CONFERENCE ON BALKANS HIGHLIGHTS ROLE FOR SLOVAKIA

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FOR EUR/SCE and EUR/NCE

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TAGS: PREL LO
SUBJECT: CONFERENCE ON BALKANS HIGHLIGHTS ROLE FOR SLOVAKIA


1. Summary/Introduction: On May 20-21 the Research Center of the
Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA) hosted a conference on
"Assessing Developments in the Western Balkans: Problems of
Today, Ideas for the Future." Co-sponsors of the conference
were the Slovak Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Friedrich Ebert
Stiftung, the EU Institute for Security Studies in Paris and the
U.S. German Marshall Fund.


2. Slovakia considers the Balkans one of its "niche
capabilities" in foreign policy, and most of its foreign
assistance is disbursed in the region. Slovakia aims to serve
as a role model of transformation, and strongly supports
integration of Balkan countries to NATO and the European Union.
The conference brought together policy makers, think tank and
academics, and representatives of international institutions to
present ideas on ways forward in the Balkans. The collection of
papers and presentations will be published in a special fall
2005 issues of the journal "Slovak Foreign Policy Affairs," and
we will forward a copy to EUR when it becomes available. End
summary.

Slovakia as Role Model; EU and NATO Accession as Goal
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3. During the introduction, State Secretary of the Slovak MFA
Magda Vasaryova said Slovakia would like to serve as a role
model for transformation in the Balkans. OSCE SYG Jan Kubis
explained the history of the OSCE role in the region. Mladen
Ivanic, Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that
the idea of a "High Representative" was good, and could also be
appropriate in Kosovo, but only if there is a pre-determined end
to his rule. Ten years after the war, it is time for the High
Rep to go, and for Bosnia and Herzegovina to rule itself. Ivan
Vejvoda (Executive Director of Balkan Trust for Democracy
advocated for Serbia to be accepted into Partnership for Peace
(the "kindergarten of NATO") as this process would help Serbia
to open the doors also to EU and other international
institutions.


4. The first panel dealt with "The Future of the Stabilization
and Association Process" and included the following speakers:
Chair, Vladimir Bilcik of the Slovak Foreign Policy Association;
Franz-Lotha Altmann of Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politic;
Vladimir Gligorov of the Institut fur Internationale
Wirtschaftsvergleiche in Vienna; Mladen Stanici, the Director of
the Institute for International Relations in Coratia; and
Predrag Boskovic, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia
and Montenegro. The speakers advocated for eventual EU
membership for the countries of the Western Balkans, and
discussed obstacles to overcome such as ICTY conditions.

No Answers for Kosovo
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5. The second panel addressed the final status of Kosovo as the
most pressing challenge for the Western Balkans. The panel was
moderated by Slovak MFA Political Director Miroslav Lajcak.
Speakers included Veton Surroi, Chief Editor of Koha Ditore from
Kosovo; Aleksander Simic, Vojislav Kostunica's Advisor for
Kosovo; Judy Batt, Research Fellow at the EU Institute for
Security Studies; and Filip Tesar from the Institute for
International Relations in Prague. The panel looked at what
major obstacles still remain to resolving Kosovo's final status,
and under what conditions an agreement could be reached on this
issue. There was criticism from Serbia that the Kosovar
Albanians cannot identify leaders who are able to discuss
concrete, practical issues.

Coming to Terms with History in Bosnia and Herzegovina
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6. The third panel analyzed unresolved statehood issues in
Bosnia and Herzegovia (BH) including levels of federalism,
minority rights, and sustainable economic development. Igor
Radojcic, an MP from the Alliance of Independent Socialist
Democrats Party in BH, asserted that the Office of the High
Representative (OHR) has been very efficient in "running
everything", but that it is time for parliament to become a
larger player in BH's future. He recommended three changes;
first, the EU must convert from "governors into advisors",
second, structural changes must take Serbian culture into
consideration, and third, emphasis must be placed on economic
development or none of the democratic institutions will be
lasting. Jakob Finci, President of the Jewish Community in BH,
commented that in BH there are no citizens, just ethnic
minorities. As a result, the OHR must persist for the present
while dialogue continues between all the parties and an
acceptable federalist system is established. He further stated
that this cannot happen until the country comes to terms with
its history and ceases to "negotiate it".

The "Bratislava Process" Continues
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7. Foreign Minister Kukan, a former UN special envoy to the
Balkans, was the key-note speaker in the last panel focused on
Central European Assistance to the Western Balkans. He
highlighted that this panel, and the conference in general,
finally gave needed recognition to the important role of Slovak
diplomacy in the Balkan democratic transition. He used the
phrase "the Bratislava Process" to refer to the transfer of
know-how from Slovak NGOs experienced in civic education and
get-out-the-vote campaigns to Serbian opposition groups under
Milosevic. The GOS supported these activities in Belgrade and
also invited activists to Bratislava. Kukan commented that
Slovakia hoped to be as engaged in the Kosovo experience and
negotiations. Kukan answered questions pertaining to Slovakia's
policy on Croatian EU accession. Regarding Slovak assistance
projects in the Balkans, Kukan repeated that Slovakia means what
it says about making the Balkans its foreign policy priority.


8. Other members of the panel included Harald Kreid, Central
European Initiative Director General; Katarina Vajdova of the
Bratislava-Belgrade Trust Fund; and Jelica Minic of the European
Movemement in Serbia. They analyzed current Slovak assistance
efforts to Serbia through its newly established official
development aid (ODA) program. Projects funded through the
Bratislava-Belgrade fund focus on regional development projects,
small and medium enterprises, and Serbia's European transition.
Minic stated that Slovakia has a proven ability to affect change
on a local level. Its accomplishments are largely due to its
ability to adapt models and schemes to the local context quicker
than large foreign donors. She added the most of the impetus
for European integration is coming from the NGO sector, which
could garner much information from the Slovak system. They also
appreciated attempts for common lobbying for Balkan nations
among new member states.


9. Comment: One of the recurring themes throughout the
conference was the complementary roles that America and Europe
play in the Balkans. As one speaker noted, "The Europeans are
compassionate, the Americans are efficient, and what is needed
is compassionate efficiency."


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