"The Prime Minister Mr Sali Berisha made a keynote speech during the event. Over 150 participants representing over 60 countries and organisations, including representatives of SEE governments, EU Member States, Canada, Switzerland, the US, the European Commission, the European Council, the European Parliament, NATO, OSCE, debated the future of SEE at this crucial moment of the transformation process of the Stability Pact into the Regional Co-operation Council (RCC).

Each meeting gave special attention to past achievements, lessons learnt and remaining challenges for the RCC with regards to the Stability Pact's various initiatives and task forces. Each Working Table included panel discussions on specific themes relevant to their area of operations." is stated in the related press release.

Working Table I – Democracy and Human Rights

The discussions in Working Table I focused on the Stability Pact’s involvement in the field of democratisation and human rights, interparliamentary coordination and also on the field of education and research.

In this field, the participants endorsed the launching of the new task force Fostering and Building Human Capital.
"The new Task Force expanded the activities of the already existing Task Force Education and Youth to the field of research. On the basis of the Proposal for the Establishment of the Task Force Fostering and Building Human Capital, endorsed at this meeting, the new Task Force, chaired by Romania and co-chaired by Austria, will co-ordinate the activities that will lead to the elaboration of a profile and of a structure of the new Task Force."

Further details on Working Table II – Economic Reconstruction, Development and Co-operation and Working Table III – Security Issues are available from Stability Pact's Website.

Special Co-ordinator Busek stated that the transformation of the Stability Pact into a fully regionally owned and led framework, the Regional Co-operation Council, is entering its final phase. The final handover will take place next February and will finally put the region in the driving seat of regional co-operation.

Further information
Stability Pact's Spokesperson
Mr Georgi Gotev at the SP Secretariat in Brussels
(Tel: +32 2 401 87 25 or press@stabilitypact.org).