The 6th International Scientific Conference “Danube – River of Cooperation” was held in Belgrade and Kladovo, from September 21 until 25, 1994.
Declaration adopted at the Conference
The International Scientific Forum “Danube – River of Cooperation” (ISF – “DRC”) having its seat in the Center for neighboring countries and regional cooperation at the Institute of international politics and economics, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, registered in April of 1994 as an association of citizens under this same name, organized its Sixth Conference, with the aim to reconsider again mutual problems and possibilities for improving the cooperation among the countries of the Danube-region. The Conference sends its Appeal to the international public and gives its Recommendation for future activities for the advancement of mutual understanding and cooperation in the Danube-region.
Appeal
Destructive damages of war do not recognize state frontiers. The consequences are: loss of peoples’ lives, worsening of health, brutal offenses of human rights, as well as destroying of created goods and nature. War is the greatest polluter of the environment. Because of all that – we reject war.
We plead for peace and stability as they mean prerequisite for the progress of human society. And peace and stability can exist only in the system of international cooperation, based on mutual dependence.
We are deeply concerned for the present damaging of human environment of the whole Danube region being the result of the obsolete technology, legal and non-legal import of refuse coming from developed countries, and lack of consciousness of societies and governments concerning the difficulty of the situation. The consequences of war only enlarge those damages.
We are of the opinion that only a swift and coordinated international cooperation of all the countries of the region can change this catastrophic situation.
Stopping of war and lifting the UN sanctions against FR Yugoslavia are the most urgent demands and are but a condition for the development of future cooperation.
Recommendations
The International Scientific Forum “Danube – River of Cooperation” should continue its intention towards affirmation of the idea of peaceful mutual life-paths, tolerance and cooperation among peoples in the Danube- region. This is the reason why we repeat our demands: First of all, to stop immediately war activities, and all the disputable questions are to be decided exclusively by negotiations; second, mass media communications are to be re-directed towards promotion of re-establishing the discontinued communications in the Region. We demand abolishment of all the barriers and restrictions concerning free movement of people, ideas, goods and capital in the whole Danube-region. We consider a necessity to clear away the barriers imposedon traffic circulation, and to improve cooperation especially when river and railway traffic are in question.
Political and economic changes which began in the countries of Central and East Europe created a new geo-political situation in the Danube-region, and it would, without doubt, influence also the economic cooperation of the Danube-region countries with West European countries. The abandonment and collapse of Warsaw Treaty and CMEA rejected the obstacles of ideological and military nature which had stiffened for decades the East-West economic cooperation, and even the reciprocal cooperation among former socialist countries.
After considerable socioeconomic and political changes in all former socialist countries of the region, those countries oriented themselves to the intensified economic cooperation with West European countries, especially with Germany. However, owing to low degree of economic efficacy and low competition of export goods, the inclusion of the economy of those countries in the economic, financial and commercial circulation of Western countries is impartially speaking, rendered. More radical economic and social reforms are needed in the majority of these countries in order to include them more intensively in these courses. This implies also the support in development of ecologically pure economic activity, but also the opening of free customs zones and zones of free enterprising in some of the Danube-region countries.
Having in mind the European tradition in theory and practice in social policy, it is necessary to develop regional cooperation in defining a model corresponding to the market economy. The long tradition of some countries of the region, and the modest experience of some other countries demand for mutual research aiming at their settlement.
In the field of social policy it is necessary to support ideas and new replies to existing problems. It is also necessary that common endeavors in the region are directed to the development of research programmes and to comparative studies which would lead to new conceptions and modernization in the programme of social policy.
In the field of culture, before all, it is necessary that the appreciation of distinction becomes the base for mutual appreciation, understanding, and instigation of cooperation. The imposement of identity is but the great enemy of unmolested development of culture, literature and art. The International Scientific Forum “Danube – River of Cooperation” will endeavor to influence the improvement of cooperation in the field of culture concerning the neighboring countries by instigation formal and non-formal shapes of cooperation (by organizing round tables discussions, and the similar) among men-of-culture and creators.
The establishment of a working group is suggested for the protection of intellectuals’ property aiming at gatherings of representatives of Danube-region countries (lawyers, experts for authors’ rights, men-of-pen, publishers). This group would make efforts to offer practical solutions in the frame of international agreements and conventions, enabling easier exchange of intellectual goods and easier realization of mutual interests in the field of culture.
The International Scientific Forum “Danube – River of Cooperation” will make efforts to instigate different forms of cooperation of creators, publishers and editors of literary heralds of the Danube region, thus enabling better mutual understanding, comprehension of traditions and actual literature and the occurrences in the field of arts. These editorial-publishing associations would be formed around certain projects and would last as long as a project would be asked for, avoiding in that way all sketching, individual domination and formalization of cooperation. The formation of a section is suggested dealing with the history of Danube region countries, too.
In the field of ecology it is recommended the joining with other similar and scientific organizations on the Danube, in the form of exchange of information and experience. A mutual program of Rumania and Yugoslavia is suggested in the domain of ecology concerning the mutual part of the Danube.
In the global program for ecological education schools and scientific institutions should be included. We suggest the establishment of a League of Danube-region universities in the framework of the International Scientific Forum “Danube – River of Cooperation”. The gatherings, i.e. meetings of the League could be held every year in some other university city.
In the field of tourism establishment of one coordinating commission is suggested in the field of tourist actions of Danube region countries and the foundation of an informative herald, having as its aim to inform about all the actions in the Danube region and the neighboring countries. It is suggested that the Seventh Conference “Danube – River of Cooperation” should be held with special emphasis on tourism.
Besides indispensability to have the Danube region countries turn, with no delay, to the progress of international regional cooperation, practical interaction with other existing regional components should be developed in the areas covering the Balkans, Adriatic, Mediterranean, Black Sea. The development of cooperation with those neighboring regions will be aiming at relaxation of the present political, inter-ethnic and other tensions in the Danube-region and its areas, as well as aiming at the acceleration of economy and cultural development of the peoples living in this Region.
