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The Stability Pact is the first serious attempt by the international community
to replace the previous, reactive crisis intervention policy in South
Eastern Europe with a comprehensive, long-term conflict prevention strategy.
On 10 June 1999, at the EU's initiative, the Stability Pact for South
Eastern Europe was adopted in Cologne.
In the founding docu-ment, more than 40 partner countries and organisations
undertook to strengthen the countries of South Eastern Europe "in
their efforts to foster peace, democracy, respect for human rights and
economic prosperity in order to achieve stability in the whole region".
Euro-Atlantic integration was promised to all the countries in the region.
At a summit meeting in Sarajevo on 30 July 1999, the Pact was reaffirmed.
The idea for the Stability Pact arose in late 1998 and thus predates the
Kosovo war. But the NATO intervention undoubtedly acted as a catalyst
in strengthening international political will for co-ordinated and preventive
action in the region.
The Stability Pact is based on key experiences and lessons from worldwide
international crisis management. Conflict prevention and peace building
can be successful only if they start in parallel in three key sectors:
the creation of a secure environment, the promotion of sustainable democratic
systems, and the promotion of economic and social well-being. Only if
there is progress in all three sectors can a self-sustaining process of
peace be achieved.
Contact Details:
Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe
rue Wiertz 50 B-1050 Brussels Belgium
Telephone: +32 2-401 8700 Fax: +32 2-401 8712
E-mail: scsp@stabilitypact.org
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