Newsroom
Aims of Stability Pact cannot be imposed without people's participation
SARAJEVO 29 July 1999
SARAJEVO, 29 July 1999 - Speaking to regional leaders at the Stability Pact Summit in Sarajevo today, Ambassador Robert Barry, OSCE Special Envoy for Southeastern Europe, said that the people of Southeastern Europe must be active participants in the Stability Pact process if the goals of the Pact are to be achieved.
Ambassador Barry, the OSCE's Head of Mission in BiH who was speaking on behalf of OSCE Chairman-in-Office Knut Vollebaek, stated that the goals and aims of the Pact must be nurtured from below rather than imposed from above. "We must not allow ourselves to believe that the challenges of building peace, democracy and sta-bility can be solved by Presidents and Prime Ministers alone," he said. "In many ways, the success of the Stability Pact will depend on the ability of non-governmental organizations, political parties, business-people and independent media to forge links across national boundaries within the region. In this sense, the Stability Pact is as much about linking citizens as it is about linking states."
Ambassador Barry added that he was encouraged by the insistence of women's groups and other non-governmental organisations at the Summit that they be given a greater role in the Stability Pact process. He noted, for example, the Appeal is-sued at the Summit by a group of prominent women from across Southeastern Europe demanding an equal and active role for women in the development and im-plementation of the Pact.
Ambassador Barry also underlined that the OSCE - through its field missions and other institutions and instruments - will play an central role in the implementation of the Stability Pact, particularly in the areas of democracy, human rights, and security.
"The Organisation stands ready to contribute actively to the Pact by building on its experience in the region," he noted, adding that the OSCE will work to pro-mote and support initiatives emerging from the states of Southeastern Europe.
For more information call OSCE Spokesperson Tanya Domi, 090-144-311.
Ambassador Barry, the OSCE's Head of Mission in BiH who was speaking on behalf of OSCE Chairman-in-Office Knut Vollebaek, stated that the goals and aims of the Pact must be nurtured from below rather than imposed from above. "We must not allow ourselves to believe that the challenges of building peace, democracy and sta-bility can be solved by Presidents and Prime Ministers alone," he said. "In many ways, the success of the Stability Pact will depend on the ability of non-governmental organizations, political parties, business-people and independent media to forge links across national boundaries within the region. In this sense, the Stability Pact is as much about linking citizens as it is about linking states."
Ambassador Barry added that he was encouraged by the insistence of women's groups and other non-governmental organisations at the Summit that they be given a greater role in the Stability Pact process. He noted, for example, the Appeal is-sued at the Summit by a group of prominent women from across Southeastern Europe demanding an equal and active role for women in the development and im-plementation of the Pact.
Ambassador Barry also underlined that the OSCE - through its field missions and other institutions and instruments - will play an central role in the implementation of the Stability Pact, particularly in the areas of democracy, human rights, and security.
"The Organisation stands ready to contribute actively to the Pact by building on its experience in the region," he noted, adding that the OSCE will work to pro-mote and support initiatives emerging from the states of Southeastern Europe.
For more information call OSCE Spokesperson Tanya Domi, 090-144-311.