Verona Forum for peace and reconciliation in ex-Jugoslavia

1. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE VERONA FORUM?
2. HISTORY AND STRUCTURE OF THE VERONA FORUM
3. THE VERONA FORUM'S DIAGNOSIS OF THE SITUATION IN EX-YUGOSLAVIA
4. THE POLITICAL AIMS OF THE VERONA FORUM: CREATING CONDITIONS FOR RESOLVING CONFLICTS AND ACHIEVING LASTING PEACE
5. VERONA FORUM PROPOSALS FOR ENDING THE WAR IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
6. VERONA FORUM PROPOSALS FOR PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF MILITARY CONFLICT TO OTHER REGIONS IN EX-YUGOSLAVIA AND THE ENTIRE BALKANS
7. THE NEXT STEP: A NEW MODEL OF PEACE CONFERENCE FOR EX-YUGOSLAVIA -- THE VERONA FORUM AS PARTICIPANT IN THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE PROCESS

 

 

1. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE VERONA FORUM?

 

So far, the VERONA FORUM is unique in bringing together peace projects, critical intellectuals seeking dialogue, and political opposition currents from throughout Ex-Yugoslavia.

It pursues the following aims:

First of all, the initiation of a permanent process of dialogue between such currents, intellectuals and projects in Ex-Yugoslavia, institutionalizing formal structures, so as to build networks and deepen cooperation with projects and parties in the whole of Europe and beyond (e.g., the London "Alternative Conference for a Balkan Peace", the "International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights", the "Helsinki Citizens' Assembly").

 

Secondly, the elaboration of concrete proposals and projects for peace strategies, for resolving political conflict and settling disputes by peaceful means, as well as for a more long-term cultural approach to conflict resolution and reconciliation through dialogue, encounters, and learning processes.

 

Thirdly, providing support and networking to individual groups and projects from Ex-Yugoslavia that ask for help.

 

Fourthly, facilitating direct interaction between `civil society' in Ex-Yugoslavia and official mediators at the European and global leve

 

2. HISTORY AND STRUCTURE OF THE VERONA FORUM

 

The VERONA FORUM was officially born at its September 17-20, 1992 founding meeting in Verona, attended by 52 participants from all regions of former Yugoslavia including over a dozen ex-Yugoslavs residing abroad. Altogether, over 50 different NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and political parties were represented. More than 50 international observers followed the discussions, from groups including the International Helsinki Federation, the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly, YugoFax (London), and the Norwegian Institute for Human Rights.

The gathering was initiated and prepared by a support committee made up of representatives of Italian peace and solidarity groups (Casa de non violenza, Verona; Telefonski most, Milan; etc.), Green political figures (Marijana Grandits from the Austrian Parliament, Alexander Langer from the Greens in the European Parliament, Paolo Bergamaschi from the European Green Coordination), and ex-Yugoslav peace activists. Inasmuch as preparation of the founding meeting required, among other things, ten telephone conference calls and numerous bilateral meetings, financial and organizational support was provided by the Greens in the European Parliament, the European Green Coordination, and Italian, Austrian and German Greens.

 

At the founding meeting in Verona, the preparatory support committee was transformed into a steering committee of 13 members. It held its first meeting in this form on November 7, 1992 in Ohrid, during a meeting of the Helsinki Citizens' Assembly.

 

Between November 2 and 10, 1992, members of the steering committee undertook an information and public relations trip through former Yugoslavia, with stops in Zagreb, Ljubljana, Skopje, Pristina, Ohrid, Belgrade, in order to spread the idea of the FORUM among leading politicians, intellectuals and peace activists and to coordinate practical activities.

 

Further activities included a meeting of members of the steering committee with Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, a university round table in Brussels on the project of a U.N. Mandate for Bosnia-Herzegovina, a seminar in San Remo on the project of a U.N. War Crimes Tribunal, the activation, counseling and networking of peace initiatives in Ex-Yugoslavia, support and diffusion of appeals for help to threatened media (Buiqu in Kosovo, Sloboda Dalmatia in Croatia), as well as an advertising campaign on the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

 

The steering committee meanwhile has been provided with a permanent coordination office in the European Parliament in Brussels and at least twice per month arranges a telephone conference in order to organize the activities of the VERONA FORUM.

 

The second PLENARY SESSION of the VERONA FORUM takes place in Verona April 2 to 4, 1993.

 

 

3. THE VERONA FORUM'S DIAGNOSIS OF THE SITUATION IN EX-YUGOSLAVIA

 

The VERONA FORUM proceeds on the basis of the following evaluation of the situation in Ex-Yugoslavia:

 

1) In Ex-Yugoslavia, massive violations of human rights and international law are being committed from the side of the Serbian party to the conflict, but also from the side of the other parties to the conflict. Moreover, a constant absence of respect for the basic standards of democracy and human rights can be observed throughout the region.

 

2) Alongside the acute military conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina there exists the danger of a return to military conflicts in Croatia as well as the danger of an extension of the war to Kosovo, Macedonia and the entire Balkan region.

 

3) The international peace and negotiation process, at present centered on the Vance-Owen plan, threatens to break down and in any case will not achieve any lasting peace in the region, first of all because significant socio-political and oppositional forces in the population and civil society remain excluded and no representation is being created for those who are really affected.

 

4) In addition, there is the nearly seamless homogenization of the media landscape in all the Republics, which threatens or has already smothered socio-political pluralism.

 

5) What is needed is a clear and comprehensive strategic peace concept for political conflict-solving and peaceful settlement of disputes in the Balkan region. This concept must be worked out not only by the parties to the conflicts, but also by representatives of civil society itself and the people whose lives are affected, and must be taken up at the official government level throughout Europe and beyond.

 

 

 

4. THE POLITICAL AIMS OF THE VERONA FORUM:

CREATING CONDITIONS FOR RESOLVING CONFLICTS AND ACHIEVING LASTING PEACE

 

The VERONA FORUM pursues the following political aims in order to create conditions for political conflict resolution and achievement of durable peace:

 

1) Immediate measures for a permanent cease-fire as well as for a comprehensive end to all violence, such as war and military violence, expulsions, torture, terror, ethnic cleansing.

 

2) Respect for all international conventions, treaties and laws, in particular concerning humanitarian issues and human rights, with the clear aim of establishing individual responsibility for all war criminals and perpetrators of acts of violence.

 

3) Establishment of democratic institutions and a strong civil society through support to democratic forces and creation of international mechanisms for institutionalized settlement of conflicts and establishment of peace.

 

4) Defense of the territorial and demographic status quo, in connection with internationally guaranteed political and cultural autonomy for nationalities, ethnic groups and minorities.

 

5) Overcoming partisan, hegemonic, geopolitical and nationalistic interests in favor of genuine mediation and reconciliation in the peace process, both on the international level and on the level of Ex-Yugoslavia and the entire Balkan region.

 

 

5. VERONA FORUM PROPOSALS FOR ENDING THE WAR IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA

 

The VERONA FORUM stresses the necessity of establishing a comprehensive administrative U.N. Mandate as a long-term measure to make possible territorial control, comprehensive demilitarisation and a regeneration of civil society.

 

Regarding the presence of U.N. troops, the FORUM advocates a clearer definition of the aims as well as a broadening of the mandate, and supports the interdiction of air space over Bosnia-Herzegovina and as much more military involvement as possible as a first step to setting up a U.N. mandate.

 

Furthermore, urgent measures are required in order to close all camps and release all prisoners, to improve living conditions for wounded people, raped women, refugees and indeed the entire population (medical aid, psychological counseling, alternative media projects, information technologies, telecommunications, postal service, material provisions...).

 

 

 

 

6. VERONA FORUM PROPOSALS FOR PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF MILITARY CONFLICT TO OTHER REGIONS IN EX-YUGOSLAVIA AND THE ENTIRE BALKANS

 

1) Immediate international recognition of Macedonia.

 

2) Immediate expedition of military observers, human rights observers and civilian mediators and facilitators to Croatia, Serbia including Kosovo, Sandjak and Voivodina, Macedonia and Montenegro.

 

3) Convocation of international conferences on the status of Kosovo and Voivodina (including human rights and ethnic rights) in the framework of CSCE documents on the rights of ethnic groups.

 

4) Initiation and support for Serbian-Albanian peace dialogue on the international level.

 

 

Following the Ohrid meeting of the steering committee, Alexander Langer demanded even more concrete urgent measures:

 

"...for Bosnia-Herzegovina, aid must be strengthened, the refugees must be allowed to enter and contacts must be restored with besieged populations, and international guarantees must be provided against divisions (for this, it will be necessary to use military means to neutralize at least the air power and heavy weapons of the aggressor); Macedonia must be recognized, before war breaks out there too; for the Kosovo Albanians there is need for international protection; democrats and peace groups and the media in Serbia and Croatia that least toe their government's line need urgent help. It is not possible to sit back and wait for the outbreak of a general Balkan war while now and then pouring oil on the fire, as is currently the case of many EC Member States."

 

The demands presented above are naturally a compromise. The final document was for instance criticized from the Croatian as well as the Albanian side, for not taking their specific concerns sufficiently into account: on the one hand the clear naming of the aggressor, on the other side the clear consideration of the specific problem of the Albanian question.

 

 

 

7. THE NEXT STEP: A NEW MODEL OF PEACE CONFERENCE FOR EX-YUGOSLAVIA -- THE VERONA FORUM AS PARTICIPANT IN THE INTERNATIONAL PEACE PROCESS

 

At the second plenary session of the VERONA FORUM on April 2 to 4, 1993, a new model of PEACE CONFERENCE for Ex-Yugoslavia could be elaborated and prepared, enabling the VERONA FORUM as a representative and intermediary on the level of the civil society of Ex-Yugoslavia to become an independent participant in the international peace process and enter into direct interaction with the official mediators on the governmental level.

 

To achieve this, the following conditions must be met in Verona:

 

1) The VERONA FORUM must make a critical evaluation and take concrete positions regarding the various peace plans and the chances, conditions and possible consequences of their adoption (Vance-Owen Plan, U.N. Mandate, etc.) in the framework of a comprehensive peace strategy for Ex-Yugoslavia, as a combination of:

 

a) international mediation and negotiation processes;

b) economic sanctions;

c) military enforcement measures;

d) civilian activities;

e) alternative media projects.

 

2) The VERONA FORUM must evaluate and stabilize its inner group process, especially by working out rules for dealing with differences of opinion and minority views, including the clarification of political responsibility for protocols, reports and documetns as well as representation of differences of opinion in protocols, reports and documents.

 

3) The VERONA FORUM must evaluate and concretize the role and tasks of the international observers and supporters,

 

-- first as facilitators (as third parties and mediators on the level of the internal group process);

 

-- second as a bridge to official mediators (to third parties and mediators on the official government level);

 

-- third as `multipliers' on the level of international public opinion and civil society (contacts with the media, peace initiatives, fund raising).

 

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