Reconciliation and political dialogue between the countries of the former Yugoslavia
Reply to Recommendation
| Doc. 12709
| 15 September 2011
- Author(s):
- Committee of Ministers
- Origin
- adopted
at the 1119th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (7 September 2011) 2011 - Fourth part-session
- Reply to Recommendation
- : Recommendation 1954
(2011)
- Thesaurus
1. The Committee of Ministers has examined
Parliamentary Assembly
Recommendation
1954 (2011) on “Reconciliation and political dialogue between the
countries of the former Yugoslavia”, which it had previously communicated
to the Steering Committee for Education (CDED) for comments.
2. The Committee of Ministers shares the view of the Assembly
that the present context is favourable to regional reconciliation;
several regional initiatives, such as the recent regional summits
and bilateral high‑level meetings, confirm this trend.
3. The Committee of Ministers reiterates its support to the regionally-owned
initiatives such as the South-East European Co-operation Process
and the Regional Co-operation Council, which have contributed to
the positive dynamics in the region and which remain important vehicles
in helping to overcome the outstanding regional and bilateral issues.
4. Justice is essential for reconciliation. Full co-operation
with the ICTY is of utmost importance, and the recent arrest of
Ratko Mladić is a crucial step in this direction. The Committee
supports and encourages the efforts made by the governments in the
region to address the outstanding issues, such as prosecution for
war crimes, missing persons, refugees and internally displaced persons,
as well as border disputes.
5. The Committee of Ministers also encourages the grassroots
efforts to contribute to reconciliation processes, such as RECOM,
which could further contribute to establishing the facts about the
war crimes in the former Yugoslavia. The Committee expresses its
willingness to consider ways to provide support to these processes.
6. The Committee of Ministers supports and values the work of
the Council of Europe in conflict and post-conflict situations.
In this context, it draws the attention of the Assembly to the network
of schools of political studies in the region. The regional co-operation
of the network has now expanded and includes regional initiatives,
such as the South-East European School of Local Self-Government
and the Regional Programme on Energy for example, and regular bilateral
and regional events. In this regard, the Committee considers that the
annual Summer University of Democracy is a unique occasion for the
young leaders from the region to meet.
7. Several joint Council of Europe/European Union regional projects
in the areas of judicial co‑operation, as well as work carried out
in the field of education of young people in post-conflict situations
and in rehabilitating common heritage (Ljubljana Process), have
been contributing to the fostering of mutual understanding and dialogue
in the region.
8. As regards the execution of the European Court of Human Rights
judgment in the Sejdić and Finci case v. Bosnia and Herzegovina,
the Committee of Ministers regrets that there are no positive developments
and reminds the Bosnia and Herzegovina authorities that it is their
legally-binding obligation to implement the ruling of the Court.
The Committee of Ministers expects Bosnia and Herzegovina to comply
with the ruling in the near future and is ready to take all the
necessary measures to ensure its swift implementation.
9. The Committee of Ministers is well aware of the importance
of promoting the principle of non‑discrimination and the protection
of national minorities in order to further the process of reconciliation
and the political dialogue, and will maintain these issues on its
agenda, including when reviewing the honouring of obligations and
co-operation activities with the countries concerned.