STATEMENT by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia Tallinn, July 2, 2001

STATEMENT
by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia
Tallinn, July 2, 2001

1. The Ministers discussed recent developments in the NATO enlargement debate and noted with satisfaction the clear commitment of the Alliance to proceed with invitations at the Prague Summit in 2002.
2. The Ministers lauded President George W. Bush for his visionary speech in Warsaw on European security and noted the importance of the President's first official visit to Europe for US-European relations, as well as the positive effect of the pro-enlargement statements by many European leaders.
3. The Ministers expressed their conviction that NATO would adhere to the principle of widening the common zone of security and stability in Europe, regardless of geography and history, and would invite all qualified democracies to join the Alliance in 2002.
4. The Ministers pointed out that the Alliance is not in the process of expansion, but enlargement, based on a unity of values and the free expression of the will of people of democratic nations, and that this process is in everyone's interest and not directed against any nation.
5. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the Membership Action Plan (MAP) and their resolve to allocate the financial resources necessary for full implementation of national objectives and encourage transparency among the Vilnius Group countries.
6. The Ministers agreed to continue the cooperation, begun in Vilnius in 2000 and to bring ambassadorial-level cooperation in the capitals of NATO nations to a regular level.
7. The Ministers confirmed the intention of their Presidents and Heads of State and Governments to convene a Summit of the New Democracies in Sofia Bulgaria on October 5, 2001.
8. The Ministers agreed to a Prime Ministers' meeting in Bucharest, Romania, in February/March 2002 and to a high level meeting in Riga, Latvia, in June/July 2002, co-hosted by Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The Ministers welcomed the invitation by Slovenian Foreign Minister to meet in Bled, Slovenia on October 4, 2001.
9. The Ministers discussed the crisis in Macedonia and expressed their serious concern for the threats by extremist forces to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Macedonia and condemned any terrorist activities. The Ministers supported the efforts of the Macedonian national unity government and president Boris Trajkovski to settle the crisis by peaceful means. They welcomed the role of NATO and the European Union in these efforts.