[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000-2001, Book III)]
[December 18, 2000]
[Pages 2725-2727]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement of the United States and European Union on Southeast Europe
December 18, 2000

    At a time when democracy is taking root throughout the region and 
when it should be consolidated for the benefit of all, the very 
successful cooperation to date between the United States and the 
European Union in the South East Europe region must continue to be close 
and sustained.

    The year 2000 began with democratic change in Croatia. It comes to a 
close with the victory of democratic forces in the Federal Republic of 
Yugoslavia (FRY). These are heartening developments that offer 
significant new prospects to all of the countries of the region.

    Recent historic changes pave the way for regional reconciliation and 
cooperation. They allow all the countries in the region to establish new 
relations that are beneficial to each of them as well as for the 
stability of the region, the development of their economies, and peace, 
prosperity and stability on the European continent. They give a fresh 
impetus to a policy of good neighborliness based on the negotiated 
settlement of disputes, respect for the rights of persons belonging to 
minorities, respect for international obligations, including vis-a-vis 
the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia, the lasting 
settlement of the issue of refugees and displaced persons and respect 
for the international borders. They reinforce regional security and 
should promote the conclusion by the countries concerned of negotiations 
for weapons control and reduction at regional level, as envisaged by the 
Dayton Agreements.

    We give our full support to this process of reconciliation and 
regional cooperation, which offer new prospects for the countries in the

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region. We welcome the results of the Zagreb Summit on November 24. The 
Summit underlined the connection between the progress of the countries 
of the region towards democracy, the rule of law, regional 
reconciliation and cooperation, on the one hand, and the rapprochement 
of each of these countries with the European Union on the basis of an 
individual treatment, in the framework of the European Union's 
stabilization and association process, on the other hand. In this 
regard, we welcome the commitments undertaken by the five countries of 
the stabilization and association process in the Zagreb declaration.

    We also emphasize the importance of the Stability Pact for South 
East Europe as a means to accelerate the integration of the region into 
the Euro-Atlantic mainstream. The inclusion of the FRY in the Stability 
Pact will make it possible for the Pact to reach its full potential. The 
Stability Pact deserves our continued political and financial support. 
We welcome the call of the High Level Steering Group, which met in Paris 
on November 14, 2000, to organize a second Stability Pact Regional 
Funding Conference as early as feasible in 2001.

    The United States and the European Union have mobilized considerable 
resources to support the consolidation of democracy in the FRY. We look 
forward to continued democratic progress in Serbia's elections on 
December 23. We also welcome the initiative shown by the European 
Commission and World Bank in hosting the donors' coordination meeting on 
December 12, 2000, in response to the most urgent needs of the FRY/
Serbia. The European Commission and the World Bank should ensure that, 
in the framework of the High Level Steering Group, the efforts being 
made by Europe, the United States and all the other donors are 
coordinated and contribute to the consolidation of democracy and to the 
economic development of that country. We welcome the decisions already 
taken by the High Level Steering Group at its meeting in Paris on 
November 14, 2000, in particular to pursue a funding conference for the 
FRY as early as feasible in 2001.

    We strongly condemn the outbreak of violence in the Presevo area of 
southern Serbia, and call upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint 
and to resolve differences exclusively through peaceful, transparent 
dialogue.

    We welcome the progress made in Kosovo in the implementation of UNSC 
Resolution 1244: the setting up of an interim administration has taken 
place in a satisfactory manner, reconstruction is continuing, municipal 
elections have taken place in a peaceful and democratic fashion and 
security conditions have improved. We vigorously condemn the use of 
violence, any form of extremism and any act which makes the co-existence 
of communities more difficult and which adversely affects regional 
stability. We fully support the right of all displaced Kosovars to 
return in peace and security. We confirm our full support to the 
implementation of Resolution 1244. In this regard, we fully support the 
efforts of the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General to 
establish democratic, self-governing institutions in Kosovo based on 
clearly enunciated principles in accord with Resolution 1244.

    We thank and congratulate Mr. Kouchner 
for the remarkable work he has done in difficult circumstances. We 
welcome the action jointly carried out by UNMIK and KFOR. We pledge our 
full support for Mr. Haekkerup who has 
recently been appointed the UN Secretary General's Special 
Representative in Kosovo.

    In Bosnia and Herzegovina we welcome the constructive contributions 
of the High Representative and of SFOR to the building of a functioning 
State. We note with satisfaction that those parties committed to Bosnia 
and Herzegovina's European orientation received the majority of the 
votes in the recent general election. We expect the new authorities to 
demonstrate their commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina's European reform 
agenda by taking the necessary urgent actions on key political and 
economic issues. Any government, at State or Entity level, must base its 
action on strict compliance with the Dayton Agreements and the ensuing 
obligations, in particular the conclusions of the Ministerial 
Conferences for the implementation of those Agreements.

    We welcome the continued progress made elsewhere in the region. 
However, we are concerned at increased political violence in Albania and 
support the Albanian Government's efforts to uphold the rule of law.

    We call upon all States in the region to continue and intensify 
efforts to resolve bilateral differences and internal ethnic minority 
issues

[[Page 2727]]

exclusively through peaceful, democratic dialogue, and to show full 
respect for international obligations including cooperation with the 
International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia.

Note: An original was not available for verification of the content of 
this joint statement.