Press Release

Joint Statement of the High Participants at the International Conference "Baltic-Black Sea Cooperation: To the Integrated Europe of the 21st Century Without Dividing Lines"
Yalta, September 10-11, 1999

September 14, 1999 (#68)

The High Participants of participating countries have met on the 10-11 of September in Yalta at the international Conference "Baltic-Black Sea Cooperation: to the Integrated Europe of the 21^st Century Without Dividing Lines". The conference, held on the initiative of President Leonid Kuchma takes place in the spirit of the Vilnius 1997 Conference "Coexistence of Nations and Good Neighbourly Relations - the Guarantee of Security and Stability in Europe".

The High Participants,

• Mindful of the historic need to build a prosperous and united Europe of the 21^st century without dividing lines;
• Emphasizing, that cooperation in political, economic, environmental, humanitarian and security fields contributes to the common goal of a secure, stable and prosperous Baltic-Black Sea Space as an integral part of an undivided Europe;
• Confirming, that the promotion of good neighbourly relations based on international law is essential for the achievement of this goal;
• Reaffirming their commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, the norms and principles of the OSCE, the rule of law and all other universally recognized principles and values;
• Reaffirming inherent right of all states to choose the means to ensure their own security;
• Reaffirming, that the promotion and implementation of democratic principles, economic liberty and social justice, as well as the respect of human rights rest among the most important values in building of a new Europe of the 21^st century;

Declare their desire and interest:

• in promoting beneficial co-operation among the countries of the Baltic-Black Sea Space on bilateral as well as regional basis and in contributing to the future European security architecture free of dividing lines;
• in undertaking joint efforts for the resolution and prevention of conflicts and the protection of peace, security and stability in the Baltic-Black Sea space;
• in contributing in the implementation of the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe;
• in developing economic cooperation through joint projects in the fields of energy, transport, communications, ecology and other spheres;
• in deepening co-operation in the humanitarian field as a way to ensure democratic traditions and coherence in the processes of the all-European integration;
• in combating new threats to stability and security such as terrorism, illegal migration, illegal drugs and arms trafficking;
• in cooperating with each other with a view to strengthening their countries potential to participate in European and evolving Euro-Atlantic structures.

The High Participants expressed their shared view that in the 21^st century the countries of Baltic-Black Sea space by their potential should play an important role in the development and consolidation of democracy, rule of law, economic prosperity and stability on the European continent without dividing lines.

They express their willingness to maintain high level political dialogue among all the countries of the Baltic-Black Sea space in the spirit of Vilnius (1997) and Yalta (1999) Conferences.

For more information, please contact:
Taras Malyshevskyi, Press Secretary of the Embassy,
310 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON K2P 0J9
Tel. (613) 230-2961, fax (613) 230-2400,
E-mail: ukremb@cyberus.ca