INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY ENDS IN SKOPJE
Press Release
PKO/52
INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON PREVENTIVE DIPLOMACY ENDS IN SKOPJE
19961022 SKOPJE, 21 October (UNPREDEP) -- An international workshop entitled "An Agenda for Preventive Diplomacy - Theory and Practice", held in Skopje from 16 to 19 October 1996, has concluded. It was organized by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs, in co-operation with the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP), the Spillover Mission of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Centre for Democracy, Washington, D.C., and the Macedonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The workshop was made possible through the generous financial contributions of the Governments of Japan, Norway, Switzerland and Sweden as well as the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (Germany) and the Furth Family Foundation (United States).The workshop was officially opened by President Kiro Gligorov of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Henryk J. Sokalski, and the Head of the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission in Skopje, Ambassador Christian Faber-Rod. The keynote address, entitled "Conflict Prevention: Moving from Rhetoric to Reality", was given by Jan Egeland, State Secretary in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In his message to the workshop, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali stated that "it was not enough for the international community to pay lip service to preventive diplomacy ... Rhetoric must be matched with deeds, theory must be closely linked with practice". He added that "UNPREDEP is an effective demonstration of what can be accomplished in the realm of conflict prevention when the international community demonstrates political will, and acts decisively and promptly".
President Gligorov emphasized that the Security Council's decision to deploy peace-keeping troops in 1992 had been fully justified by subsequent events in the region, adding that the presence of the blue berets clearly demonstrated the international community's interest in the security of his country.
Approximately 60 international academics and practitioners participated in the workshop. Discussions focused on the history of preventive diplomacy and its contemporary application, highlighting the Macedonian experience and examining the other examples of Burundi, the Caucasus, Haiti and the Baltics. Much attention was given to improving the concept of preventive diplomacy in
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order to provide a coherent agenda for preventive action, applicable to future operations. The specific recommendations will be published in book-form as part of the follow-up of the workshop.
There was widespread agreement that it was imperative that the international community increase its efforts to prevent violent conflict from occurring, both among and within States. A variety of instruments could be used including political, diplomatic, military, economic and humanitarian, and depending on the particular situation and circumstances. The fundamental requirement for initiating preventive action was political will by the international community.
It was stressed that UNPREDEP and the OSCE Mission in Skopje have demonstrated the wisdom and efficacy of preventive diplomacy. While there could be no standard formula for preventive peace-keeping operations, the Macedonian experience would provide useful lessons for future preventive missions.
The prominent contributors to the workshop from the host country included Blagoj Handziski, Minister of Defence, who presented a paper on "Preventive Diplomacy: Losses or Gains for the Host Country", and Ljubomir Frekoski, Minister for Foreign Affairs, who delivered the closing address of the event.
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