Prospects for International Cooperation in the Danube Region

by Edita Stojić-Karanović, Prof Dr.^[1]

introductory paper at the XI conference "Danube - River of Cooperation", November, 17-19 2000

In the name of the International Scientific Forum "Danube - River of Cooperation", I would like to thank to all of distinguished guests and participants of the Eleventh Conference for supporting our work and taking part in it. I am thankful to your presence here, your contribution in the work of this Danube Forum is very important today, and it was crucial in the past eleven years. Without that we would not succeed, and even to survive.

It seems like a miracle, that after all the obstacles and trials that the International Scientific Forum "Danube - River of Cooperation" as a non-governmental, non -profit and non-political organisation faced in its eleven years of existence, and that despite of all these misfortune - we are here today at the opening of our eleventh conference.

It was really very difficult to survive and persist on the basic goal - the promotion of international understanding and co-operation in the region, whereas on the practical scene the decision-makers have administered everything completely opposite. Wars and all kinds of destruction could result in loss of will to continue with activities. Therefore, we should be glad even with the pure fact that our organisation did survive.

So, we could be - and we are happy today. Although, the state of life in all areas is at the lowest level: natural resources and economy destroyed, the Danube itself badly damaged, the social and economic position of the population as a whole, almost at zero level, and yet there is hope. That hope raises from the new possibility for international cooperation, the same international cooperation we in the International Scientific Forum insisted on, from the very start of our activities, the conceptualization of the project "Danube - River of Cooperation" in 1987 and the First conference in 1989.

Following its basic aims, the International Scientific Forum "Danube - the River of Cooperation" did not give up, even when it had to function under the most difficult circumstances. At its conferences and in the period between them, the International Scientific Forum "Danube - the River of Cooperation" pleaded for peaceful solution of conflicts. On May 12, 1992 we sent our Appeal for Peace. But our appeal as our entire cry were ignored and left non-respected. And sadly we have to face the truth that so many innocent people became victims of war.

I would like to ask you to commemorate and pay tribute to all innocent victims of recent conflicts in the region, regardless of their ethnic or religious background. Please give the minute of silence and honor to them.

Now, we could renew our struggle for international cooperation on regional, interregional and global level. International cooperation is a crucial necessity which could be an instrument for better and more equal use of human-, natural- and industrial resources and lead to the fulfillment of the real interests of the citizens in local communities, as well as the people in the region and in the whole world. That is true for all forms of international relations: bilateral, multilateral, global, regional, inter-regional, formal and informal international cooperation. But the regional and inter-regional relations seem to be today the most important forms of international relations.

Upon our researches we became convinced that international cooperation and regional integration in the future would be based on economic, social and environmental interests, as well as on interests to achieve undisturbed cultural development of all peoples and individuals - inhabitants of these regions. This research has also pointed out a great sensibility in this region, as ethnic inter-meddling of different nations and ethnic communities is being present. But just because of this, it was clear from the very beginning that a program of reciprocal introduction, understanding, and particularly cooperation in solving mutual problems and achievement of mutual aims - presents a constructive endeavor for the realization of such goals.

The aim of regional cooperation is the fulfillment of mutual interests of all the nations living around a common natural resource. More: regional, sub- regional and inter-regional cooperation forms have the utmost importance for overcoming tensions created in a heavy mass in the use-of-force history. That's very true in this part of the European continent.

Co-operation among Danubian countries in transition is especially important. Theirs economies are comparatively underdeveloped. They face the problem of the lack of capital for development of infrastructure and application of the most modern technology. After making some significant socio-economic and political changes these countries have oriented themselves to intensification of economic co-operation with West European ones. However, due to a low level of economic efficiency and competitiveness of their export products inclusion of their economies into the economic, financial and trade flows of Western countries has objectively been difficult to achieve. It is necessary to take even more radical economic and social changes in these countries - this would make them possible to include more intensely into those flows, since the quality and scope of their co-operation with foreign countries depends on the success of their reforms. On other hand, developed countries should make effort to support those reforms and international companies should pay more attention to the situation on ground.

By intensification of their mutual economic ties and co-operation the countries in the region would create a solid basis for fulfilling their expectations to become members of the united Europe, enjoying equal rights like others.

The countries of the region could also take advantage of the opportunities offered by international organisations to establish and develop regional co-operation. However, a number of new forms of co-operation are yet to be created and developed, whether being those between states or some of their parts, or informal ones with participation of non-governmental organisations from this area. The significance of non-formal forms of regional co-operation will be the one that will grow in the future.

It is very important that the international organisations realised how valuable is the role of the non-governmental organisations for environmental action and ecological education. In that sense the attitude of the Global Environment Facility - GEF should be emphasised.

The International Scientific Forum "Danube - River of Cooperation" prepared some projects which will be proposed to other organisations in Danube countries and to international organisations to join efforts for achieving the common interest: saving Danube from degradation and giving with that a contribution to the global environment.

Mutual projects should start on human ecology, environmental issues and sustainable development, sustainable use of natural resources (land, water, and bio-diversity), as well as projects on development of protected areas and Eco-tourism. Such projects include the issue of intensification of research and collecting of data, such as heavy metals hazardous substances content of the water and in other compartments of the ecosystems, the protection and conservation of ground waters, as potentially active and future water resources, etc. These projects should be made in interdisciplinary teams of researchers of the Danube countries.

[1] Founder - President of the International Scientific Forum "Danube - River of Cooperation"
Scientific counselor at the Institute of International Politics and Economics (IIPE), Belgrade, SCG.

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