took place on October 11 - 14, 2001, in Belgrade, Grocka and Smederevo (FR. Yugoslavia), under the title:

NEW PROSPECTS FOR REGIONAL COOPERATION IN THE DANUBE-BASIN

Needs and Possibilities for Establishment of Cooperation in the Light of Existing Political, Economic and Environmental Factors

The goal of the Conference was to maintain the 12 year long tradition of the conferences "Danube - River of Cooperation" in advocating improvement of international co-operation for sustainable development of the Danube River and the Danube region. To fulfil this goal the Conference discussed the achievements of the earlier conferences and made new project proposals and project-starts.

Dr. Predrag Simic, Foreign Policy Advisor of the President of FRY opened the Conference. Greeting speeches were given by H.R.E. Princess Jelisaveta Karadjordjevic, Dr. Jadranko Simic, representative of the Federal Secretariat of Labour, Health and Social Care and Prof. Vladimir Grecic on behalf of IIPE. Greeting speeches in Grocka were given by Lady Mayor of Grocka Vesna Ivic, Tamas Bertalan, representative of Mayor of Budafok, Cosmin George Dinescu, Head of Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Romania, and Dr. Budimir Lazovic, Ambassador, representative of the Yugoslav Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Greeting speeches in Smederevo were given by Dr. Dragan Andjelkovic, Vice-President of the Municipal Assembly, Slobodan Miladinovic, MA, President of the Municipal Government of Smederevo, Dr. Ecaterina Tzaralunga form Bucharest and Mrs. Vera Horvat, manager of the Centre of Culture, the host-place of the Conference in Smederevo.

127 scholars, experts, diplomats, representatives of local authorities and journalists took part in the Conference. List of Participants.

The Conference dealt with General Aspects of International Relations and Co-operation in the Danube Region (Present Situation and Prospects for the Future); Regional Co-operation in Economy, Culture and Future Sustainable Development ; Development of Regional Co-operation for Recovery and Protection of Natural Resources in the Danube Region. The starting point was the political changes that imposed the need to re-evaluate the former initiatives for establishment of closer regional co-operation in the Danube region and initiate new ones to be based on the latest European experience.

On the closing day of the Conference, the participants adopted a Mutual Declaration.

List of Statements Submitted at the Conference:

1. General Aspects of International Relations and Co-operation in the Danube Region (Present Situation and Prospects for the Future)
Needs and Possibilities for Establishment of Cooperation in the Light of Existing Political, Economic and Environmental Factors by Edita Stojic-Karanovic
Importance of the AARHUS Convention for Danubian Countries in transition with special regard to environmental information by Vid Vukasovic
The role of International institutions and regional initiatives in reconstruction and reintegration of Yugoslav economy by Dragan Stojovic
Co-operation in the lower Danube Basin by Radoje Zecevic
The Future of Economic Cooperation in the Danube Basin After Democratic Changes in Serbia by Ljubivoje Prvulovic

2. Regional Co-operation in Economy, Culture and Future Sustainable Development
The potential of Banking Sector, commercial banks and financial markets in better economic connection of countries in Danube region by Danica Pavicevic
Serbian economic Miracle by Ranko Milovanovic
The River Danube and its importance for traffic-transport system of Serbia and Yugoslavia by Zoran Radmilovic, Radovan Zobenica, Zlatko Hrle, Vladeta Colic
Suggestion for solutions actual problems in the traffic Network caused by existing and functioning of the Port of Smederevo by Milan Simic
Application GIS Technologies and as Communication Technologies on Navigation on the Danube by Zoran Gavrilovic, Milorad Raca, Ilija Lekic
The way how to find real connections between the People by Fenike Lupsic
Perspectives of Interbalkan Linguistic Integrations by Predrag Mutavdzic
Valorization of multifunctional values of unused Forest and Aquatic Ecosystem potentials of the Danube coast in Belgrade Region by Milutin Drazic, Dragana Drazic
Regional cooperation of the Danube Countries in the frame of the International Hydrological Program of UNESCO by Stevan Prohaska

3. The State of Natural Resources, Health- and Environment as starting point for Required Regional Cooperation in the Danube Region
Possible Impact of Depleted Uranium Ammunition on the Environment by Dragana Popovic, Gordana Djuric, Dragana Todorovic
Impact of Soil Erosion and Torrential Floods on Sustainable Development by Zoran Gavrilovic, Milivoje Brajkovic, Dusko Isakovic, Milutin Stefanovic
Salting of Alluvial Land in the Danube Riparian belt in Serbia by Dusan Stojanovic, Vaso Popovic
BEN and Upper Urothelial Tumors altitude dependant Diseases by J. Nikolic, D. Naric, Z. Ivanovic, D. Todorovic, D. Crnomarkovic
Drina River basin integrated Water Resources Management by Dejan Divac, Miodrag Milivanovic
Public Participation of Sustainable Land Resources Management in Hilly Mountainous Area of Grdelica's Gorge by Miodrag Zlatic, Stanimir Kostadinov, Nada Dragovic

1. Serious tensions are still present in the international life, both at the global and regional levels. They result from the old ideologies and aggressive nature of international relations in the past. But, we are convinced that prospects for creation of a new life in the Danube basin have opened and international relations in this region will be based on peaceful co-existence of nations. It will involve mutual understanding, tolerance and co-operation to be directed towards sustainable use of natural resources and the Danube at the first place. The objective is to achieve economically and culturally better life for all people in the region.
2. Therefore, the XII International Scientific Conference dealt with all relevant issues in this field aiming to collect ideas and prepare basic materials for “The Danube Countries Summit” to be held in 2002. We re-evaluated the projects that were proposed at our earlier conferences and adopted some new initiatives. The list of project proposals.
3. Taking into consideration the earlier commitments of the International Scientific Forum “Danube – River of Cooperation” on promotion of international co-operation throughout the Danube basin we are still of the opinion that there should be established co-operation to be locally, regionally and inter-regionally based on sound multidisciplinary research activities as well as on community advocacy planning and broader educational activities.
4. We will address a very wide spectrum of research themes and methodological issues such as legal and political/institutional reconstruction to be based on internationally binding criteria, standards and declarations. These research and activity goals will be focused on problems of: integrative flood-defence concepts that concern the Danube and its tributaries; ecological exploration of the Danube and its flood processes; identifation of time areas of soil erosion risks; problems of ground water quality in the Danube region and the territories next to it. We will promote the idea that deals with the relationship between health and the environment, this particularly referring to waste and other sources of pollution; we will also give special consideration to locations with endemic diseases. The activities to be taken in considering these issues will be supported by a progress in the information technology, this particularly including the opportunities such as the ones enabled by GIS (Geographical Information System). We will work to meet the requirements included in some similar initiatives that have already been taken locally and inter-regionally.
5. One of the most important acheivements based on the Declaration adopted at our last year's Conference is that we will take a “multidisciplinary approach to urban, industrial and agricultural development that should be in line with the "Local Agenda 21". In accordance with the statement of our last year's Declaration, having in mind the promotion and protection of the cultural and historical locations, giving equal importance to the rich variety of multicultural context – there started our new project of establishing international co-operation at the local level in the Danube basin. The first step was made with Municipalities of Grocka (YU) and Budafok (HU). Learning this a number of other Yugoslav municipalities asked us at the very Conference to find them partners in some other Danube countries.
6. Based on our earlier project proposal of “Lower Danube Co-operation”, establishment of the “Djerdap Euro Region” was put forward for consideration and it would involve the Djerdap subregion of FRY, Romania and Bulgaria. Therefore, the next conference “Danube – River of Cooperation” will be held in the Djerdap region in the coming year, and there will be followed the official procedure for establishment of the Euro region.
7. We have to keep endeavouring in affirming the idea of establishment of peaceful, mutual inter-launching life paths, tolerance and co-operation among peoples in the Danube-region through our overall activities. These are: joint projects with research NGOs; close co-operation with municipalities and governmental organisations at the regional and national levels, as well as with regional and global international organisations, such as SECI, Stability Pact and the Global Environment Facility; our educational programme “Universitas Danubiana” and our annual International Scientific Conferences “Danube – River of Cooperation”.

Verified by Edita Stojic-Karanovic
President of the ISF “DRC'
Senior Research Fellow at IIPE