Balkan countries welcome offer on EU membership

Date: 15/04/1999

By Simon Taylor

BALKAN countries bordering the Serbian conflict zone have warmly welcomed German proposals for a stability pact for south eastern Europe.

They say any scheme which increases the chances of Union membership would consolidate reform and pro-democracy efforts in the region.

The German plan, which was tabled at last week's emergency meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg, offers the prospect of Union and NATO membership to Balkan states provided they meet international standards on democracy, human rights and market reforms.

” The pact is a more comprehensive strategy which reinforces elements of other regional cooperation agreements,” said one Albanian official. He added that the most important thing for his country was that the Union was holding out the prospect of EU membership - a long-term goal for Tirana - for the first time.

This, he said, would encourage Albania's pro-democracy and reform politicians, adding: “If we get a positive signal, it will increase the motivation for forces to work harder.”

But the official stressed that the stability pact idea was only just beginning to take shape and could only really be effective once there was a peaceful solution to the current crisis in Kosovo.

He also conceded that there were opportunities for strengthening relations with the Union through

the existing mechanisms, suggesting that the only key difference with the new pact would be the vague promise of eventual Union membership. The level of economic and political development in most countries in the region implies that they would not be ready to join the EU for ten years at the very earliest.

In the case of Albania, discussions with the Union will continue at a meeting on 27 April where the two sides will focus on a range of issues including security, the fight against corruption, reform of the judiciary and macroeconomic stability.

Officials at Macedonia's mission to the EU also stressed the importance of receiving encouraging messages regarding the prospect of joining the Union. “The EU must give a signal to countries like Macedonia,” said one, who added that the most important thing about the stability pact plan was the reference to aid for the region.

” We are, in principle, supportive of all initiatives aimed at achieving lasting peace, especially those with economic and financial aspects,” he said.

The proposal has also been welcomed by EU member states, although officials stress that a lot of work will be needed to transform it into practical measures. Diplomats stress that the initiative would have to be backed up with significant financial resources, along the lines of the international aid for reconstructing postwar Bosnia, in order to be successful.