THE FINAL DECLARATION OF BALKAN STRATEGIC AND OTHER RESEARCH CENTERS COOPERATION CONFERENCE

 

9-10 JUNE, 2005/ Ankara, Turkey

 

21 Representatives of Strategic and other Research Centers from 9 Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia Herzogevina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Turkey and Greece) have met with the aim of creating “Communication Network between Balkan Strategic and other Research Centers” in Ankara on 9-10 June 2005.

The constitutional Conference arranged with joint attempt of partners such as T.C. Foreign Affairs Ministry Strategic and other Research Centers , Bulgarian and Roman think tanks have determined the frame of “ Balkan Cooperation Network” formed platform for providing share of information related to enhancing the cooperation between Balkan Strategic and other Research Centers, activities of member Centers researches, determining and running the joint project.
The participants have accepted to create a “W site” in which the acitivities of “ Balkan Communication Network” will take place and also will be open to the Balkan Strategic and other Research Centers under specified conditions. The participants are appreciated for all technical support and equipment which was provided by aforesaid University for W sites created and runned by Computer Center of Bilkent University.

The participants also have handled the mechanism decided to be formed within the scope of the concept “Balkan conflict prevention, crisis management and peace-building processes” and evaluated the probability of founding “Balkan Wise Men Group” within the Connection Network. The participants have underlined preventing a new crisis or conflict with joint risk analysis, solving the available ones immediately, attendance of NGO to peacekeeping process besides process of sustainable stability, security and increasing their contribution and also the importance of efforts in line with developing a security culture. The general objective will be transparence at a level of Europe and Europe-Atlantic in Balkans, well governance, establishing, developing and enhancing the human rights and democracy.
Lastly; The participants have accepted the necessity of cooperating with international and regional institutions for ventures and have deduced to found a “Balkan Contact Group” with the aim of pursuing the issues and spreading the information and experiences. The goal of this group will be increasing the knowledge and attention of international community and thereby avoiding the separating in effort and policies.

The participants have agreed to hold the next conference in Bulgaria 2006.