Prepared by the Secretariat

(Political Affairs Directorate)

1. The Kosovo conflict related to Kosovo creates dramatic challenges for Europe: all democratic forces must unite to overcome them. The Council of Europe declares its readiness to contribute to the efforts to end the conflict, to restore peace and stability in the region and to redress human sufferings [of all civilian victims] and institutional damages. The Council of Europe is willing to will bring its statutory competence as an organisation for democratic states all over Europe and its institutional and operational resources fully to bear in this search for a new future in the region. The Council of Europe is prepared to participate with its own capacities in the present joint efforts towards restoration of democratic stability in the region, a political settlement, in close contact with partner organisations in its fields of competence, other international organisations such as the European Union, the OSCE and the United Nations [in particular]. Drawing on its all-European dimension it The Council of Europe can provide a proper European perspective to the necessary co-operation between the countries of the region and their close neighbours.

2. At present, the Council of Europe – including the Social Development Fund – is involved, on the basis of its special competence, expertise and resources, in coping with most urgent needs of the people who were fleeing or have been deported refugees and displaced persons from Kosovo as well as all other civilian victims affected by the conflict. This includes, in particular:

- assistance in preparing for the return of these persons, mainly by providing them with helping in the restoration of identity documents and evidence of their property;

- assistance in the assessment of human rights violations suffered by the people in the region and recommending appropriate action;

- contributing to projects of post-trauma psychological treatment for vulnerable groups among the deported and the refugees and displaced persons, including children and women, as well as access to adequate health care;

- assistance to children and young people in the setting up of flexible educational and cultural infrastructures in their temporary environment.

3. In the medium-term, the Council of Europe’s specific projects aim at:

- redressing the human rights situation and the return of deported persons and refugees;

- contributing to the re-establishment and stabilisation of democratic constitutional and institutional frameworks;

- developing a culture of democratic citizenship, confidence-building, civil society and independent media;

- promoting culture and education in an inter-cultural perspective.

[For these purposes, the Council of Europe will make use of the full range of its working methods, which entail political dialogue and consultation, expert advice, the secondment of experts, training, and information and awareness-raising activities.] The Council of Europe will implement its projects in close contact with the authorities and civil society in the region and direct co-operation with other international organisations in its fields of competence – the EU, the OSCE and the UN with its specialised agencies, putting emphasis also on regional co-operation structures, such as the South Eastern European Co-operation, the Central European Initiative, and the Royaumont process.

4. The overall long-term aim of the Council of Europe is to bring each and every country in Europe of the region into accepting and living up to [the requirements that constitute the basis for membership in the organisation, i.e. full adherence to] the principles of pluralist democracy, human rights and including the protection of national minorities within each country’s territorial integrity, the rule of law. and respect for cultural diversity. The Council of Europe is open for membership of all the countries in the region, including the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, on the basis of these principles. Additional efforts are needed with a view to the accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Council of Europe based on the requirements of the implementation of the Dayton/Paris agreements.

5. The action mentioned above is the contribution which The Council of Europe is making and intends to make, in its fields of competence, its contribution to the preparation, conclusion and implementation of a Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, in close contact with the countries of the region and in partnership with the other institutions and organisations active in this field.

6. The Committee of Ministers welcomes the efforts and initiatives taken individually by member countries of the Council of Europe and through regional cooperation, aimed at reaching the goals in this statement.

1    Changes appear in bold and italics type.