Press Release M-EAPC- 1(2001)076 30 May 2001

Chairman's Summary of the Meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in Foreign Ministers Session, 30 May 2001, Budapest The Foreign Ministers and Representatives of the member countries of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) met in Budapest today. The Secretary General of NATO informed the EAPC about the main results of the North Atlantic Council meeting on 29 May. Ministers exchanged views on developments in South-East Europe, following opening remarks by Foreign Minister Svilanovic of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. EAPC Ministers welcomed his presentation at the meeting as an indication of the progress that has been made in relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and an important perspective on the challenges ahead. They underlined their common commitment to building lasting peace and stability in South-East Europe, and stressed the importance of working constructively together to find acceptable solutions to the challenges that confront the international community in the region. They expressed support for Yugoslavia's efforts to integrate itself into the Euro-Atlantic community. Ministers welcomed ongoing cooperation in South-East Europe and the contribution of the Alliance's South-East Europe Initiative and its support for the Stability Pact. They welcomed the South-East Europe Common Assessment Paper on Regional Security Challenges and Opportunities (SEECAP), developed by a number of EAPC nations, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, as a key document to underpin further regional cooperation efforts to build lasting stability and security in South-East Europe. Ministers welcomed the formation of a broad coalition government in Skopje and exchanged views on the security situation it is facing. They rejected the use of violence by extremist groups to pursue political objectives; such objectives can only be achieved through peaceful, democratic means. Ministers encouraged further concentrated efforts, through dialogue and within the democratic process, to address the concerns of the ethnic Albanian population and to isolate the extremists, while avoiding the excessive use of military force. Ministers commended KFOR's efforts to carry out its mandate under UN Security Council Resolution 1244 to ensure a secure environment in Kosovo, in close cooperation with UNMIK. They condemned continued acts of violence in Kosovo, whether ethnically, politically or criminally motivated and called for an end to such acts. They noted recent decisions to allow the controlled return of Yugoslav forces into Sector B of the Ground Safety Zone and welcomed recent positive developments towards a peaceful solution to the problems in Southern Serbia. They welcomed in particular the widespread and voluntary demobilisation and disarmament undertaken by extremist groups in that area. Ministers exchanged views on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and commended SFOR's continued efforts in contributing to stability and supporting the full implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords. They restated their determination to continue to assist Bosnia and Herzegovina along the path to lasting peace. They condemned all forms of separatism and nationalist violence and called on all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina to address issues of concern within the existing institutional framework of the country. Ministers examined how to strengthen cooperative security in the Euro-Atlantic area. They discussed the activities of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council since their last meeting and exchanged views on how political and security related cooperation in pursuit of security and stability throughout the entire Euro-Atlantic area might be further enhanced. They welcomed complementary cooperative initiatives in various parts of the Euro-Atlantic area, to foster practical regional cooperation in South-East Europe, the Baltic region, the Caucasus and Central Asia. Ministers discussed the development and use of existing EAPC/PfP mechanisms, and took stock of progress made on the overall development of the enhanced and more operational Partnership. In the same context, Ministers welcomed the results of the second implementation review of the Political-Military Framework for NATO-led PfP Operations, which highlighted significant progress in the way Partners contributing to NATO-led operations are involved in the planning, conduct and political oversight of such operations. Ministers acknowledged the invaluable contribution that Partner forces make to the NATO-led operations in the Balkans, and agreed that efforts should continue to fully implement the provisions of the Political-Military Framework for such operations. Ministers also noted with satisfaction the progress achieved in the implementation of the main elements of the Operational Capabilities Concept, that aims to improve the interoperability of Allied and Partner armed forces to work together more effectively. Ministers will meet again in Brussels in December 2001.