THE PERSPECTIVE OF VALUES FACILITATES THE RESOLUTION OF EU ENLARGEMENT ISSUES
Milan Kucan at joint press conference with President Havel
On the occasion of the working visit to Lany near Prague

Lane by Prague (Czech Republic), 28 May 2001



MILAN KUCAN
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, as every year to date, it was with pleasure that I looked forward to meeting President Havel. I do not have to emphasise the fact that President Havel is a welcome and competent collocutor. His wisdom and experience were always good advisors to me, especially at the time when Slovenia's destiny was all but certain. President Havel is a person, a statesman with a very clear and strong system of values, morals and ethics. Today's world forces politics into pragmatic, often even technocratic action, which is why I firmly believe that a constant corrective of this sort is necessary and useful.

The direct cause for our working meeting is the upcoming meeting of Presidents of Central European States in Italy. As President Havel already mentioned, we also discussed NATO enlargement, European Union enlargement, the situation in the Balkans, the contradictory nature of the processes which still characterise South East Europe.

What is important for NATO enlargement is that the summit next year is taking place in Prague. For the first time it will take place east of the former iron curtain. This fact is symbolic. I believe that the credibility of the North Atlantic alliance would also be symbolically confirmed with the expected invitation extended to Slovakia and Slovenia to join the alliance. This would show that this is neither a technical nor a purely political question, but also a moral one.

This also applies to European Union enlargement, which is qualitatively different from all previous enlargements. A range of practical problems, which mustn't be denied, are solvable in a considerably simpler way if we look at enlargement from the perspective of values, of ethics. In this case it is namely possible to reply that all of us will benefit much more if we accept the values that constitute a new Europe and a negation of European history's tragic past.

In all our talks to date President Havel and I were convinced that the spiritual world of values that was formed in the Central European spiritual tradition is a peculiarity that can contribute very significantly to the understanding of Europe's past and future. Thus we also discussed all the major issues - NATO and EU enlargement, the situation in the Balkans, the meeting of Central European Presidents, the attitude towards Russia - mainly from the perspective of applying the spiritual values of this environment where both the Czechs and the Slovenes were historically formed. That is also what makes the annual meetings of Central European Presidents purposeful. I sincerely wish for the meetings to return to the original idea presented by President Havel at the first meeting in Lytomi¹l.
Thank you.


Question - Czech TV
Did you discuss the possible integration of the Republic of Slovenia into the North Atlantic Alliance? My second question concerns the armed conflict in Macedonia - what is your view of the situation?

MILAN KUCAN
We expect that Slovenia, and realistically one should also count on Slovakia, will be extended an invitation at the summit next year in Prague. This would also constitute a sort of moral correction of what we Slovenians felt was an injustice at the NATO summit in Madrid. President Havel also presented his position on this at the recent meeting in Bratislava.

As for Macedonia, my position is that the sovereignty and integrity of the Republic of Macedonia must be protected. A solution to the problems arising in Macedonia is offered by modern democratic principles with high protection and equality of ethnic minorities in multi-ethnic communities. These problems cannot be resolved using weapons and terrorist violence. It is important for the international community to be highly principled in this regard. To prevent, say, the creation of a uni-ethnic community in Kosovo and a bi-ethnic community in Macedonia for pragmatic reasons. I definitely believe that loyalty and consistency in implementing democratic principles by political means can resolve this sensitive issue in Macedonia.


Photo: BOBO


PHoto: BOBO