Minister Grabar-Kitarović at informal meeting of SEE foreign ministers

Informal Meeting
of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro
with the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Austria

Ohrid, 2 December 2005

OHRID JOINT STATEMENT

1. In continuation of the established practice of holding informal discussions with a colleague from an EU member-state, initiated In Ohrid in October 2004 and followed on in Durres in April 2005, we met again in Ohrid to discuss ways how to bring our European and Euro-Atlantic integration forward.

2. We exchanged views and ideas to further strengthen our cooperation within the Stabilization and Association Process, as the overall framework for our relations with the European Union until accession. We also discussed the possibilities to intensify our regional cooperation, both at the bilateral level and within various regional Initiatives, as well as in the framework of the Charter on Partnership.

3. We welcomed the substantial progress our countries have made In the process of European integration.

We saluted the recent opening of the accession negotiations with Croatia. Welcoming the European Commission's positive Avis on the application of the Republic of Macedonia for EU membership, we expressed confidence that the European Council in December 2005 will grant it the status of candidate country. We also welcomed the opening of negotiations on a Stabilization and Association Agreement with Serbia and Montenegro, as well as with Bosnia and Herzegovina, We saluted Albania's progress noted in the 2005 EC Progress Report, which paves the way for the successful conclusion of SAA negotiations.

4. All these developments not only confirm that our countries, are on the right track In the European integration, but they are a proof of the continuation of the EU enlargement process, which has always been an essential part of the European project.

In this context, we expressed our belief that the internal challenges the Union faces today are not exclusively related to the enlargement process and that no matter how complex these challenges are, the Union will come out of the period of reflection even larger and stronger.

5. We welcomed the European Commission approach for the next EU enlargement proposed in its 2005 Enlargement Strategy Paper: rigorous in demanding fulfilment of its criteria, but fair in duly rewarding progress and proceeding into further stages of integration. We are confident that the European Council will endorse the proposed road-map for our countries to accomplish the objective of EU membership at the pace determined by the individual performance of each country in meeting the membership criteria.

6. In this regard, we reiterated our strong commitment to pursuing without delay all reforms necessary to facilitate the integration of our countries into the European mainstream. We remain determined to make this region a region of open borders and possibilities for people, goods and capital. In order to enable free movement of our people throughout Europe, we reiterate our firm determination to do the utmost to meet the necessary preconditions for full visa liberalization by the EU. In this respect, we consider that even under the strict Schenger system, there are ways and modalities to facilitate and simplify the travelling of our citizens to the EU.

7. We agreed to further develop the networks of cooperation among our countries In different EU integration related areas through exchange of experiences and good practices in meeting the European standards.

8. We remain determined, in compliance with the European standards, to develop the regional market through further trade liberalization, as well as by Implementing the Treaty establishing the Energy Community of Southeast Europe, and through accelerated development of the transport Infrastructure.

9. We remain firmly committed to further enhancing our cooperation to fight organized crime and corruption, illicit trafficking in human beings, arms and drugs, to combat terrorism and to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

10. We confirmed our intention to closely cooperate with the countries from the Regional Partnership (Vishegrad Group, Austria and Slovenia), by sharing experiences gathered In the process of economic and social transformation and European integration. We are determined to follow in full the conclusions from our First Meeting in Budapest of 11 October 2005.

11. We expect that the new EU Financial Perspective 2007-2013 shall reflect the commitment to integrating our countries into the European Union. The inclusion of our countries in the economic and social cohesion alms of the EU would be of great importance for achieving long lasting stability and prosperity of our region.

12. We welcomed the progress achieved within the Charter on Partnership among Macedonia Albania and Croatia and USA aimed at further stabilization and prosperity of our region and the full integration of the three asp/rant countries Into NATO. We reiterate our support to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia and Montenegro in their efforts for Euro-Atlantic integration.

13. The next 2006 will be significant for the Balkans. Our overriding common interest is peace, cooperation and welfare of the Balkans. European integration Is certainly the best way to achieve this. The pull of the EU has helped countries in transition to become modern, well-functioning democracies and prosperous market economies capable of assuming the obligations of EU membership. We are convinced that with joint efforts we can make the European model successful and sustainable in the Balkans.

14. We expressed our appreciation to Minister Plassnik for the clear support of the incoming Austrian EU Presidency to the attainment of our joint goal, the full integration into the European Union. We consider the fact that Western Balkans is among the priorities of the Austrian EU Presidency as a clear confirmation of the EU commitment to the full implementation of the Thessaloniki Agenda.