OSCE Chairman-in-Office holds meeting on Balkan regional stability

OSLO, 20 May 1999 - The Norwegian Chairmanship of the OSCE will convene a meeting tomorrow, 21 May, in Oslo at senior official level to discuss measures for promoting stability in the Balkans and in southeastern Europe. The meeting is expected to focus on the OSCE's contribution to a Stability Pact for the region, a recent proposal by the German Presidency of the European Union.

The OSCE Chairmanship believes that the Kosovo crisis, and the subsequent massive refugee problem, poses a threat to stability in the neighbouring countries and in southeastern Europe as a whole. The proposal for a Stability Pact aims to create a framework for political and economic cooperation between the countries in the region, based among other things on a network of agreements relating to good neighbourly relations. The OSCE will be in a position to make a significant contribution to this effort. The Organization possesses extensive knowledge of the situation in the Balkans, and has permanent Missions in Albania, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The OSCE is also prepared to play a key role in the implementation of a political solution in Kosovo.

Some 50 participants from fifteen OSCE countries are expected to participate in tomorrow's meeting, including the OSCE Chairmanship, the EU Presidency, the USA and Russia. In addition, representatives of the UN, the UNHCR, the World Bank and the Council of Europe will be present, as will the leaders of the OSCE Missions in Bosnia and Albania and representatives of other OSCE institutions. The meeting will be opened by State Secretary Dr. Janne Haaland Matlary, and chaired by head of the OSCE Affairs Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Kim Traavik.

After the close of the meeting, State Secretary Dr. Janne Haaland Matlary will hold a press conference in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at 16.00.