THE FIRST EMBASSY OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE IN B&H

EUROPEAN BRIDGE OF COOPERATION

AIM, Tuzla, October 3, 1995 The first Embassy of Local Democracy of the Council of Europe on the territory of Bosnia & Herzegovina has just been opened in Tuzla. Along with inauguration of its first Ambassador, Claudio Gerino, an international conference was held here on the following topics: "Roads to a peaceful solution of the war in B&H Role of local communities; Function of the Embassy of Local Democracy".

About fifty foreign guests participated in the work of the Conference, activists of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe headed by Ms Magdalena Tovarnik, and about ten high officials of the Congress, with Valter Vitali among them, who is the Mayor of Bologna, the city which coordinated opening of the Embassy of Local Democracy in Tuzla. The hosts were headed by the Mayor of Tuzla, Selim Beslagic, and representatives of Sarajevo, Mostar, Zenica and other B&H cities also took part in the work of the gathering. According to information presented at the gathering, a similar institution will be opened in Sarajevo, and it was explicitly said that there is no intention to open two embassies in Mostar - for the Croat and the Muslim part of the city - but only one when the conditions allow it, that is, when Mostar becomes a united city. This announcement of future opening of embassies of the Council of Europe is a clear message - Europe is offering its hand to coexistence and tolerance, and not to ghettoes, bantustans and other forms of divisions local nationalists boast of.

As customary, a joint document of the participants was defined at this Conference, called the Final Statement, which insists on an undivided, multicultural B&H within internationally recognized borders, return of banned persons to their homes, shutting out of suspects of war crimes from peace negotiations, and their punishment.

Tuzla certainly did not become the seat of the first Embassy of Local Democracy in Bosnia & Herzegovina by mere chance. During the aggression against this state and war years which followed, this has been a city where legal and legitimate local authorities have preserved fundamental values of a civic society. Ethnic persecutions were prevented here, and civil rights of all people and a spirit of tolerance have not disappeared. All the participants in the debate pointed out to these facts. Therefore, they see roads to a peaceful solution of the war in the principles Tuzla has preserved:

• The cosmos is composed of a unity of diversities. It is present everywhere, from the atom to the Earth. When an atom is split artificially and by force, when its unity of diversities is split, a nuclear explosion occurs. When they wanted to split unity of diversities of Bosnia & Herzegovina, blood is shed abundantly. Enemies of Bosnia recognize diversities, but do not recognize their unity. The world order may survive or collapse on the case of Bosnia & Herzegovina. We advocate linking of threads interwoven by people of good will, regardless of their diversities. It is the only road to peace, the Mayor of Tuzla, Selim Beslagic, said in his opening speech.

Along with the mentioned principles defined in the Final Statement, it was concluded that the precondition for peaceful solution of the war and joint life must be establishment of democratic political culture, multiethinc tolerance and openness towards the world. Strategy of peace must be to establish mutual trust and reconstruction of different forms of modern life and stimulation of democratic processes in this part of Europe. Therefore it is necessary to promote protection of human rights, rights of the minorities, provision of legal and other conditions for return of banned persons. Integration of multicultural B&H is necessary for a successful progress of such a process within European structures such as the Council of Europe.

In implementation of peace, participants claim, the role of local communities is very important, especially that of cities. What would Italy be without Rome, Florence, Venice, anyway... or France without Paris, Marseilles, Strasbourg... Great Britain without London, Spain without Madrid, Barselona... and Bosnia without Sarajevo, Tuzla, Zenica, Mostar? Bosnian cities - representatives of its history, tradition, culture, science, tolerance - were devastated in this war, some even artificially divided. Nowadays, progressive forces are struggling for a united Sarajevo or an undivided Mostar, cities where diversities, tolerance and other values of a civic society will be stimulated. Cities are centres of multiculture, so an appeal was launched from the Conference for a united Sarajevo and undivided Mostar, stressing that, should that fail to come true, Bosnia itself would remain divided.

The Final Statement also stresses that cities are centres of exchange of ideas, information and other spiritual resources which stimulate all forms of cooperation. Therefore, cities and municipalities must be open to cooperation with NGOs, civic groups and individuals from all over Europe. This would enable support for and strengthening of local initiatives which are foundations of democracy, which penetrate deep into all spheres of life, promotion of human rights inclusive, as well as microeconomic initiatives which are preconditions of material, social, cultural and psychological reconstruction of the individual. This would create space for a dialogue and freedom of speech.

"Lasting and stable peace must be sought in the direction of modern European trends which - as Ms. Magdalena Tovarnik said - is characterized by closer interconnections between cities and regions, that is local politicl structures inside a single or several states. That is why Bosnia too must turn its back on centralism. Strengthening of local democracy is a key issue for prospects of Bosnia & Herzegovina".

Opening of the Embassy of Local Democracy in Tuzla is one of means defined by principles of the Conference. Its opening, in fact, is a specific result of an agreement reached at a workshop titled "Local Democracy in B&H and Europe" held towards the end of last year also in Tuzla. In realization of the defined principles, European cities and associations have already carried out tens of economic and humanitarian projects in Tuzla. Special assistance arrived from Bologna, and during his stay in Tuzla, its Mayor, Valter Vitali promised an even more extensive assistance and cooperation. Similar promises were given by numerous guests from Europe, and its first Ambassador, Italian Claudio Gerin, spoke about appropriateness of its opening:

• What is the sense of opening of the Embassy of Local Democracy? We have realized that we can stimulate joint projects on joint life, communication amongs people, associations, cities, only if we have a good insight into the reality in this space. In opposition to the idea of dividedness - ethnic, religious and any other exclusiveness - each and every one of us must promote cooperation and dialogue. Europe must help Tuzla to preserve its multiethnic character, but Europe can learn from Tuzla how to keep up a democratic dialogue under exceptionally difficult circumstances. The war has destroyed many bridges among people and nations in this space. The task of Europe is to help reconstruction of spiritual and concrete bridges in B&H, Ambassador Gerin said.

Tired of the war, people from Bosnia & Herzegovina are waiting to walk along these bridges.

VEHID JAHIC