Press Release
ECE/GEN/00/16
Geneva, 26 April 2000
The
Economic Regeneration of South-East Europe
to be discussed at the 55th session of the Commission
Wednesday, 3 May 2000
(Palais des Nations, Room XIX)
For three days, the 55 member States
of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) will meet for the annual
session of the Commission at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. It has become a tradition
that the first day of the Commission session concentrates on an in-depth discussion of the
economic situation of the UN/ECE region. Eminent economists and policy makers lead the
discussion. This year, the issue of the economic regeneration of south-east Europe is
going to be at the centre of the debate on 3 May 2000.
The participants will address issues and
topics such as: Why has south-east Europe been falling behind central Europe during the
past decade, what are the main causes of the generally poor performance of the south-east
European transition economies? What did the south-east European transition economies
achieve in economic transformation and what did they not achieve? What was the economic
impact of the Kosovo conflict as viewed by the affected countries? Has there been an
adequate response by the international community to the negative impact of the Kosovo
conflict on the affected countries? What are the prospects for the south-east European
transition economies of catching up with central Europe and with the rest of Europe in
general? What are the appropriate policies for the next phase of economic transformation
in south-east Europe and what can the international community do in order to bolster
reforms and economic growth in this region? What are the prospects for the south-east
European transition economies to be part of the pan-European economic integration and, in
particular, to join the EU?
The session and discussions are open to the public.
For further information please contact:
Economic Analysis Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel: (+41 22) 917 27 18 - Fax: (+41 22) 917 03 09
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.unece.org/ead/ead_h.htm
Annual Meeting of
the Commission
The Economic Regeneration of South-East Europe
Wednesday, 3 May 2000
(Palais des Nations, Room XIX)
Programme of the first day discussion
Chair: Ambassador
Harald Kreid, Chairman of the Economic Commission for Europe
10.15-12.00 hrs
Session I: Regenerating the economies
of south-east Europe: do we need a new approach to the transition process?
Joseph Stiglitz (Special Adviser to the
President of the World Bank and Professor at Stanford University)
Dragoslav Avramovic (Former Governor of the National Bank of Yugoslavia,
currently a leader of Alliance for Change)
Daniel Daianu (Professor, University of Bucharest and Minister of Finance
(1997-1998))
12.00-13.00 and 15.00-16.00 hrs
Session II: Supporting the transition
process in south-east Europe:
(a) How should international financial and
technical assistance be designed and organized, and what exactly should it support, to be
really effective?
Catherine Day (Deputy Director General,
External Relations Directorate, European Commission, Brussels)
Michael Landesmann (Research Director, WIIW, Vienna)
Milivoje Panic (Selwyn College, Cambridge University)
(b) Can regional cooperation help to
overcome some of the key problems?
Vladimir Gligorov (Vienna Institute for
International Economic Studies (WIIW))
Genc Ruli (Director, Albanian Institute for Contemporary Studies, Tirana)
Thomas Price (Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Studies, Vienna)
16.00-18.00 hrs
Session III: Can strategies for
economic policy and regional cooperation ignore the political context? If not, how should
they adapt?
Carl Bildt (Special Envoy for the Balkans,
United Nations)
Susan Woodward (Centre for Defence Studies, King's College, London)
Bertrand Rioust de Largentaye (Centre d'Analyse et de Prévision, Quai
d'Orsay, Paris)
Thanos Veremis (President of ELIAMEP (Hellenic Foundation for European and
Foreign Policy), Athens)
Ivan Krastev (Chairman of the Board, Centre for Liberal Strategies, Sofia)
For further information please
contact:
Economic Analysis Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE)
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Tel: (+41 22) 917 27 18
Fax: (+41 22) 917 03 09
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.unece.org/ead/ead_h.htm
In order to provide you with a better service, we would appreciate it if you
would send a copy of your article to: Information Unit, United
Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), Palais des Nations, Room 356, CH - 1211
Geneva 10, Switzerland,
Tel: +(41 22) 917 44 44, Fax: +(41 22) 917
05 05, E-mail: [email protected],
Thank you. |