAS Robert Bradtke, a member of the US delegation,
made points from the floor:
--the U.S. supports the aspirations of these countries to
join transatlantic structions, wants them to succeed, and
will help;
--they will be judged both individually and on how well they
cooperate with each other and with NATO;
--progress in rule of law, anti-corruption, and human rights
is essential;
--defense reform is necessary so the countries are producers
and not consumers of military resources;
--the new member states must lead by example, because future
expansion will be judged by how well the newest members do.


5. Panel Three: The Problems and Promise of a Wider Europe.
The third panel included Lithuanian PM Algirdas Brazauskas,
U.S. National Security Council's Dan Fried, Latvian PM
Indulis Emsis, Estonian PM Juhan Parts, Slovenian FM Dmitrij
Rupel, and Norwegian FM Jan Petersen. All expressed the
view that today's Europe is defined by two institutions, EU
and NATO. Fried said that the EU and NATO were sources of
stability and prosperity for their members, and were magnets
for other countries seeking entry. He elaborated on the
three main problems that European institutions must address
during the expansion process: 1) divisions within Europe
itself; 2) sustaining the drive for democracy in countries
such as Georgia and Ukraine; and 3) threats beyond Europe
including terrorism, failed states, and dictators. The
other panelists made similar points.


6. Panel Four: Views from the European Union, NATO, and the
United States. Slovak FM Eduard Kukan introduced the
speakers: NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, EU
Commissioner for Enlargement Gunter Verheugen, and U.S.
Senator Trent Lott (R-Mississippi). All three emphasized
the need for continued democratic reforms, and encouraged
Balkans and Caucasus countries to look at the new member
states as examples to follow. Verheugen said "union" was
more than common customs fees, but meant peace, stability,
and prosperity for all citizens. Lott stressed the common

history and values shared by Europe and the U.S. and said
that by remaining united we can meet any challenge,
particularly the top priority of defeating terrorism.

Concluding Statement Supports Further Expansion
-------------- --

7. In his closing remarks, FM Eduard Kukan hoped everyone
had been inspired by the conference. He said it had been
successful for four reasons:
a. good attendance
b. good format, with participation by NGO's, governments,
and legislators
c. good timing, as the attacks in Madrid re-focused
attention on the terrorist threat; while the discussion
preceded EU enlargement and the NATO Istanbul summit
d. good discussion/content.
Many tough issues remain, but many good ideas are being
generated to deal with them.


8. Upon the conclusion of the conference, the V-10 Prime
Ministers issued a statement which welcomed the achievements
and encouraged further progress towards Euro-Atlantic
standards and integration taking place in the Western
Balkans, South Caucasus and Black Sea Region, Ukraine and
Turkey. They promised to actively support truly democratic
ambitions, share experience and work within Euro-Atlantic
institutions to make sure that no European democracy is left
outside Europe's institutions. They renewed their
commitment to fighting terrorism.

NGO Pre-Conference
--------------

9. More than 120 NGO and think tank experts from 30
countries met March 18 before the "Bratislava II"
conference. Four panels discussed new political and
security challenges, such as EU and NATO relationships with
Eastern and Southern Europe, security in the Black Sea
region, and the role and responsibilities of the new NATO
and EU member states in wider European affairs. Among the
panelists were Jamie Shea (NATO),Eric van der Linden (EC),
Erhard Busek (Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe),
Jaques Rupnik (Center for International Research and
Studies),Bruce Jackson (Project on Transitional
Democracies),representatives from Bulgaria, Romania,
Georgia, Moldova, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Ukraine,
Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. The pre-conference
was organized by the German Marshall Fund of the United
States in co-operation with the Institute for Public Affairs
- Slovakia and the Slovak Foreign Policy Association.

WEISER


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