The FIET Trade Union Solidarity Project in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Euro-FIET Executive Committee

Meeting in Berlin, Germany on 14 - 15 June, 1999

Resolution on Kosovo

Meeting in Berlin on 14-15 June 1999, the Euro-FIET Executive Committee welcomes the United Nations Security Council resolution of 10 June, which opened the way for peace in Kosovo and other parts of Yugoslavia. Euro-FIET calls on all parties to fully respect the conditions for peace and to actively facilitate the safe return and resettlement in Kosovo of all refugees.

Euro-FIET welcomes the initiative of the European Union to form a Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, leading to the integration of the region's countries into the European Community. It is essential that the Stability Pact fully reflects the social dimension in the European Union.

The reconstruction and reconciliation process which now has to begin is an enormous challenge for all Europeans. To rebuild what has been destroyed, to get people back to work, to establish solid democratic structures and to help people overcome the terrible events that they have lived through will call for broad co-operation between European authorities, national governments, social partners and other parts of society. The efforts to build the foundations for a normal European way of life have to extend to the whole region of South Eastern Europe, where the neighbouring countries of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia are also in great need of assistance.

Euro-FIET calls on the European Commission to fully engage the trade unions of Europe in the reconstruction and reconciliation efforts in South Eastern Europe and urgently establish the necessary framework for this participation.

After the conclusion of the Dayton Peace Agreement, Euro-FIET has played an active role in the reconstruction and reconciliation process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. With strong support from Nordic and other affiliates, these projects will continue. Further project activities in Croatia are being prepared together with affiliates.

The present activities will be complemented by intensified support for dialogue and co-operation between trade unions in FIET sectors in the region. Euro-FIET and FIET will also endeavour to give all possible support to affiliates and co-operating free and democratic trade unions in South Eastern Europe.

The Euro-FIET Executive Committee calls on all affiliated trade unions to extend generous economic and other support for the projects in the region, which will aim to establish and develop a strong, free and democratic trade union movement in all FIET sectors.