FM Alert, Vol III, No. 22
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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 1999 10:59:15 +0300 (EET DST)
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Subject: FM Alert, Vol III, No. 22
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Paulette Layton <[email protected]>
FM Alert, Vol III, No. 22
FM Alert, Vol III, No. 22
June 4, 1999
POSITION PAPER PONDERS POST-CONFLICT FUTURE OF BALKANS
A new position paper written by European experts urges the European
Union to take the lead in formulating a reconstruction framework for
war-ravaged Balkan nations, stressing the region's need to be fully
integrated into existing European political and economic institutions.
Although fighting still rages in the separatist-minded province of
Kosovo, post-conflict policy debates are already taking shape. "The
war in Kosovo may become the final dreadful catharsis of the Balkan
tragedy," says the paper, published by the Center for European Policy
Studies. "So now, after the latest Balkan war, definitive foundations
for the inclusion of the region into the European civil order have to
be conceived and negotiated." The paper recommends that Balkan nations
- i.e. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - receive some sort of "associate
member" status within the European Union, provided that the countries
abide by recognized international conventions on human and minority
rights. Among other measures proposed by the paper is the
establishment of a "South-east European Agency for Reconstruction and
Development. The comprehensive reconstruction program - which would
additionally emphasize local capacity building - would be aimed at
preparing the Balkan nations for full membership within the European
Union. The paper assesses the needs of Balkan nations, and examines
current EU capabilities. "New capacities for execution of an
integrated set of policies in the [Balkan] region would have to be
created," the paper says, referring to the EU's current structure.
"Today there are insufficiencies, but the EU has shown repeatedly its
capacity to grow into major new tasks."
(For background information see FM Alerts of May 14 and April 30).
INCREASED CONCERN OVER REFUGEE RETURN TO KOSOVO AMIDST ONGOING
CONFLICT
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has unveiled a
return blueprint for roughly 1.5 million displaced Kosovars. The UNHCR
report, which was released May 20, emphasized that a cessation of
hostilities is a prerequisite for implementation of the plan. Once the
fighting in Kosovo stops, the principle of voluntary return for
Kosovars must be upheld, and a comprehensive security framework for
returnees must be established. Creating a secure environment for
returnees, the 19-page report continued, would include the withdrawal
of "military and paramilitary units responsible for suspected
atrocities and forcible displacement of the civilian population," and
the deployment of a "robust international military force." UNHCR
calls for the phased return of about 900,000 refugees and 600,000
internally displaced persons. At the same time, the UNHCR report
expresses concern that substantial return would not occur before the
onset of winter, thereby exposing displaced persons to increased
hardships. Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross has
announced that the organization received permission from NATO and the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to reopen its offices in Kosovo. Also,
the Yugoslav government has decided to establish a Federal Ministry
for Refugees, Displaced Persons and Humanitarian Aid to address "the
difficult humanitarian situation."
(For additional information see FM Alert of May 14 and April 30).
DIGITALIZED VERSION OF FMP SPECIAL REPORT AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE
The Forced Migration Projects special video report, Protecting the
World's Exiles: The Human Rights of Non-Citizens, is now available on
the FMP's website in digitalized format. The one-hour video features
two eminent legal scholars, Professor Louis Henkin and Professor Oscar
Schacter, both of whom have made precedent-setting contributions to
the development of international human rights law. Henkin and Schacter
offer their views on a variety of topic concerning human rights law
and its implementation. They pay particular attention to gaps in
existing frameworks, calling attention to how rights provisions are
often no upheld in practice. The digitized version can be found at
http://www.soros.org/migrate.html. In addition, the special video
report is available in broadcast-quality video cassette both in the
VHS and the PAL (European) formats. The video is available free of
charge by contacting the Forced Migration Projects at (212) 548-0655,
or by e-mail [email protected].
For more information contact:
The Forced Migration Projects
400 West 59th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10019
tel: (212)548-0655
fax: (212) 548-4676
e-mail: [email protected]
website: www.soros.org/migrate.html
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