At the end of a regional conference in the Slovenian mountain resort of Brdo Pri Kranju on Saturday, participants in the event adopted a joint declaration reaffirming their commitment to promoting good neighbourly relations and strengthening regional cooperation, and called on the European Union to continue encouraging the countries in the region in carrying out reforms on their way to the EU.
We acknowledge the fact that progress on the road to the EU depends on individual results and ability to meet the necessary criteria. We will continue implementing the necessary reforms in line with European standards, principles and values so that we can accomplish reconciliation, progress, security, media freedom, prosperity and the rule of law for all, regardless of their ethnic background, the declaration says among other things.
Leaders from seven countries said in the declaration that they were committed to continuing the process of strengthening good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation and the settlement of mutual outstanding issues "in the European spirit".
Serbian President Boris Tadic, who had been invited to the conference, did not attend.
Participants in the conference also called on the European Union to continue treating its enlargement as one of its priorities and to encourage mechanisms of regional cooperation with the aim of stepping up the establishment of closer ties between the countries in the region.
Prime ministers from seven Southeast European countries welcomed an EU-Western Balkans conference announced by the Spanish EU Presidency.
They said that they expected the conference to give new impetus to the process of European integration of the countries in the region because they were confident that "the future of the Western Balkans lies in the European Union".
