The High Representative, Wolfgang Petritsch, today in Vienna opened a decisive round of negotiations on succession issues related to the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Representatives from the five successor states — Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia — were present.
In his opening address, the High Representative welcomed the progress made at the last round of the negotiations in Brussels, where agreement was reached on the division of assets at the Bank for International Settlements in Basle. He said an agreement on outstanding succession issues would send a strong signal to the whole region on the desire for political and economic stability. “Your work will send a signal to all peoples in southeastern Europe that regional cooperation, not costly, bloody war, will ensure stability and prosperity,” the High Representative said in his address.
The High Representative expressed his thanks to the Special Negotiator on Succession Issues, Sir Arthur Watts, for all his work on resolving these issues over the last five years. Sir Arthur will lead the negotiations in the coming days. Hons in the coming days. He also thanked the Republic of Austria for hosting the Succession Talks.