The 67^th Rose-Roth Seminar, organised by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in cooperation with the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia was held in Belgrade from 25 to 27 October.

The main topic of the seminar was “Serbia and Europe: Challenges of Integration”.

The participants of the seminar were greeted by Miloljub Albijanic, Vice-chairman of the National Assembly, as host. Marko Djurisic, Head of the Standing Delegation of the National Assembly to the NATO PA was the moderator of the opening session.

Addressing those present Vice-chairman Albijanic pointed out that Serbia is based on values shared today by the countries of the European Union and the modern world. He reminded all present that solidarity is one of the basic goals of the EU and the developed and that Serbia, which is in the Partnership for Peace and the process of coming closer to European integrations, needs it much more than the pressure it is exposed to. Stressing that the European integration of Serbia and the status of Kosovo and Metohija are two separate things, Albijanic emphasised that compromise is the key word for the resolution of the future status of the Province, which must not be abandoned.

At the beginning of the proceedings those present were addressed by Jose Lello, NATO Parliamentary Assembly President. He warned of the danger for stability in the region if the state of affairs in Kosovo and Metohija is not resolved, because the dangerous situation might spread to all neighbouring countries. The solution of the future status of Kosmet is not a military, but a political issue and the Alliance wishes for a compromise solution that will take into consideration the interests of both sides, NATO PA President stated.

Kai Eide, Political Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Norway said in his opening address that the negotiation process on the status of Kosovo cannot be concluded until all options are considered. He emphasised that the solution of the status of Kosovo based on the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 is the best because any other would reside on a controversial legal basis and be a politically disputable issue.

Judy Batt from the European Institute for Security Studies talked about the relations of the West Balkans and Europe and achieving stability in the region through integrations, and Jaroslaw Skonieczka, Director of the NATO Euro-Atlantic Integration and Partnership Directorate, also spoke about Serbia and the Partnership for Peace.

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Kosovo and the Hague Tribunal were the focus of attention on the second day. Talking on the determination of the final status of Kosovo, Steven Schook, Deputy Head of UNMIK stated that the existing status is not sustainable adding that UNMIK believes in the UN Security Council Resolution 1244, as well as Kai Eide’s report which says that the process must be concluded. UNMIK expects precise decisions and recommendations of the mediators’ trio, said Schook expressing his expectation that Belgrade will play a key role and not allow the stability in Kosovo to be undermined.

Ljubomir Kljakic, Deputy Minister for Kosovo and Metohija, stated that a unilateral declaration of Kosovo independence is not the necessary outcome of the Province’s status, but it is a probable one and warned that if Serbia’s position is ignored, the deep crisis surrounding the solution of this issue will become even deeper.

Talking about whether multiethnical Kosovo is possible, Dusan Janjic, Director of the Forum for Ethnic Relations, said that in the Kosovo reality ethnic communities are confronted and divided and that there is a clash for territorial control in Kosovo. He particularly warned that not solving the status of Kosovo also has consequences in Serbia pertaining to the separation or the reservations towards NATO or EU integrations.

Goran Bogdanovic, Member of the National Assembly and Provisional Assembly of the UNMIK/Kosovo and member of the negotiation team, stressed that Serbia’s proposal of decentralisation does not represent a division on ethnical principles but a support of multiethnicity, that is that municipalities with a Serbian majority have 30% of inhabitants of other nationalities.

Carla del Ponte, Chief Prosecutor of the Hague Tribunal took part in the seminar, talking about the Hague Tribunal and the legacy of the past. She emphasised that she will ask the European Union to make the signing of the Association and Stabilisation Agreement with Serbia contingent to the conclusion of cooperation with the Tribunal, but that she is also ready to inform the EU of all the progress and cooperation. Del Ponte said that she received strong assurances from Serbian officials of political resolve to conclude the cooperation and that she hopes for expedient results.

Rasim Ljajic, National Coordinator for the co-operation with the Hague Trubinal also talked on this subject. He repeated that there is a political resolve in Serbia to cooperate with the court and that Serbia suffers the largest possible damages because of the fact that Hague fugitives are not caught, since it is in the interest of the country to satisfy justice. Ljajic said that 86% of Serbian citizens consider the Tribunal a political and not legal establishment adding that he will persevere even though he lacks public support because of the cooperation with the court, since it is in the best interest of the Serbian citizens and a prerequisite for reconciliation among the countries of the region.

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On the third day, the participants of the seminar talked about the reform of Serbia’s defences. Frank Boland, Director of the NATO Force Planning Directorate, talked about the role of NATO in carrying out of the defence reform, and Dragan Sutanovac, Defence Minister of the Republic of Serbia and Zdravko Ponos, Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces also had a presentation.

Talking about the Serbian Defence System Reform, Boland stated that a lot has been done so far, but reminded all present that bills on defence and the army have not yet been passed. The NATO Alliance is very active in the Serbian Defence System reform process, the military alliance’s official said stressing the importance of the armed forces being efficient and under democratic control.

In his address, Minister Sutanovac stated that during the reform processes in the Serbian Military the defence capacities of the country have been raised to a generally acceptable level and that all the processes have been done so as set the Serbian defence system on par with new challenges and threats. He pointed out that the creation of an economically sustainable defence system under a democratic and civil control, able to join integrational processes, is also the reason for undertaking reform. Emphasising that the goal of the reforms if the creation of an efficient, modern and less numerous army, Sutanovac also stressed the necessity of passing suitable legal and normative acts.

Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, Zdravko Ponos said that in the upcoming period the priorities of the military reform will be directed towards the improvement of training, complete professionalisation, technical modernisation and improvement of the social position of the members of the military.

About 140 representatives of 20 member countries and associate members of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, as well as representatives of a large number of ministries, international organisations and institutions, embassies, institutes, and non-government institutions took part in the seminar.