Conference Report

thThe 11 Baltic Sea ParliamentaryConferenceST. PETERSBURGSeptember 30-October 1 2002BALTIC SEA (cid:150)WAYS OF INTEGRATION ANDCO-OPERATIONLeena-Kaarina Williams (Text)Joachim K(cid:246)hler (Photos)CONTENTSOPENING CEREMONYSergey Mironov....................................................................................................4Gennady Seleznev.................................................................................................6Sergey Tarasov......................................................................................................6FIRST SESSIONCO-OPERATION IN THE BALTIC SEA REGIONReport on behalf of the Standing CommitteeNikolay Tulaev......................................................................................................7Report on behalf of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)Jan-Erik Enestam,.................................................................................................8St. Petersburg 300 years (cid:150) The role of the city in the Baltic Sea RegionVladimir Yakovlev..............................................................................................11SECOND SESSIONNORTHERN DIMENSION: A COMMON UNDERTAKING TOWARDSREGION-BUILDING AND EQUAL PARTNERSHIPThe Adriatic-Ionic InitiativeAlfredo Biondi....................................................................................................14Regional Development challenges of Northern EuropeOuti Ojala............................................................................................................15The perspectives of EU enlargement for the Baltic Sea RegionClaus Larsen-Jensen............................................................................................17The Northern Dimension (cid:150) current and future activitiesValentina Pivnenko.............................................................................................19Visions for the Baltic Sea Co-operationPer Carlsen..........................................................................................................20BRIEF COMMENTSPaula Lehtom(cid:228)ki.................................................................................................21Vincent Piket.......................................................................................................21THIRD SESSIONECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IN THE BALTICSEA REGIONMaritime Safety: Improvement of International Co-operation to Safeguard theBaltic Sea RegionHenning Klostermann.........................................................................................23Environment in the Baltic Sea Region with view to the identified pollution hotspotsWieslaw Walendziak..........................................................................................28The problem of chemical weapons buried in the Baltic SeaVadim Paka.........................................................................................................31Can the harbour porpoise continue to survive in the Baltic Sea?Muntingh Hemmo...............................................................................................322Helsinki Convention (cid:150) 30 years of international environmental co-operationMieczyslaw S. Ostojski.......................................................................................33Health and Environment in the Baltic Sea RegionKristin Ravnanger...............................................................................................33BRIEF COMMENTSOle Stavad...........................................................................................................34Christina Gestin..................................................................................................35Lasse Wigl(cid:246)f.......................................................................................................35Folke Sj(cid:246)lund......................................................................................................36Vladimir N. Stepanov.........................................................................................37FOURTH SESSIONTHE IMPACT OF EU-ENLARGEMENT ON KALININGRADKaliningrad as a pilot project for the development of EU-Russia relationsKonstantin Kosachev..........................................................................................39Lars Vissing........................................................................................................40Enlargement of the EU and the Kaliningrad Region: Time for choosingVladimir Nikitin..................................................................................................41EU-Enlargement and Democratic DevelopmentHelle Degn..........................................................................................................42BRIEF COMMENTSSigita Burbiene....................................................................................................47Giedre Purvaneckiene.........................................................................................48Tuija Brax...........................................................................................................49Gennady Burbulis...............................................................................................49Jesper Langballe..................................................................................................50CLOSING REMARKSKonstantin Kosachev..........................................................................................50Paula Lehtom(cid:228)ki.................................................................................................50Kari Nenonen......................................................................................................50Heinz-Werner Ahrens.........................................................................................51Annex IRESOLUTION...................................................................................................52Annex IIPARTICIPANTS................................................................................................623BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEOPENING CEREMONYSergey MironovDear Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,Welcome to St. Petersburg, the city, which, for nearly hundred years hasbeen Russia(cid:146)s window to Europe and the gateway to the Baltic Sea. Thedecision to hold this conference here, is therefore highly symbolic, St.Petersburg being the political, economic and cultural centre of north-western Russia. This dialogue will surely have a large impact on the futureof the Baltic Sea Region. The importance of the Baltic Sea Region forRussia is growing continuously. Bilateral relationships and partnership withthe Baltic Sea countries is one of the priority areas for Russian foreignpolicy. It is in Russia(cid:146)s interest to see this region at the front place amongthe dynamically developing parts of Europe. This region will be leading inhigh standards, sustainable social and economic growth, respect for humanrights, trust and stability.Russia deeply appreciates Baltic Sea co-operation within the CBSS andamong NGOs, regional and local authorities. The co-operation within theCBSS has brought about tangible results such as the region becoming themost stable area in Europe (cid:150) a zone of sustainable development andpartnership. Russia also supports the reduction of military potential in theregion, developing co-operation between the armed forces.Within the region there are several co-operation projects, a (cid:145)critical mass(cid:146),which of course also depend on the Russian input. Russia participatesactively in the Northern Dimension of the EU, both in economic andenvironmental spheres. The main objective here is though, to prevent newdividing lines within Europe. Therefore Russia is eager to take part in thepreparation of the Northern Dimension Action Plan II, which is supposedto be issued in early 2004. Hopefully the new EU-member states will stillcontribute to this after enlargement.We have a very positive view of the so called (cid:145)Moscow Action Plan(cid:146) whichdefines the main lines of economic co-operation for the future. The maingoals here should be to simplify the border crossings of goods andenhancing the efforts for a better customs infrastructure. Baltic Sea co-4BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEoperation is a core part of Russian Foreign Policy and it strongly supportscross-border and inter-regional efforts.A main issue within the region is though our common problem and jointresponsibility, the Kaliningrad region. Our discussion on this issue hereshould lead to a common denominator. Russia pays a lot of attention todemocratisation within the Baltic Sea Region. Therefore Russianparliamentarians are especially concerned about the Russian Minorities inthe Baltic States which still live in an unsettled situation. They still sufferdiscrimination due to their national language. This problem has beendiscussed at the ECHR as well as the issue of statelessness.The Baltic Sea States make a big effort in crime prevention and are at thesame time strengthening civil society. The focus here is on issues such asillicit trafficking in drugs and human beings, money laundering and by thatalso contributing to the fight against international terrorism. Russia isfurthermore interested in putting more effort into the Ad Hoc Group tocombat organised crime at the prime ministerial level.Another pressing regional issue is the protection of our environment andsustainable development. Russia is part of multifarious agreements onenvironmental protection, for example the Framework UN Convention onClimate Change and many more. The drafting of a national environmentaldoctrine has been completed. The President of the Russian Federation,Vladimir Putin, has launched an initiative regarding the World Conferenceon Climate Change to take place in Moscow 2003. This initiative ispromoting better understanding and more scientific substantiation withinthe problem framework of climate change. We hope our partners will jointhis initiative and take over an active part.Civilian security remains to be one crucial aspect of our common work,especially in regard to terrorism. Therefore we need international efforts,preparedness for mutual assistance and a lot of knowledge on thesepotential dangers.Have a successful, productive and interesting conference. Thank you foryour attention.5BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEGennady SeleznevLadies and Gentlemen,Welcome to Tavrichesky Palace. The solutions for our common problemsfound in this great palace will surely contribute to our joint efforts. Ourmain goals are to secure stability and sustainable development. Hopefullythe Copenhagen resolution will also show, that stability is of paramountimportance. Therefore we have to focus on the application of human rights,combating crime and supporting sustainable development. Russia willcontribute to the initiatives concerning north-western territories, to thework within the CBSS and the Barents-Euro-Arctic-Region. Russia willalso contribute to the European Union framework programme on cross-border co-operation. For the enlargement process it is also necessary, thatthe EU will take a careful look at the candidate countries(cid:146) minority issues.The EU-Russian relationship depends a lot on Kaliningrad. The plannedvisa regime implies a massive violation of human rights, here a politicalsolution must be found as well as a mutual agreement on railway andcargo. The BSPC will play a crucial role in this debate and can be regardedas a milestone of understanding.Sergey TarasovLadies and Gentlemen,The Baltic Sea Region has gained great importance as a key area inEurope. The Baltic Sea Region though can not develop so well withoutRussia. St. Petersburg can therefore be the best place for integrating Russiainto the European framework. St. Petersburg shares the common regionalsphere with other cities around the Baltic Sea. Ecology is the key issuewithin this co-operation and St. Petersburg is very eager to participate incommon projects even though the means are often lacking.Turning to the Kaliningrad issue, this should be solved with practicalsolutions and not only on a theoretical basis. The solution shouldencompass an integration into the European space for all parties on goodgrounds. Have a successful conference and thank you for your attention.6BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEFIRST SESSIONCO-OPERATION IN THE BALTIC SEA REGIONReport on behalf of the Standing CommitteeNikolay TulaevMadam Chairman, Ladies and gentlemen,This conference is taking place in a new and more complicatedinternational context. St. Petersburg, being a city where history of mankindhas been shaped many a time, is therefore an excellent site for this meeting.The issues of our region are made of common concerns urging us to discussand elaborate on the future and ensuring and strengthening sustainabledevelopment in all spheres.In the middle of our concerns there is one problem common to allcountries, the future of Kaliningrad. This is a very emotional topic.Looking at it in an analytical way we have to address the issue of how toensure the survival of Kaliningrad, preserving good relations between theEU and this region of Russia. As we have learned in the negotiations withMr. Ragosin this is not a technical but a highly political issue. Therefore itshould not be entirely solved by EU bureaucrats. In the future, Kaliningradwill find itself in the near EU neighbourhood and therefore a visa barrierwill be inadmissible because this means that free movement within our owncountry will be banned. The draft memorandum by the EU offers atheoretical possibility of free travel - but not in practice. Free transit fromJanuary 1st is of principal importance for the people of Kaliningrad andfulfils the human rights requirements put down by Strasbourg and acceptedby the BSPC.It has been confirmed that the EU stipulates the encouragement of crossborder co-operation. Not respecting the needs of Kaliningrad might damagethese links and ties which will lead to even worse environmental problemsand foster crime transfer. The EU assumes that Kaliningrad is a bullwork ofcrime, but reliable data speaks another language. The state of combatingcrime in Lithuania and Poland is no better than in Kaliningrad and the EUshould be careful not to erect a new Berlin wall. It is endangering all the7BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEmultilateral technical and research projects as well as economic activities inthe region due to lacking political will.The Russian Federation is taking steps towards creating a special economiczone for Kaliningrad and improving the conditions for trade. In Brussels,Kaliningrad is seen to be a region of economic backwardness, therefore theNorthern Dimension has to be developed, creating a favourable climate forinvestment. A uniform space should be formed, preventing Kaliningradfrom becoming a very sensitive space for both sides. This dialogue isconvincing us that there is the will to find common prospects for the future.Thank you for your attention.Report on behalf of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)Jan-Erik Enestam,Madam Chairman, Distinguished Members of Parliaments, Ladies andgentlemen,On behalf of the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States(CBSS), appreciation for the invitation should be addressed to thisimportant annual conference of Members of Parliaments from the countriesof the Baltic Sea Region. The dialogue and close co-operation betweennational and regional parliaments in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) is indeedstrengthening the common identity in this part of Europe.The CBSS recently celebrated its 10 years anniversary. The Baltic SeaParliamentary Conference (BSPC) did so already in September last year.During this decade, the Baltic Sea Region has witnessed the emergence of adiversity of joint initiatives and actions among governments, sub-stateactors, cities and municipalities. Also private businesses and non-governmental organisations are involved in these endeavours. The CBSS isone of the building blocks for the construction of a stable, prosperous,democratic and sustainable Europe. Such, in fact, was the conclusion of therecent CBSS Ministerial session in Svetlogorsk. Finland, which held thefirst Presidency of the CBSS in 1992(cid:150)1993, has now opened the second(cid:147)cycle(cid:148) of Council Chairmanships. For the CBSS, this is the time forrethinking our profile, as well as diversifying and specifying our activities.In this process, we will continue to work on questions such as: (cid:147)Whichstructures and working methods have evolved? How can we improvethem?(cid:148)8BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEAt present, four major intergovernmental organs of co-operation are activein Northern Europe - the CBSS, the Arctic Council (AC), the Barents Euro-Arctic Council (BEAC), and the Nordic Council of Ministers (NCM). Theobjectives of these regional councils are complementary and together theyspan an impressive area of activities. Nevertheless, we believe co-ordination is essential in order to avoid duplication and to increaseefficiency.The CBSS also closely co-operates with other actors in the Baltic SeaRegion, such as the Baltic Sea States Sub-regional Co-operation, the Unionof the Baltic Cities, the Business Advisory Council, the Agenda 21 for theBaltic Sea Region, HELCOM and last but not least the BSPC.The forthcoming EU enlargement will open new prospects for the EU-Russia relations. In this regard, the development of Russia(cid:146)s KaliningradOblast will attract particular attention. We believe Kaliningrad can becomean example of fruitful EU-Russia interaction using the opportunitiesoffered by the EU enlargement. It was not by chance that the 10thanniversary session of the CBSS took place in Svetlogorsk. The CBSS isalso actively co-operating with the EURO Faculty at the Kaliningrad StateUniversity. Assistance in developing the civil society could become themain area for the activities of the CBSS in Kaliningrad. Currently, theestablishment of a special support group for small and medium sizeenterprises is under consideration.The EU Northern Dimension is a dynamic framework for dialogue and co-operation and continues to be a major theme for the work of the CBSS. Itseems obvious that the new Northern Dimension Action Plan, to succeedthe present one expiring in 2003, should be complementary to the EUenlargement and implemented in parallel, in order to ensure that thebenefits of enlargement do not stop at the new external borders of the EU.In this context, we have seen the establishment of the Northern DimensionEnvironmental Partnership (NDEP), which was an innovative solutionlaunched together with the international financing institutions.Additionally, the initiative for a Northern eDimension Action Plan has beentaken in partnership with the European Commission. A special NortherneDimension Forum will be arranged in November this year in Pori, Finland.As a major endeavour concerning the transport issues, Finland hasdeveloped the (cid:147)Motorways of the Baltic Sea(cid:148) initiative as an integrated partof the Northern Dimension transport policy.The CBSS undertakes joint efforts for the removal of the remaining barriersto trade and investment and for the promotion of economic growth,9BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEincluding efforts to nurture the development of small and medium-sizedenterprises. One of the main objectives as outlined by the Heads ofGovernment meeting in June in St. Petersburg is to reduce the bordercrossing time for goods to a maximum of two hours. Further developmentof energy supply is a precondition for sustainable development in the BalticSea Region. The Ministers of Energy, meeting later this year, will facilitateefforts to integrate national energy systems within the ambitious BASRECframework. The ambition to develop the Baltic Sea Region into a testingground for flexible mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol should now befulfilled. Today, we are facing a range of common trans-borderenvironmental concerns in the Baltic water and air pollution, as well as thedepletion of natural resources and management of wastes. In addition, theenvironmental effects of the increased shipping density in the Baltic Seahave to be taken into account. In this context, we are pleased to take note ofthe recent initiative of the Nordic Council of Ministers to produce anelectronic map of the oil spill risks caused by the increasing oil and othertransportation as well as of the oil combating preparedness in the Baltic SeaRegion. Within the CBSS, the promotion of sustainable development in theBaltic Sea Region has a strong focus, particularly with emphasis to the roleof the Agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea Region (Baltic 21).The CBSS supports the considerable potential of NGO-related co-operation. During the Finnish Presidency, an NGO Forum will be arrangedin Turku in May 2003. With regard to building up and strengtheningdemocracy and the civil society at large, we would welcome more activityin the issues of gender equality as well as youth co-operation. Ultimately,by establishing sustainable civil society structures the CBSS contributes inbuilding up an NGO network in the Baltic Sea Region. Rule of law,promotion of democracy and human rights as well as fighting racism andxenophobia are essential elements in the work of the CBSS. In this context,the role of the CBSS Commissioner on Democratic Development isparamount.At their meeting in June, the Heads of Government welcomed thebroadening of the co-operation regarding children at risk, taking intoaccount for instance the problem of the large number of street children,children in social care institutions as well as trafficking in children. Alsothe sharp increase in communicable diseases remains a threat to humansecurity in the Baltic Sea Region. This serious situation calls forcounteractive efforts and concerted actions involving large segments ofsociety. Under the umbrella of the CBSS, key projects (for example on10BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEtuberculosis, HIV and primary health care) have been identified by theTask Force on Communicable Disease Control in the Baltic Sea Region.The CBSS member countries are united in the view that organised crime isa threat to democracy and good governance and, therefore, consider thework carried out by the Task Force on Organised Crime of extremeimportance. As terrorism is understood to be one of the greatest threats tomodern civilised societies, the decision was taken to include organisedcrime in relation to terrorism in the operational co-operation within theTask Force.Co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region is a major endeavour and atremendous challenge. Progress is only made step by step and there is still along way to go. Major changes will take place in the Baltic Sea Region andin the operational framework of the CBSS during the year of the FinnishCBSS Presidency. Decisions are expected to be made on the enlargementof the European Union and NATO. The EU enlargement brings newopportunities as well as challenges for its neighbours in the East. The EU,Russia and the new Eastern neighbours of the Union should increase theirco-operation in alleviating the socio-economic gap at the EU(cid:146)s Easternborder. The active involvement of the EU in Baltic regional co-operation isexpected to continue. Certainly, the region will have to face challengessuch as environmental issues, organised crime and communicable diseases,but also new opportunities, namely in trade, transport, the informationsociety, education and energy. The CBSS will provide a pertinent forum fordefining the interests of the region in these issues. Thank you for yourattention.St. Petersburg 300 years (cid:150) The role of the city in the Baltic Sea RegionVladimir YakovlevDear Madam Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,The city of St. Petersburg and in particular this building have hosted manydecisions, produced many papers and seen many election campaigns andscandals. At this point though, congratulations go to the Swedish andGerman MPs for their successful elections. There should be uniformelection days all over Europe so that there would be more common time forwork.11BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEThe UNESCO included the city of St. Petersburg as a world memorial site.The city welcomes all the participants of this conference to take part in the300 years celebrations in May 2003.St. Petersburg is developing faster than the rest of Russia. The number ofSMEs has increased immensely since 2000, revenues increased by 50% andthe city accounts for the largest growth in Russia. St. Petersburg is areliable borrower. Trade and transit have also increased. St. Petersburg isthe gate of the Volga-Baltic path and the new port will process over 40Mio. tons of cargo per year. All the countries around the Baltic Sea aretrading partners, the most active are Germany, Finland and Sweden. St.Petersburg has seen 1,1 Bio. of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) per yearwhereof the Baltic Sea Region investors are playing a chief role. Especiallyin the fields of food, environmental technology, energy, mobilecommunication systems and trash processing, trade and investment in theregional framework is prospering.Tourism is flourishing in our city. Every year 3-4 Mio. tourists come to seeSt. Petersburg, which has also become the biggest cruise port in the BalticSea Region.Concerning the environment, we have a huge project ahead of us.Therefore the Northern Dimension should be developed more actively inthis field.The Baltic Sea Region is a common project. There are common ties, acommon culture and all the city anniversaries were celebrated together. St.Petersburg hosts a branch of the Ruhrgas company, the Goethe Institute, aDanish, Finnish and Estonian church and a Swedish church is opening itsdoors in due time.The (cid:145)Southern Dimension(cid:146) of the EU has more financial means, this shouldbe re-shifted towards the Northern Dimension and invested inenvironmental safety projects.The political importance of St. Petersburg was also shown by the summit ofthe CBSS in July, where Russia passed on the chairmanship to Finland.Great thanks is owed to Mr. Rasmussen and Mr. Brazauskas who stronglyencouraged the donation of 24bio. USD for the St. Petersburg anniversary.12BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEThe mayors of the Baltic Sea Region cities have now started to worktogether in a new project, the growth triangle. The Swedish and Finnishcultural relations with St. Petersburg are very strong and the teaching ofRussian culture and language has high priority in these countries too.There is a strong initiative of helping teachers of the Russian languageabroad, often veterans of war and the St. Petersburg blockade. There is alsoa vivid exchange of school children going on.There is though a common concern: Kaliningrad. The Danish Programmefor the EU Presidency is focusing on combating crime and creatingfreedom. There is though a Russian proverb that says (cid:147)Locks on doors onlyprevent the honest man from coming in(cid:148). The visa regime proposed wouldmake combating crime more difficult. St. Petersburg has a history of beingisolated. During the blockade the city lost more than 1 Mio. civilians andsoldiers. The NATO approach to the regional borders should therefore notbe guided by fear.The role of cities within Baltic Sea co-operation should be strengthened inthe future. St. Petersburg being the cultural capital of Russia will play anactive part in this endeavour. Thank you for your attention.13BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCESECOND SESSIONNORTHERN DIMENSION: A COMMON UNDERTAKINGTOWARDS REGION-BUILDING AND EQUAL PARTNERSHIPThe Adriatic-Ionic InitiativeAlfredo BiondiDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,Thanks goes to the chairman of the Russian Parliament for inviting ourdelegation, giving us an insight on how to solve common regionalproblems. The chamber of the Adriatic-Ionic Initiative and members of theItalian parliament have come here in order to get some information andincentives for further involvement in Baltic Sea regional affairs. Solvingcommon problems and mercantile initiatives around the Baltic Sea hasrequired new political dimensions. After the EU enlargement the regionwill be strengthened, drawing upon its common roots and initiatives as ourregion too, and thereby it will become a model for Europe.The Adriatic-Ionic Initiative aims at increasing regional stability. Thecontact to the Baltic Sea Region raises big hopes for furthering co-operation on the European continent. But this can not happen withoutRussia, the regional framework could therefore serve as an instrument forbringing co-operational efforts ahead.The Adriatic-Ionic Initiative focuses on issues such as crime prevention,cross-border problems, fighting terrorism and monitoring programs formigration. De-territorialised terrorism is one of the new major challenges.The Italian government has undertaken steps for the development ofEuropean corridors, better communication, transport and highways.Concerns have no borders and the people in Europe need justice, securityand co-operation. Parliaments represent nations, peoples and can expressconcerns. This conference therefore has the best objectives for success.Thank you for your attention.14BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCERegional Development challenges of Northern EuropeOuti OjalaDear Chairman, Dear Speakers, Ministers, Dear Colleagues, Ladies andGentlemen,Thank you for inviting us to St. Petersburg and this marvellous palace. It isa pleasure to have this conference for the first time in Russia. This 300-years old beauty has more inhabitants than many of the countries within theBaltic Sea Region and has always played an important role. The Baltic SeaParliamentary Conference is of fundamental importance for regionaldevelopment in the democratic, social, economic and cultural spheres. Theco-operation has been deepened an widened throughout the years. Themain achievement has been, that Baltic Sea Region issues have becomepart of our every day parliamentary life. We have also managed to keep upgood contacts to the governments and can be proud of giving the incentivefor the founding of the CBSS at our first conference in Helsinki in 1991.In due time, eight of nine Baltic Sea countries will be members of the EUand five of these also part of NATO. This will not endanger our regionalco-operation efforts. On the contrary, this will strengthen our ties betweenmembers and non-members even more. The Copenhagen summit can beseen as a good forum for planning these post-enlargement ties betweenRussia and the EU which will also remain a high priority issue for theNordic Council.The enlargement might bring up new problems for Russia which can onlybe solved in a good co-operative manner such as border issues, energysupply and transport. Of course, the question of Kaliningrad remains to besolved here and must attract immediate attention.Baltic Sea co-operation must therefore be ready and willing to face newchallenges and lead an open discussion on form and content of futureendeavours. Last year the BSPC launched a working group on maritimesafety, the COMS, which has produced very concrete results that should betaken into account by governmental bodies working in these respectivefields. COMS can also serve as a model for further co-operational efforts.Also the ideas on changing the composition of the Standing Committeeshow more organisational flexibility.15BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEThe Northern Dimension has strengthened sustainable development,democracy and stability in Northern Europe. But it also needs moreconcrete input and powerful instruments. Parliamentarians should thereforeincrease political pressure to support the implementation of practicalmeasures on a regional, sub-regional and local level. This concrete locallevel is of prior importance. Only a few weeks ago in Joensuu, Finland, ajoint programme between Finland and Russia consisting of health andsocial projects was launched.Also the Nordic Council as a parliamentary institution has been elaboratingon ways to implement the Northern Dimension incentives. And the CBSShas its own Northern Dimension Action Plan which will assist the re-assessment of the EU Action Plan from October 2002 onwards. Here, theco-operation with all institutions is necessary.The Kaliningrad enclave is an important part of our region and it should beall of our concern to find a common solution. There must be good co-operation and exchange between Kaliningrad and the EU. The Kaliningradissue is obviously also very high on the agenda of the ParliamentaryAssembly of the Council of Europe, and we are glad to have Ms. Burbienehere as a representative of the Assembly, being able to tell us about theprogress on the Kaliningrad issue. The proposal by the EU Commission tointroduce a Facilitated Transit Document for frequent Russian travellersbetween Kaliningrad and the mainland Russia appears to be a promisingstep forwards for our relations in the region.Environmental issues have always been high on the agenda of BSPC. Thisfield of co-operation has though been broadened and deepened since italways also touches upon economic and social matters. In regards toenergy, a follow-up is needed to the parliamentary conference held inconnection with the ministerial meeting on Baltic Sea Energy Co-operation(BASREC). The ministers should recognise the importance of the work ofBASREC, launching the Baltic Sea Region as a testing ground for theKyoto mechanisms.The construction of a waste water plant in St. Petersburg is nevertheless asuccessful project within the Northern Dimension, where the NordicCountries, the Nordic Council and the Nordic Investment Bank share themain financial burden as in many other regional environmental projectstoo.16BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEAnother key issue within the Northern Dimension is transport. Here, theNordic Council supports the development of transport routes with highercapacity and emphasises the necessity to enhance maritime safety.Developing Baltic Sea co-operation in the field of civil security is vital.Powerful measures against the pressing problems such as organised andtrans-border crime, trafficking, drugs and racism are urgently needed toovercome growing social disparities and facilitate integration betweenvarious groups of society.Co-operation is the asset of our common future and our common valuessuch as freedom, peace, democratic development, security and prosperityshould be furthered. All voices within a growing Europe have to be heard.This year, the Nordic Council turns fifty. Norden is a political collectivewith an intertwined history and shared values, norms and intentions. Thiscan be a good model for Baltic Sea co-operation, especially when theinstitutionalisation within Europe becomes even more complex than it isnow. This complexity can only be seen as an asset in boosting ourcomprehensive capacity to deal with the challenges facing us in Europe.The BSPC is an important forum for parliamentary discussion. It providesfor an open discussion of the status quo and the future commonendeavours. Thank you for your attention.The perspectives of EU enlargement for the Baltic Sea RegionClaus Larsen-JensenDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,In due time, Russia will be the only non-EU member on the Baltic Seacoastline. At the Copenhagen EU-summit in December therecommendations for enlargement will be issued and hopefully four newEU-members will come from the Baltic Sea Region. The Danish parliamentwill do its utmost to strengthen this development also within the BSPC,because this means that we have a higher level of synergy effects andinteraction will be strengthened even more. The region could act as amediator a forerunner and a role model. Denmark owes special obligation17BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEto the enlargement process, especially since this will be the last Nordic EU-presidency for many years. This truly is a window of opportunity.For the last 12 years, Denmark has strengthened its ties to the Baltic Statesand Russia and has shown its readiness to practical solutions. Thecandidate countries from the region have closed the most importantchapters and it has been the constant dialogue, pragmatism and the searchfor common solutions that has led to success.A successful enlargement will bring new life to the CBSS and the NorthernDimension initiative. These two tools for co-operation are not competitors,rather, one should investigate on how to benefit the best from synergyeffects. Within an enlarged Europe the Baltic Sea Region can help Russiawith more EU money. But, in all this there are some pitfalls that Denmarkcan not overcome by itself as for example the Cyprus issue, the Kaliningradtransport question, illegal trafficking of goods and people and the creationof a healthy economic environment. The Baltic Sea Region represents 1/5of the inhabitants of the EU. 80% of the GDP in the Baltic Sea Region arecoming from Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Germany. After theenlargement this pie will get bigger and we will all benefit from that.Unfortunately in many of our countries the unemployment is too high andwe are wasting a lot of our resources. Another pressing issue is the socalled (cid:145)age quake(cid:146). With the enlargement we will also have newneighbours, which the EU has complimented with an initiative. The ties toBelarus and the Ukraine have to be strengthened. Human Rights andMinority Rights constitute our democracy and the participating democracyis one of the main pillars of the Danish constitution. Therefore the Danishpresidency has opened an EU information centre for the citizens. Future co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region should also be based on democraticlegitimacy, since the Baltic Sea Region has a large potential and greathopes lie upon it. It could become a stronghold on the European and globalscale. Thank you for your attention.18BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEThe Northern Dimension (cid:150) current and future activitiesValentina PivnenkoDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,The main problem of multilateral co-operation is to focus on a clearunderstanding on how to move forward. The Northern Dimension wascreated five years ago as a response to globalisation and a (cid:145)big Europe(cid:146). Itwas also meant to establish a strategic partnership between Russia and theEU. In the near past the meetings on the Northern Dimension have takenplace far north, which is a good way of introducing the EU to problems ofthese regions. Within the CBSS and the BEAC Russia sees many goodopportunities to contribute for example in combating crime, solvingenvironmental problems.The Northern Dimension also needs more publicity. The NorthernDimension Initiative is often too abstract and the Action Plan has not beenfulfilled, two years after its launch, one year before its termination. TheNorthern Dimension will need a new framework after enlargement, no newdividing lines should be created.The decisions concerning Kaliningrad should be made with tranquillity, theregion should not be isolated and be provided with the necessarydevelopmental aid. Practical solutions should guide the decisions not justgeneral political aspects. The post-enlargement Action Plan shouldenvisage a strategic direction and consider all interests equally. Sometimesthe Northern Dimension seems to only focus on combating crime anddeveloping Information Technology, but that is not all. Moreover we haveto focus on infrastructure, society and health care systems.In Petrosavodsk the discussion on the Northern Dimension also lookedupon the WTC entry of Russia, employment, gender issues, youth, drugs,minorities and on how to improve the standards in north-western territoriesof the Russian Federation. The TACIS investments are very small andtherefore the Northern Dimension should get a material basis. The so called(cid:145)Arctic Window(cid:146) could be a step towards giving the north a new impetus.There exists such a multifaceted network of organisations where Russianregions participate for example in the Arctic Council, the Euroregions, theBaltic Sea Region, the (cid:145)New Neighbours(cid:146) initiative, all part of enhanced19BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEcross-border co-operation. But the Northern Dimension should not only bea cross-border initiative, it should be part of the national interests. Russia isready to co-operate. In fact, the Northern Dimension is unthinkable withoutRussia. Within the BEAC and CBSS these questions will be discussed andshould be prioritised, creating the basis for the Northern Dimension ActionPlan II. Thank you for your attention.Visions for the Baltic Sea Co-operationPer CarlsenDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,At a recent conference in Copenhagen, The Baltic Sea Region 2010, thefounding father of the CBSS, Mr. Uffe Ellemann-Jensen, former Danishforeign minister, said, Baltic Sea co-operation was, at the beginning, crisismanagement. Not all the problems have been solved yet and not all hascome true. Also the Finnish idea of the Northern Dimension has not solvedall things yet, so lets hope for a new Action Plan with new funding and newinitiatives. The co-operation between the Nordics and the Baltics hasthough been growing in all fields and in November the EU-membershipswill be processed. But this does not mean that we can relax. We have toovercome dividing lines and prevent new dividing lines. For theKaliningrad issue this requires flexibility on both sides, it is, nevertheless atechnical questions and we should not overdo the political dimension. Theenlargement will offer new opportunities to trade and development. ForNATO Russia has become a close partner and more substance should beproduced in the NATO-Russian Council. A crucial issue for this council isthe common fight against terrorism. The enlargement will also bring newneighbours such as Belarus where we face the common problem of lackingdemocratisation. The NATO and the EU should think about the answersfrom Brussels on good neighbourhood with the Ukraine and Belarus. Andthe Caucasus is also asking for advice.We are at the very beginning of Baltic Sea regional co-operation and wehave to try to keep the big partners interested such as Berlin and the USA.The picture of a re-united thus stagnating Europe should not be transmittedto the USA. And Russia has to keep being interested after the Kaliningradissue is solved. Thank you for your attention.20BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEBRIEF COMMENTSPaula Lehtom(cid:228)kiDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,The Northern Dimension raised high expectations. But what is it in reality?The main value of the initiative is turning the interest to problems of thenorth.It should be co-operation not only assistance, partners have to find togetherand funds should be found. It is a way for the EU to show good will andthis should not be stopped after the enlargement. At this point theneighbourhood project should be strengthened and common problemsbetween neighbours should be solved. Small but harmful obstacles to co-operation such as bureaucracy, administration and taxation barriers shouldbe removed. Even small steps can be useful but they should be co-ordinatedsteps in order to achieve mutual goals. Thank you for your attention.Vincent PiketDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,This is an important moment for the Northern Dimension because we havethe chance to re-develop it for the new Action Plan. The initiative waslaunched in 1997 the Action Plan released in 1999, but there were noadditional funds for this endeavour. The main aim was to strengthen thenorthern focus. The existing programs such as SAPARD and TACIS havethough done a lot, for example the 20 Mio. Euro investment for a wastewater plant in St. Petersburg or the border crossing at Vaalimaa.Environmental partnerships have increased and a lot has been invested bythe EU. PHARE, ISPA and SAPARD have been assisting the accessioncountries as well as the INTERREG programs and the NortherneDimension. The nature of the Northern Dimension was up until now toaccompany the enlargement process and to foster the political dialogue.Now we have to set the objectives and priorities for the 2004-2006 ActionPlan. In Greenland the first steps were taken and the Danish Presidency hasalso contributed a lot. The Northern Dimension will stay relevant after theenlargement. It will be guided by the principles of subsidiarity and21BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEcomplimentarity as shown by the Northern eDimension. The co-ordinationof partners(cid:146) activities will create synergetic effects.22BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCETHIRD SESSIONECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES IN THEBALTIC SEA REGIONMaritime Safety: Improvement of International Co-operation toSafeguard the Baltic Sea RegionHenning KlostermannThe venerable city of St. Petersburg, with its unique charm and tradition ofmerchant shipping and maritime transport, is a particularly suitable andfuture-oriented setting for the topic at hand. As Chairman of the Committeeon Maritime Safety of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (cid:150) alsoknown by its acronym "COMS" (cid:150)it is a special honour to present the resultsof our work to you today.Based on the first concrete discussions and decisions of the 9th conferencein Malm(cid:246) in 2000, which dealt with the topics of prevention andmanagement of shipping accidents, the improvement of the safety of ships,the safety of sea lanes and the improvement of international co-operation,the 10th conference, which took place in Greifswald in September 2001,decided to create a Working Group to study the topic of "Shipping Safetyon the Baltic Sea".The objective was to prepare further proposals for resolutions to be passedduring the course of the 11th conference here in St. Petersburg. Uponcreation of the Working Group, the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conferencesimultaneously decided to appoint Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to chair andlead this group, and to constitute it as quickly as possible. Members from12 national and regional parliaments of the countries bordering the BalticSea as well as the Nordic Council have participated in this Working Group.It held a total of 4 meetings, including an international hearing of experts inCopenhagen. Part II of the draft resolution, the details of which you have infront of you, was drawn up as an update of and complement to thedecisions of the Greifswald conference; it is based on the results of thehearing, including the statements submitted afterwards by the EU, the IMOand the IOW, the updated version of an expert opinion on "Maritime Safetyin the Baltic Sea Region(cid:148) as well as intensive discussions with HELCOM,reports on the situations in participating member countries and numerousconsultations with experts. The committee has thus fulfilled its assigned23BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEduties. The Working Group unanimously adopted this draft resolution andrecommends that the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference approves this asPart II of the resolution of its conference in St. Petersburg.Thank you for the trust from the Standing Committee and the WorkingGroup as well as for the excellent, constructive co-operation. Gratitude alsogoes to the respective national representatives and the General Secretariatof HELCOM. Without this outstanding co-operation, we could not havepresented the draft resolution in its current form.The first and constitutive meeting of the Committee on Maritime Safety(COMS) took place in November 2001 in Schwerin. It served primarily todraw up common basic working principles and prepare benchmark data fora work schedule in order to develop further political fundamentals andrecommendations for action on this issue. The formal internal rules ofprocedure are analogue to those of the Standing Orders of the Baltic SeaParliamentary Conference.The second meeting of the Working Group took place in early March of2002 within the framework of a visit to the Baltic Marine EnvironmentProtection Commission (HELCOM) in Helsinki. On this occasion the thenchairman of HELCOM, Dr. Peter Ehlers, was thanked for his support in thecontext of HELCOM Extra 2001. Dr. Ehlers expressed his hope that the co-operation between the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference and HELCOMwould be intensified.In this context it is particularly noteworthy that the 23rd HELCOM GeneralAssembly on March 7th, 2002 had already granted official observer statusto the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference. A corresponding application tothe International Maritime Organisation (IMO) would not have succeeded,as it has granted observer status only to the European Commission and toHELCOM as bodies of international institutions. This was clearlydemonstrated by the failed attempt of the Conference of PeripheralMaritime Regions of Europe. Thus, observer status at HELCOM was theonly possibility of doing justice to the decision of the past conference in adirect and effective fashion.However, observer status does not merely entail the passive reception ofinformation. Rather, in HELCOM’s view, active participation in themeetings and policy proposals by the members of the Baltic SeaParliamentary Conference are desirable. Only in this fashion direct24BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEdialogue is possible between the executive sector and parliamentarians atthe international level in the Baltic Sea Region.The third meeting, which took place as an international hearing on May13th, 2002 in Copenhagen, served primarily to review progress on theimplementation of the decisions of the Greifswald conference and theCopenhagen ministers’ conference, as well as to examine which additionaldemands to increase maritime safety should be made by the governments ofthe countries bordering the Baltic Sea.The fourth meeting of the Working Group took place in July of 2002 inRostock-Warnem(cid:252)nde. Here, the foundations of the draft resolution for the11th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference were adopted unanimously. Thecore points comprised the introduction of a globally binding flag state codewith which to monitor compliance with international shipping regulations,the fastest possible implementation of the HELCOM CopenhagenDeclaration of September 11th, 2001 as well as other suitable measures toimprove marine environmental protection, particularly the enforcement of areduction in land-based dumping of harmful substances and agriculturalnutrients into the sea.Likewise, demands were made for the rapid improvement of the safetylevel of the Baltic Sea Region according to uniform regulations. Theseinclude moving forward the obligation to equip ships with AIStransponders and compiling risk analyses for ships, mobile platforms andharbour systems. Finally, educational certificates and standards should beunified world-wide. As a result of September 11, 2001, maritime safetyregulations will also have to deal with the problematic issue of terrorismfrom the point of view of maritime security. In this context, the UnitedStates in particular is pioneering a drastic increase in the level of harboursecurity with its ideas for a "Port and Maritime Security Act".In terms of structure, the draft resolution resembles the Greifswaldresolutions. The introductory passage refers to the resolution adopted inGreifswald. This is followed by a list of the documents on which thestatements and demands of the draft resolution are based. This includesprimarily the report to be submitted by the Working Group and thedocuments which have played a particularly important role in the work ofthe COMS and which the Working Group initiated. The evidence andconclusions are compelling, based on the current scientific and political25BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEprocessing of the issue. With regard to the ecological effects of oil spills inthe Baltic Sea as well as the special hydro-geological processes in thesewaters, at this point a study and a project of the Baltic Sea ResearchInstitute in Rostock-Warnem(cid:252)nde should be mentioned. The latter is beingcarried out bilaterally with colleagues from Russian research institutes. Forfurther information consult the appendices to the report.Based on the information gained during the meetings of the WorkingGroup, the demands will be made of the Baltic Sea Council and thenational and regional parliaments. Demands for the establishment of a flagstate code and for faster ratification of international regulations hadresulted from the international hearing. The demands for an improvementof the level of port safety and security arose, among other things, from thecurrent activities at the level of IMO. These are described in detail in theexpert opinion commissioned by the State Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.The requirement to support the Baltic Strategy resulted from participationin a meeting of the Heads of Delegation of HELCOM in Riga. The demandfor the implementation of the guideline on port reception facilities for shipwaste must be viewed against the background of the demand in No. 7 of theGreifswald resolution.The requirements for "marine environmental protection" resulted from theinformation gained by the Working Group from an event at HELCOM inHelsinki. In the conclusion of the draft resolution it is noted that theWorking Group has proved to be a suitable instrument with which toincrease the political potential for implementing its demands and improvingthe dialogue with the executive institutions in the Baltic region as well aswith international institutions. It proposes that the Working Group shouldcontinue to be used as an instrument for suitable topics in the future. TheWorking Group had considered it necessary to recommend this as a resultof their work, based on the experience gained during its co-operativeefforts.Through the detailed resolutions of the Greifswald conference, it has beenpossible to influence consultations decisively at an executive level. Theadoption of a number of proposals made by the Baltic Sea ParliamentaryConference in decisions of the executive institutions of the countriesbordering the Baltic Sea have been achieved.26BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEThe activities of the Working Group have been an important contribution (cid:150)and this has been confirmed by a number of experts and institutions (cid:150)towards raising awareness of and giving priority to the topic of maritimesafety in the Baltic Sea Region in the executive sector, in specialist publicinstitutions and in the media. As discussion partners in the political,academic and administrative sectors have assured us, this also resulted inan acceleration of the discussion on new regulations in international andnational bodies and the decision to take more extensive measures. Inaccordance with a main concern of the Greifswald resolution, awareness ofmaritime safety issues has significantly increased in this short periodthanks to the work of the committee.It must also be noted that such activities of the Baltic Sea ParliamentaryConference are regarded as necessary by the executive bodies and otherinstitutions in order to critically support and accelerate consultationprocesses in the executive sector. The political pressure thereby triggered atthe parliamentary level is emphatically considered desirable and helpful inthe future. The Standing Committee should therefore decide as soon aspossible in which way the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference is toactively and regularly exercise its observer status at HELCOM in thefuture. For example a representative of the Nordic Council, as yet to benamed, could be entrusted with this task.The activities of the Working Group on Maritime Safety have alsoconsiderably intensified the co-operation between the parliaments of thecountries bordering the Baltic Sea in the specialist sector and given itgreater depth. They have also increased the knowledge of the situation inthe individual countries as well as the familiarity with processes in theother countries bordering the Baltic Sea. At the same time, members of theWorking Group launched individual activities in individual parliamentsthat were independent of the activities of the Working Group and which ledto extended parliamentary activities and initiatives in individual memberparliaments. Thus, parallel to the consultation process, progress has beenmade in individual member countries. In principle, a precedent in one areahas been set for the first time by implementing procedures at the level ofthe Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference which are taken for granted ineach individual member parliament:27BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEIn addition to a presiding committee or council of elders, which focuses onthe preparation of plenary meetings and the setting of the plenary agenda,with the assistance of external experts, an executive-level specialistcommittee, has debated a specialist topic in depth and submitted arecommendation to the audience for a policy resolution supported by expertdocumentation.If this were to succeed in future at a broader level, it would be a decisivestep over the long term towards an effective Baltic Sea parliament whichwould, as an institution of parliamentarians of all countries bordering theBaltic Sea, exercise functions comparable to those of the national andregional parliaments with regard to the concerns of the entire Baltic SeaRegion. This is desirable, particularly in the interest of closer co-operationof all the countries bordering the Baltic Sea.In conclusion, an optimistic outlook: the ecological challenges which werereiterated at the Johannesburg summit, the opportunities and difficultiesarising from the development of global maritime traffic and internationalport management with new technological demands and possibilities, andthe requirements and obligations of intensified safety and security routineson board of a ship and on land can be met only through strong proactive co-operation and international solidarity. With this conference, we at the MareBalticum are launching and pursuing our measures at exactly the perfectmoment. Thank you for your kind attention.Environment in the Baltic Sea Region with view to the identifiedpollution hot spotsWieslaw WalendziakThe Baltic Sea is one of the biggest estuary systems and brackish waterbasins in the world. It is almost entirely cut off from the open AtlanticOcean, connected with the North Sea by narrow and shallow sounds thatlimit water exchange. The Baltic Sea catchment area comprises more than1,7 million square kilometres and over 85 million inhabitants. The drainagearea is actually four times larger than the sea itself and it extends about2000 kilometres from north to south accommodating 14 countries. Thelargest of Baltic Sea rivers are the Neva which flows into the Gulf ofFinland and the Vistula which drains into the Baltic proper. The riversexercise their greatest influence on the Baltic Sea by virtue of their water,28BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEas two thirds of the fresh water entering the basin is derived from them.The top-five rivers (Neva, Vistula, Oder, Neman, Zapadnaya Dvina,Kemijoki) are responsible for nearly half of all nitrogen entering the BalticSea.The species composition of the Baltic Sea is poor compared with severalother aquatic areas. Although the number of species is small, theproductivity of living material as well as the number of individuals isextremely high in the Baltic Sea Region. This productivity can beexplained by the shallowness, the rich nutrient supplies and hightemperatures in the summer. The basin is a productive fishing area. Themost important species in Baltic Sea fisheries from an economic point ofview are herring, sprat and cod. The semi-enclosed and shallow form of thebasin, combined with its naturally stressed and scarce ecologicalcommunities, make the Baltic Sea a highly sensitive ecosystem.The major threats to the health, productivity and bio-diversity of the marineenvironment result from human activities on land (cid:150) in coastal areas andfurther inland. Most of the pollution load of the Baltic Sea, includingmunicipal, industrial and agricultural wastes and run-off, as well asatmospheric deposition, emanates from such land-based activities andaffects the most productive areas of the marine environment, includingestuaries and near-shore coastal waters.Eutrophication on the one hand and high concentration of hazardous,persistent substances on the other are of major concern in regard to theBaltic Sea. These two man-made phenomena are the two majorenvironmental problems affecting the Baltic Sea and, thus, the general stateof the marine environment in this semi-enclosed sea area. Theeutrophication is caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus, and hazardouscontamination is caused by toxic substances such as halogenatedhydrocarbons (DDT, PCB; HCB etc.), heavy metals (mainly cadmium,mercury and lead) and petroleum hydrocarbons (PAH). Other threats to theBaltic marine environment include the use of certain types of fishing gear,over-exploitation of fisheries, coastal erosion and conversion of importanthabitats and emerging problems with introduced alien species.29BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEIt is estimated that the renewal of the water of the Baltic Sea takes about20-30 years. Contaminants, especially persistent chemicals, thereforeremain in the Baltic Sea for a long time.In September 1990, a Baltic Sea Conference was held in R(cid:246)nneby, Sweden,at prime ministers level. The conference adopted the Baltic Sea Declarationwhich confirmed the aims of the 1988 ministerial declaration and called forelaboration and subsequent implementation of the Baltic Sea JointComprehensive Environmental Action Plan (JCP) The aim of theprogramme is to present remedial measures to restore Baltic Seaenvironment to ecological balance in realistic technical and financial terms.The programme has a life-span of twenty years (1993-2012). AfterR(cid:246)nneby, eight pre-feasibility studies were conducted in many differentareas. These studies examined point and non-point sources of pollution inthe Baltic Sea catchment area. They served as a basis to help with theidentification of so called (cid:145)hot spots(cid:146) within the JCP. Originally 132 hotspots were identified within the catchment area of the Baltic Sea. 47 ofthem were priority sites where investments will result in significantreduction of the pollution load discharged into the Baltic Sea. To date 34hot spots have been deleted from the hot spot list, as a result of investmentactivities and clean-up efforts.To summarise, eutrophication remains the most pressing problem in theBaltic Sea. Nitrogen and phosphorus inputs are still too high. Run-off fromagriculture and air emissions from the use of fossil fuel are the largestcontributors to the nitrogen load. Urban and industrial sewage is the largestphosphorus source. None of the Baltic Sea countries have been able tohalve total nutrient discharges from all sources since the late 1980s. Theconcentration of most of the monitored hazardous substances havedecreased in marine organisms, but marine mammals are still sufferingfrom reproductive disorders linked to the continued presence of PCBs anddioxins in the environment. Others, yet unknown hazardous substances arethe next worry, for example cadmium concentrations in fish in some BalticSea areas have increased for unknown reasons.30BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEThe problem of chemical weapons buried in the Baltic SeaVadim PakaDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,World War II left about 300,000 tons of German chemical weapons at thebottom of the Baltic Sea, containing approximately 65,000 tons of warfarepoison gases. This was stated by the HELCOM reports from 1992/93. Alarge part of these weapons were sunk at two sites of the Skagerrak, nearM(cid:229)sesk(cid:228)r and ̄rendal, the rest lies near the islands of Bornholm, Gotlandand the Little Belt. The scale of this pollution was not known for a longtime since the military documents were safeguarded. After the publicationof the HELCOM reports, governmental and non-governmental workinggroups started investigating on this issue and the public has becomeincreasingly aware of this problem.During six expeditions our working group has tried to monitor thesechemical waste dump sites in order to predict possible ecologicalconsequences for the environment. The results are the following. Not all ofthe substances found are persistent. Most of the acids can be measuredeasily and residue of for example phosphorus was found. The groupmanaged to clarify that the toxic substances are only slowly trickling out.Near the Swedish coast and Bornholm the arsenic degree is though eighttimes higher than normal.With time the weapons corrode, which makes the leakage even worse.Unfortunately there is no index of corrosion rates due to different types ofmetals and there is also no information on the type and number weaponsthat were on the specific vessels. There is also hardly any knowledge on thedanger of explosion. There have also been projects searching for drownedships and investigating on the contents of the drowned ships butunfortunately, despite the conclusions from experts that investigationsshould be continued, no wide-scale and co-ordinated actions have beenundertaken.The Baltic Sea is a hot spot since the water can not mix well. This leads toa maximum of concentration of the chemical substances. There should bemore co-operation in this dynamic region like for example Russian and31BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCENorwegian specialists are working together on the Kursk problem. Weshould also communicate our experiences to other regions. Thank you foryour attention.Can the harbour porpoise continue to survive in the Baltic Sea?Muntingh HemmoDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,Can the harbour porpoise survive in the Baltic Sea? No! Not if there is nopolitical will. Yes, if all the conditions are fulfilled. What is the harbourporpoise? It is a magnificent animal, the smallest whale in European water.It is a social and friendly animal that comes to the surface for breathing andeats small fish. There is not a lot of historical data on this animal but it is afact that they have been many more than nowadays. In the Baltic Sea thereare not more than 600 left. If 100 more of them will die then it is the end ofthe species. This animal is on its way to extinction.Next to pollution there are other reasons for this, one of them is the usageof drift nets. In drift nets, this animal suffocates. They are used for catchingsalmons. But, what can we do? In 1992 the UN joined the resolution to banthese (cid:145)walls of death(cid:146) and the EU forbade their use too in the same yearwith an exemption negotiated for the Baltic Sea. An important step for theBaltic Sea States should be to also forbid these nets and look foralternatives in cod fishery, banning the bottom-set gill net fishery too.New legislation on this issue is necessary in the Baltic Sea States and theestablishment of fishery protected areas. There are three main tasks for thisregion: 1) especially Sweden should ban the drift net fishery since it is thestate with the most usage, 2) when the Baltic States enter the EuropeanUnion their habitat should become part of the EU fishery policy and 3) therecommendations on saving the harbour porpoise should become part ofeach national legislation. This conference is a wonderful example of howenthusiastic projects turn out to be fruitful experiences. Thank you for yourattention.32BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEHelsinki Convention (cid:150) 30 years of international environmental co-operationMieczyslaw S. OstojskiDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,HELCOM has existed for 30 years now and throughout the years the maingoal has been to restore the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea Region. Sometimesit has been difficult to make out the priorities: is it the leakage of hazardoussubstances or is it land and maritime safety? The success of HELCOM isvisible in many ways for example in the elimination of 40 hot spots aroundthe Baltic Sea.Turning to the question of chemical ammunition. HELCOM as anintergovernmental organisation has dealt with this question already for tenyears. A research group under the HELCOM umbrella has prepared areport comprising all the information on this topic. This report was sent toall contracting parties in 1996 and there was very little feedback, also fromRussia. Nevertheless all experts would agree with Mr. Pakas conclusion,we need discussion and exchange of results. The Danish government nowpresiding the EU could ask HELCOM for recommendations on this issueand the transfer of knowledge on this issue could be provided. Theduplication of work should be avoided and the information flow on projectsand research endeavours enhanced. Thank you for your attention.Health and Environment in the Baltic Sea RegionKristin RavnangerDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,The health issue is a vital concern to the Baltic Sea Region. Public health isa part of soft security. At the CBSS summit in Kolding (2000) it wasdecided to make communicable diseases control a crucial issue for the jointwork. Programs on for example tuberculosis, antibiotic resistance, hospitaltransmission, HIV and many more issues were released. The Baltic SeaRegion is facing the spreading of epidemic diseases such as HIV, where thesociety should be mobilised to help in education and campaigning.33BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCELife expectancy in the region is increasing but still the treatment for thesediseases is very costly. Also the spreading of tuberculosis has increased, theBaltic States having one of the highest rates in the world. A case of TBCtreatment in Eastern Europe though costs about 100 Euro which is out ofreach for many citizens. This spreading is also to be retraced in prisons,where inadequate hygiene and poor nutrition create a favourableenvironment for infections. The Baltic Sea States have acknowledged thatprisons are a threat to communicable diseases. Antibiotic resistance alsoposes a major concern and prudent use of antibiotics should becommunicated through professional networks and joint laboratories.However, the reality is that infectious diseases can not be eliminated if theliving standards are not elevated. Early warning systems should beestablished. Health systems in the region are in need of reforms and highlycompetent specialists in primary care. Accessibility of health institutionshas to be increased and professional people have to take the issuesseriously.Health care is no longer a national matter, therefore the proposal ofestablishing an international school of public health in the Baltic SeaRegion is crucial and should be in all our interest, especially the richer partof the region. Health issues should also be an essential part of the NorthernDimension Action Plan. Since the financing of the CBSS Task Force hasdecreased, another instrument in this field is needed which might lie in theNorthern Dimension framework. Thank you for your attention.BRIEF COMMENTSOle StavadDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,Co-operation in the field of maritime safety in the Baltic Sea Region is ofcrucial importance. Governments have worked together in these issues,managed accidents and have come to acceptable solutions. The regionalstatus quo is quite satisfactory but further action is of paramountimportance. The BSPC should support initiatives in this field at ministeriallevel. Great thanks therefore goes to Mr. Klostermann who has functioned34BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEas an excellent chairman and has worked a lot to push forward these veryimportant issues. Thank you for your attention.Christina GestinDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,Most of the pollution in the Gulf of Finland comes from St. Petersburg.The Finnish Government has invested 10.000 Euro in a sewage plant onwhich the Russian officials will decide these days and hopefully startbuilding the plant soon. The information flow has been quite poor on thisissue, the Russian government has for example not signed the Espoo-Convention on sewage processing. There is also a harbour project runningwith several ports around the Baltic Sea. Hopefully also Russia will join it.The transport of oil will increase and crave new incentives. It is equallyimportant that the northern Baltic Sea gets attention as for example thesafety of icebreakers where the equipment with double visors is necessary.For all the research done in environmental fields, the exchange of results iscrucial. The entry of research groups into national water territories shouldalso be made possible. As to HELCOM, the parliaments should be invitedto its meetings to be able to more easily influence the national law-makingprocesses. It is very important to give environmental issues such aprominent place as in this conference. Thank you for your attention.Lasse Wigl(cid:246)fDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,The ecological situation of the Baltic Sea is a burden to us all.Supranational bodies and governments have recognised the danger. 2-3000vessels and oil tanks move over the Baltic Sea regularly. The Finnishparliament and the Nordic Council have made many efforts to reduce thesulphur and phosphorus residues in the Baltic Sea and to ban endangeredoil tanks from movement. Also Sweden is working intensively in this area.It should also be the vital national interest of Russia. The final document ofthis conference should therefore contain the sentence: We must protect theBaltic Sea! Thank you for your attention.35BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEFolke Sj(cid:246)lundDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,There are many political and real efforts on different levels made toimprove the marine environment in the Baltic Sea. International co-operation is carried out within the Baltic Sea commission HELCOM, theBSPC, etc. Bilateral projects are running, the EU and the Nordic Councilare contributing. National, regional and local efforts are also made infavour of the Baltic Sea. These efforts are however not very well co-ordinated.The work for the Baltic Sea has led to a certain improvement, dischargesare diminished, i.e. the charge of nitrogen with approx. 38% andphosphorus with approximately 22% from the end of the 1980s to 1995. Inspite of this development the nutritive substances and pollution areincreasing. The diminishing of nutritive substances emerging fromagriculture is still the biggest challenge in Finland, Sweden and other BalticSea states. Now we have to stop discharges of oil and chemicals, establishmore marine national parks, diminish discharges of nitrogen from trafficboth at sea and at land, and to restore wetlands.Over-fishing is a threat that is about to reach critical levels. Practically allpopulations of edible fish are under severe pressure, many of them to thelevel of permanent extinction. A restoration of the Baltic Sea takes underall circumstances a long time. Right now it is necessary to co-ordinate allresources in order to undertake concrete measures as efficiently as possible,improving the environment and the health of the Baltic Sea.All countries around the Baltic Sea have to direct their energies towards acommon goal (cid:150) restoring the Baltic Sea into healthy waters! In order toreach this goal we all have to adopt a concrete action plan. This plan has tobe built on concrete measures on several levels such as the Baltic Sea level,national, regional and local levels.The objective and action plan could be structured the following way:The Baltic Sea level: The conference is suggested to recommend theimposing of common quality standards for the Baltic Sea including atimetable for partial goals and that decisions are made for common36BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEmeasures in a priority framework. 2) The national level: The conference issuggested to recommend that every state in their own Baltic Seaprogramme aims at reaching a common goal and standards concerning theprotection of the Baltic Sea, undertaking concrete measures and putting innecessary financial resources. 3) Regional and local levels: The conferenceis suggested to recommend that regional and local environmental programsfor the Baltic Sea are designed according to the needs in every state andareas, including clear goals and time tables, based on common minimumstandards. This means concrete measures on the right level and that thefinancial resources will be used as efficiently as possible. 4) Financing: Theconference is suggested to recommend that a special organisation isestablished for the environment in the Baltic Sea in order to secure externaland common financing, based on, among others, the Northern Dimensionof the EU and other sources. Thank you for your attention.Vladimir N. StepanovDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,This contribution will be on agrarian matters. In Europe and the USAfarmers get subsidies, in Russia they get a few Roubles and they have asmall amount of machinery at their disposal. The death rate in Russian ruralareas is very high, more people die than are born and in the end only oldpeople and (cid:145)country fools(cid:146) are left. The BSPC could help out in thissituation and ask the Russian government to stop the exploitation of nature.Karelia has been squeezed out of every market, every industry. Now newtechnologies and industrial facilities are the focal points for investment andthe rural areas do not get enough subsidies. Young people do not want towork in agriculture. Electricity has also become more expensive.In the Karelian region there is a lot of salmon, but not enough nets to catchthem. There is also an ecological disaster at our doorstep. Therecommendations would therefore be: 1) eliminating extortion hinderingprojects, 2) creating new projects, 3) developing programs for safe receiptof tourists, 4) more economic education for young people. There should beprudent policies for sustainable industrial development safeguarding ournature. Otherwise tourists in Russia will soon find empty lakes and rivers.The next session should therefore take up the issue of the consequences ofRussia(cid:146)s entry into WTO.37BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE38BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEFOURTH SESSIONTHE IMPACT OF EU-ENLARGEMENT ON KALININGRADKaliningrad as a pilot project for the development of EU-RussiarelationsKonstantin KosachevDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,The heart of the pilot project Kaliningrad consists of creating a place ofpeace and friendship. This can not come true if we create problems.Kaliningrad is serving the Russian interest in the Baltic Sea Region. But theexclave also makes problems since it is, even in Russian terms, aneconomically backward place. Actually, Kaliningrad should develop faster,since it has many advantages such as central location, a non-freezingseaport, sand spas and amber. It also has the competitive advantages ofcheap and qualified labour forces. The GDP per capita is though 17% lessthan in Poland. This region is Russia(cid:146)s problem.Next year there will be an investment of 25 Mio. $ and the goal is to investmore than 3 Bio. $ until the year 2010. The plan is to create a transportationnexus in form of a big maritime port and to reconstruct the airport. There isalso the idea of possibly building subterranean gas pipes, since theKaliningrad region will otherwise have to buy energy from the EUcountries surrounding the exclave. Kaliningrad needs transportationfacilities and infrastructure improvement. Another important topic ismaritime safety.When the Baltic Sea will be almost an EU inland sea, the present tariffpolicies will decrease the efficiency, since there will be even stricterregimes after the enlargement. This concerns the transit of people andcargo, where the solutions are already well known. But the Kaliningrad-Russian ties should not be disrupted. So we agree with our president, Mr.Putin, that a visa-free travel is the only solution. Until now, the EU hasn(cid:146)tgiven a reply.This issue is of principle importance for the Russian society, if there is nocompromise, this will lead to a humiliation of the Russian people. The EU39BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEdoes not seem to respect the Russian interest, this is not a whim of Russiandiplomacy but it is a real test for the Russia-EU relations. It is a question ofnational dignity. There are other examples for solutions such as Berlin,Switzerland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The suggestions so farwould propose a real threat to unhindered travel and would deprive Russiancitizens of communicating with their own relatives. Erecting a new wall isan unfriendly act. Using an aeroplane is too costly for most citizens andrailway is the only possibility. It would be such a bureaucratic effort ofhaving to produce about 960 000 visas per day. Poland and Lithuania couldwait with joining the Schengen treaty until all the problems are solved.But we should not forget the key idea: finding a compromise, a commonsolution otherwise a historical chance might be lost. Therefore it isnecessary to introduce more constructive principles. Kaliningrad shouldalso re-focus on more export-oriented production, increasing theconfidence of investors for this special economic zone and applying EUnorms. The Kaliningrad region is integrated into the TACIS and PHAREprogrammes, but the way of using it is very difficult. There is also a lot ofnegative things being said about Kaliningrad, which doesn(cid:146)t really increaseits popularity, such as the crime rate, HIV etc. The conclusion is, that EUenlargement was never a threat to Russia but there is a need to act in thesespecific cases so that we can stay what we are: best neighbours and friends.Thank you for your attentionLars VissingDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,EU-Russia relationships are not only about Kaliningrad. There are theenergy projects, the creation of a common economic space and theNorthern Dimension. It is not correct to limit the relation to this singleissue. Within the European Council of Ministers Conclusion fromSeptember 30th, the transit aspects though were the main points.Nobody questions Russian sovereignty, but there are also other things suchas Baltic and Polish independence since the early 1990s which should berespected. Kaliningrad was severely neglected before Putin put it on hisagenda. The comparison with Switzerland is not right, there was never avisa-agreement there. But there are examples such as the American-40BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCECanadian one, where both sides are obeying the border rules andregulations, and Alaska is respecting Canadian sovereignty. It is a classicaland normal routine of a sovereign state to control who is travelling withinyour state territory. Russia would do the same thing, why not Lithuania?No government would give away this control. Russia should also see this asan opportunity to fight terrorism.The Schengen agreement will only enter into force in the region in 2007,and even this will be no impediment to travel. There is a lot to be done atthe Kaliningrad borders, Russia should really do something about it. Theplanned visa regulations can not be seen as violations of human rights. Thelong time pending border treaty with Lithuania should be signed andconsulates in Kaliningrad should be opened.The Russian image of visa-queues is shaped by summertime rushes at EUconsulates. But the EU standard for the future border arrangement will bedominated by express and long-term visa. There is though, nevertheless alot to be done in this field. The establishment of a train with lower ID-standards would worsen the situation. There should be a mutual agreementon the speed of border crossing. Russian recognition of Lithuaniansovereignty in this question is necessary.We have six weeks of work ahead of us until the Copenhagen summit andwe should be optimistic. The strategic partnership between Russia and theEU is very important and also the issues, as mentioned above, energy,Russia(cid:146)s entry into the WTO and the creation of a common economicspace. The future of Kaliningrads economy is a far more pressing issuethan the visa agreements. Thank you for your attention.Enlargement of the EU and the Kaliningrad Region: Time for choosingVladimir NikitinDear Chairman, Dear Parliamentarians, Dear Guests,The separation of Russian territories happened in the early 1990s. Now wesee the situation under the new conditions. There are not only new chancesbut also problems. The attention is focused on the transit and visa question.The different parties turn to polemics more rather than finding acompromise.41BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEThe Kaliningrad people do understand the worries of the EU, but the visa-issue is very emotional. The question often asked is whether, when theborders were still more open as at present, these countries were flooded byimmigrants? The visa-regime will isolate Kaliningrad and there will betransit problems for tourism. The visa-regime will imply a lot of money andlong queues for travellers. There will be a lot of business for travel-operators, organising transit for people. This is a unique situation where adisruption of ties is threatening not only individuals travelling but alsocargo and transfer of goods. There are hundreds of cars waiting at bothsides of the borders already now. The population needs more efficiencyhere.Kaliningrad and the EU are interested in a peaceful regional development,we particularly want to focus on specified issues. But now the wholedimension of Russia-EU relations has been opened through the visaquestion. President Putin has made straightforward suggestions but the EUdoes not want to step away from strict visa regulations. The EU should alsonot simplify the problem of unhindered transit, it is of huge importance.It is also necessary to start regular negotiations on the social and economicdevelopments in the Kaliningrad region to foster mutual understanding. Weare in favour of the proposed meeting in Brussels, having parliamentariansdiscuss new opportunities for Kaliningrad. There will be a way forrapprochement even though Russia(cid:146)s vital interests are affected. Thisnegative agenda has to turn back to the machinery of our common projects,creating special mechanisms for special problems of our region. As alreadyelaborated on by all participants, the region only produces benefits for usall. It is high time for concrete measures. Thank you for your attention.EU-Enlargement and Democratic DevelopmentHelle DegnDear Chairman, MPs, Ladies and gentlemen,It is a special pleasure to address this Parliamentary Conference on yetanother very important topic (cid:147)The EU Enlargement and DemocraticDevelopment(cid:148). A few of the many aspects related to the EU enlargementand the impact on the situation in Kaliningrad and the DemocraticDevelopment of our region will be the key issues of this speech. The topicwill be addressed from 4 perspectives: 1) The recommendations from theCouncil of Europe(cid:146)s Parliamentary Assembly on ensuring a prosperous42BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEfuture for the Kaliningrad Region, 2) the co-operation within the CBSS as arole model and forum for discussing the EU Enlargement Process to thebenefit and mutual understanding of the whole region, 3) the role ofparliamentarians within the CBSS to secure Democratic Development andcommon standards and finally, 4) the CBSS Commissioner(cid:146)s initiative tobring together MPs from all CBSS countries to strengthen commonunderstanding of democratic values.Handling the Kaliningrad situation surely all politicians know that one hasmany strings to one(cid:146)s bow when negotiating. This could also be thesituation here; financial co-operation between EU (cid:150) Russia, energysupplies, infrastructure, security, health, education etc. So we are facing amultidisciplinary action dealing with the aspects of Kaliningrad. Pleasetake note of the EU Commission(cid:146)s suggestions of September 19th. In thereport on Kaliningrad from the Political Affairs Committee of PACEdebated on 25 September it is stated that: the Assembly recalls that article2, paragraph 1 of Protocol No. 4 to the European Convention on HumanRights does not grant the right to entry into or transit through other states.Furthermore the Assembly recalls that due to the second paragraph of thesame article as mentioned above the enjoyment of the right to leave anycountry including one(cid:146)s own requires the issuance of internationaldocuments to every person by their competent national authorities and themaintenance of sufficient and functioning border crossings. Therecommendations are also put forward by the rapporteur Ms. Burbienefrom PACE Committee on Economic Affairs and Development highlyrelevant for possible solutions and actions to be taken in securingsustainable development in our region.Here, some of these recommendations will be mentioned along with a fewsupplements: For Russia to implement the Special Economic Zone, whichthe Russian Federation already has initiated in an effort to attract foreigndirect investment. Russia ought to take stringent action to improve thepublic administration. Upgrading the physical infrastructure and legalprocedures at the Kaliningrad border crossings to ensure increased directforeign investment. Multi-entry long-term visas at reasonable costs shouldbe issued.Within the Council of the Baltic Sea States it has been possible to establisha well-balanced co-operation on equal terms, where we have listened toeach other, taken the responsibility of being a council of nation states in a43BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEregional co-operation. One of the organisations within the framework of theCBSS worth listening to is the Business Advisory Council, which haspointed at two main reasons for economic development in the transitioneconomies in the Baltic Sea Region. The first are the political decisions,particularly the creation of the modern institutions required for marketeconomies. These institutional reforms have covered such wide areas aslegislation, court systems, public administration as well as monetary policyand institutions.The second factor is the impetus of individual entrepreneurs (cid:150) the strongdriving force behind emergence of new business. They are the personsturning the abstract concept of market economy into practical matters. Thisprocess partly has been difficult, mistakes and failures have been part of thepicture. Many people have suffered and some still find no avail fromauthorities. Yet, today the economic progress is indeed noticeable in alltransition economies in our region. The reason for mentioning thiseconomic angel several times during the intervention is that we could use alot from the lessons learned and from good experience in these processesconcerning the co-operation, also between the EU and Russia, determiningthe future situation of the Kaliningrad Oblast.During the 11th Ministerial Session of the CBSS in Svetlogorsk, theCouncil of Ministers emphasised that the Kaliningrad Oblast shouldbecome an example of fruitful EU-Russia interaction, in solving relevantpractical problems seizing the opportunities offered by EU enlargement.The CBSS promised to utilise its advantage of encompassing bothmembers and non-members of the EU to prevent division and achievecohesion.As a Commissioner underscoring the importance of (cid:147)fair solutions(cid:148)concerning the future of Kaliningrad has been a key factor within bilateralmeetings with the EU, in Russia and in her neighbouring countries. VisitingBrussels these questions were raised with both the EU Commissioner of theEU-Enlargement Mr G(cid:252)nter Verheugen and the EU Commissioner forExternal Relations Mr Christopher Patten as well as the RussianAmbassador to the EU Dr. Vasily Likhachev. This focus has alsodominated the debates with the representatives from the EU Commission inthe candidate countries, exchanging views on how to handle the future ofthe Russian exclave. In London there were discussions with the Presidentof the EBRD and in Helsinki with the President of the Nordic InvestmentBank to discuss possible investment options and criteria.44BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEDuring all the above mentioned meetings three main issues were addressed:The visa regime and border crossing problems; The economic reforms andcombat of corruption The democratic reforms in the broadest sense, whichalso include the banking, the trade legislation, improved conditions forinvestors, the juridical branch etc. We have to find solutions to a range ofproblems related to the introduction of the visa regime coming into force indue course. This work has to continue but not under threat or pressure,which represents the old fashion style.The present EU Member States and the Commission have agreed, that therewill be no exception for Kaliningrad as regards the Schengen regime. Thetwo neighbouring countries of Lithuania and Poland will have to apply allEU rules and to introduce a visa regime. This visa regime will,unfortunately, affect not only people of Kaliningrad going abroad, but alsoRussian citizens who are travelling between Kaliningrad and the mainlandRussia and back. So far, only a few EU and EU candidate countries haveopened consulates in Kaliningrad. Several other EU and EU candidatecountries have expressed readiness to open consulates, but Russia has beendragging her feet. A model of decentralisation and division of power mustbe dealt with by the Russian Federal Authorities for the Kaliningrad Regionto facilitate the Russian citizens as well as foreigners with a procedure assmoothly and fast as possible. Long waiting time, expensive fees andbureaucracy in general is, unfortunately, what the inhabitants of theKaliningrad Region fear could be the result. A special problem exists whenmany ordinary Russian citizens still do not have a passport valid forinternational travel, but only a so-called "internal passport", which is an IDCard not valid for travelling abroad. Approximately 25 % of the residentsof the Kaliningrad Region have been provided with travel documents bythe Russian authorities. The costs of Lithuanian and Polish visas forRussian citizens are de facto lower than the costs of Russian Visas forLithuanian and Polish citizens due to processing fees added by Russianconsular services. In accordance with the principle of reciprocity, suchcosts should be lowered. International Russian passport valid for travellingabroad, has in reality proved to be too expensive for many citizens.Therefore, convincing or assisting the Russian authorities to issueelectronic cards or passports cheaper could solve a part of the problem (cid:150)and again it is a pleasure to see the EU Commission(cid:146)s proposal for the(cid:147)Special Travel Pass(cid:148)45BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCERussia herself must also look at her own economic reform program if thesituation in Kaliningrad is going to change. The European Commissionought to reconsider the practical implementation of the NorthernDimension. Without money, a specific budget-line and a secretariat itseems almost impossible to implement all the excellent initiatives of theNorthern Dimension Plan of Action. I recommend these questions to beaddressed during the Russia-EU Summit in Copenhagen, December 2002.The governments should step up efforts to reduce the negative impact ofborder crossing. The project in the Baltic Sea Customs Conference shouldbe supported. Surely the business community is interested in co-operatingwith the authorities to reduce smuggling, illegal trade and other crimes ifconditions are improved for legitimate business.What should parliamentarians contribute to this process?All of us can see disturbing tendencies: democratic deficits at all levels,egoism and self-sufficiency, people fighting for single cases instead ofcontributing to the work of the representative democracy. That goes alongwith the increasing globalisation, which requires more trans-national co-operation and strengthening of the regional co-operation amongneighbouring countries. A country needs political maturity to establish andcope with democracy. The society and the politicians have to be prepared.Democratic traditions must be made to get it into the blood of the people. Ifyou want a whole society instead of small individual autonomies you mustcompromise (cid:150) it is a game of give and take.People have to take ownership of the democratic principles and values intheir daily life. But this on the other hand means that governments,politicians and the administration must work hard to secure a non-corruptive system, which people can have faith in. Daily headlines in thenews about corruption and inefficiency do harm the process. Here you asparliamentarians must be front-runners. Be a good example and see to thata transparent political and administrative system is working. Supportinstitutions such as the Parliamentary Ombudsman in their work.Scrutinising bodies are not enemies but necessities and part of goodgovernance. Therefore my main task as the CBSS Commissioner is to keepsupporting and strengthening the democratic reform processes andinstitution building. Results in the field of democratic development canonly be obtained through close co-operation between governments,parliaments, international organisations and NGOs. We face commonchallenges and must deal with them accordingly. Therefore the role of the46BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conference must be strengthened in the decision-making processes to reduce the democratic deficit within the CBSS. Youmust take the role as watchdog and counterpart to the governments as wellas to the NGOs. It is your obligation to scrutinise national and regionalinstitutions. You will find CBSS summit meetings; resort ministers meetingon a regular basis and the executive branch are establishing a wide range ofworking groups and committees. The third CBSS NGO forum is takingplace in May 2003 kindly hosted and organised by Finland. The strongvoice of the parliamentarians is still missing, taking the lead in thisdevelopment.Now we have arrived at the last issue of this speech. The CBSSCommissioner(cid:146)s initiative to bring together MPs from all CBSS countries.Three seminars on Good Governance for CBSS Parliamentarians have beenorganised in close co-operation with the EU Parliament, the Swedish andthe Danish Parliaments in the upcoming half year. The first seminar willtake place in the European Parliament in Brussels 14 (cid:150) 15 November andhopefully the Speaker of your national parliamentary assembly will informyou hereof. These seminars should be seen as a follow-up to the successfulseminars on Good Lawmaking and hopefully participants from the previousseminars as well as new participants will be present at these events. Theseparation of power is essential as well as principles of transparency;accountability and participation are keywords in securing democracy. Byneglecting these principles we will face a high degree of corruption in ourattempt to promote democracy, but without the right tools. To enable us tocreate common standards and norms in our region you have to meet on amore regular basis in regional and international co-operations also to beable to bring back to the voters the broad international perspective in aneffort to avoid nationalism and xenophobia to spread. Thank you for yourattention.BRIEF COMMENTSSigita BurbieneWithin the recent Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe(PACE) committee debate on Kaliningrad there was no Russianparliamentarian present. Is it so that Russian parliamentarians only speak47BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEabout Kaliningrad in public? Kaliningrad could become a pilot region, aspecial economic zone and it is a Russian duty to fulfil these plans byintensified efforts from the federal government also in financial terms.Apparently there are still no treaties on double taxation, which means thereis no sufficient stimulation to investment. This could be a homework forRussia, same as a better co-ordination of EU-programs.Investments should be made into border facilities, standing in line for 24hours to cross a border does big damage to any economy. The liberty ofmovement does not automatically mean the right to transit through otherstates. These issues have to be solved, also the border demarcation betweenLithuania and Kaliningrad. Lithuania wanted to establish a consulate inKaliningrad but has not received an answer so far.Everybody should fulfil their tasks then many things could be donequicker. Thank you for your attention.Giedre PurvaneckieneLithuania has great understanding for the Kaliningrad problems. Theenlargement opens up new opportunities for everybody. But a lot of theresults depend on Russia, also the responsibility for building upconstructive relations with the EU. Transit is a question of technicalimportance. Recently there have been hot discussions on several points. Forexample, Lithuania has closed the justice chapter with the EU and it is clearthat Lithuania does not want isolation. There must be room for flexibledecisions.The Lithuanian initiatives have rested upon the bona fide principle, theresidents should get reasonable terms. Questions on Lithuanian-Russianborder agreements have not been replied to and the consulate question hasalso stayed unanswered. Lithuania will though not support any solution tothe Kaliningrad problems that will negatively influence Lithuania(cid:146)s EU-accession. The Baltic Assembly will continue to collaborate with theKaliningrad Duma in order to further achieve fruitful solutions to ourcommon problems. Thank you for your attention.48BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCETuija BraxI have a dream of a world guided by human rights and easy borders whereeverybody is free to move from one country to another. But unfortunatelythe world today is not so free of risks and therefore it is every countriesright to implement visa regimes. Merely expecting visas is not a violationof human rights but it is much more a human rights issue how visas areissued. The Nice treaty forbids discrimination and urges for goodgovernance, therefore the process we are presently witnessing must be dealtwith in a prompt, clear and fast manner. If we take these articles seriously,the visa regime is not a question of dignity. Thank you for your attentionGennady BurbulisThe creative atmosphere here deserves thankfulness. Yesterday Mr.Hemmo spoke about the harbour porpoise and disturbing factors such asdrift nets. These drift nets could be seen as a picture of the EU andparliamentary solidarity. There are remnants of drift nets to be detected inthe European way of dealing with pressing issues despite of all respect toRussian problems. The new approach of our leader is beingunderestimated, he has a long-term European strategy, where Kaliningradis only one of the technical aspects. With some good will we get more andmore consensus. But we have felt some criminal negligence and criticismof our style of governance even though we tried to assure that we have nonegative attitude.Our long-term strategy is close to that of Helle Degn. The parliamentaryinstitutions are growing and their role is manifested by the unique ways ofco-operation only Members of Parliament can employ. Once the technicalproblems are solved and the EU enlargement is advancing, Russia willconvince the EU that its European strategy is an honest project. Thedifferent territories around the Baltic Sea all belong to the big Baltic Seafamily. For Kaliningrad it is a hard test to find its place in this family andnot to become an outcast of history. There should be parliamentarysolidarity in this question, applying humanitarian strategies. Therefore wewill carefully study the remarks made on this rostrum in order to strengthenour relations with Europe.49BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEJesper LangballeThe word Europe is nowadays synonymous with the visionary projectbased on a historically grown region. It would be dangerous to play withthis achievement in connection with the vulnerable and complex case ofKaliningrad. Respecting peoples and nations as they are is the only way forfree co-operation.CLOSING REMARKSKonstantin KosachevIt was a great honor to the Russian Federation to host the 11th BSPC. Wedid our best to make this conference fruitful and Finland will surely do thesame. Thank you.Paula Lehtom(cid:228)kiGreat thanks goes to the hosts of the 11th BSPC in St. Petersburg for thismarvellous conference. Next year we will meet in September in Oulu at thecoast of the Baltic Sea. Welcome!Kari NenonenA warm welcome to all of you for next years meeting in Oulu! Today thecity is a growing European city which is known for the so called (cid:145)Oulu-phenomenon(cid:146), the rapid growth into an efficient centre for research on andproduction of high-tech wireless communication. Here, the strategy fornorthern Finland and the city of Oulu has prominently reached its goal: Thecity is an important centre for business and know-how on a national andinternational scale. Oulu is the region where Barents-, Arctic-, and BalticSea co-operation meet. Therefore it is a great honour for the city to hostyour next meeting.50BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEHeinz-Werner AhrensEvery one of our conferences has been unique and has contributed in aspecial way to our work. Clear political goals have been formulated here.Decision-makers all over the region should respect our results and theinterests of all the participants. Congratulations to St. Petersburg and theRussian Federation for this outstanding conference. Thank you to allparticipants.51BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEAnnex IRESOLUTIONPart Iadopted bythe 11th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC),assembled in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 30th September - 1st October2002The participants of the Conferenceconcentrating onWAYS OF INTEGRATION AND COOPERATION IN THE BALTIC SEAREGIONbased on the Northern Dimension and its special impact on environmentalpolicy as well as on the role of Kaliningradtaking note ofthe declaration on (cid:147)The future of the European Union(cid:148), adopted by the LaekenEuropean Council, convening a Convention with broad participation ofparliamentarians in order to pave the way for the next IntergovernmentalConference in 2004,the EU-Russia Summit in May 2002,the Action Plan for the Northern Dimension (2000 (cid:150) 2003), adopted by the FeiraEuropean Council,the Communication from the Commission to the Council on (cid:147)the EU andKaliningrad(cid:148) - COM (2001)26 final - Brussels, Jan 17, 2001,52BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEthe Communication from the Commission to the Council on (cid:148)EU-RussiaEnvironmental Co-operation(cid:148) - COM (2001) 772 final - Brussels, Dec. 17, 2001,the outcome of the 4th Baltic Sea States Summit in St. Petersburg in June 2002,the positive work carried out in the Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS) andmany other regional organisations, such as the Nordic Council and the NordicCouncil of Ministers, Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC), Baltic Sea States Sub-Regional Co-operation (BSSSC), Baltic Chamber of Commerce Association(BCCA) and Trade Union Co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region,the ongoing negotiations between the European Union and the RussianFederation as well as between the European union and the applicant countriesregarding future visa and transit arrangement in the light of the EU enlargement,call on the CBSS and their governments toundertake joint efforts to strengthen the Northern Dimension,contribute to a structured implementation and follow-up of the NorthernDimension Action Plan, reviewing the progress achieved and providing policyguidance for further action and for the new action plan to be prepared during2003,encourage the European Commission to improve the co-ordination of financing,so that the different funds can match each other on different sides of borders,as there are the EU and EEA countries, the future member states and Russia,pay more attention to projects with a genuine cross-border character, dealingwith border-crossing infrastructure, economic co-operation between border53BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEregions and trans-border environmental issues, using in particular such tool asEuro-region,undertake joint efforts to include not only roads and railways in the Trans-European Network, but ferry connections in the Baltic Sea as well,negotiate with the European Commission to pay more attention to the BalticSea Region and include maritime transportation with ferries across the BalticSea as an important transportation link in the Commissions White Book onTransportation,further streamline co-operation within the Baltic Sea Region by an effectivedivision of labour and responsibilities, so as to better co-ordinate between thenumerous regional bodies and working groups and to ensure that duplication ofprojects is minimised,adopt national strategies and action programs to protect the Baltic Sea, aimingto reduce discharges of nutriants in all sectors that contributes to theeutrophication of the Baltic Sea,face a range of common trans-border environmental concerns in the Baltic SeaRegion, such as wasteful energy use and climate change, risks to human healthfrom water and air pollution, depletion of natural resources and management ofwastes, including radioactive waste, loss of natural systems and bio-diversity,pollution of the Baltic and Barents Sea,urge the parties to finalise the MNEPR agreement,prevent the extinction of the harbour porpoise in accordance with theregulations of the UN,54BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEsupport sustainable development, especially the implementation of the Baltic21, meaning that in the run of policymaking and decision taking processesequal attention has to be paid to economic, social and environmentalconsiderations,contribute to the concept of a common European economic space which isunder discussion in the framework of the EU-Russia Partnership and Co-operation Agreement (PCA) and to pay attention to the pilot character of EU-Kaliningrad-relations,ratify and implement the Kyoto protocol as soon as possible,unite efforts in advance of the EU-Russia Summit in November 2002 in order toachieve a mutually acceptable solution to the problems relating to passengerand cargo traffic between Kaliningrad district and the rest of Russia and toprevent new division lines in Europe as well as to continue and develop co-operation among people,provide technical assistance in order to solve problems with organised crimeactivities,mobilise society within and beyond the health care system to fight the the HIVepidemic and other communicable diseases,intensify cross-border co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region, creating securityand stability and addressing the problems related to uneven development in theregion,agree toexpress its gratitude to the Committee on Maritime Safety for the final report onthis issue,55BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEacceptwith gratitude the invitation of the Finnish Parliament to hold the 12th Baltic SeaParliamentary Conference in September 2003 in Oulu.R E S O L U T I O NP A R T IIadopted bythe 11th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference (BSPC),assembled in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, 30th September - 1st October2002The participants of the Conference,Concentrating onMARITIME SAFETY AND SECURITYwith regard to Part II of the Resolution adopted by the participants of the 10thBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in Greifswald, in which the latter call uponthe Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and the governments of the Baltic Seacountries to adopt a number of measures designed to prevent and controlshipping accidents, to continue to fundamentally improve the safety of ships andnavigation, and to co-operate internationally in this field,Taking note ofthe findings presented in the appended report by the Committee on MaritimeSafety (COMS) established at the 10th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference inGreifswald, in particular with regard toan international hearing conducted on 13th May 2002 in Copenhagen56BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEan update of the expert opinion on maritime safety in the Baltic Sea areapresented at the 10th Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conferenceinformation provided by the various member states on the current status ofmaritime safety in the Baltic Sea area and on progress made with regard to theimplementation of the Greifswald Resolutionthe current status of deliberations and planning by the Helsinki Commission(HELCOM) and its efforts with regard to the implementation of the CopenhagenDeclaration (HELCOM Extra 2001) on maritime safety and marineenvironmental protection [HELCOM 23/2002]the political views expressed by the European Union in its White Paper on(cid:147)European Transport Policy for 2010: Time to Decide(cid:148) [COM(2001) 370 final]with regard to the new dimension of maritime safety, as well as the efforts madeby the EU to become a full member of the International Maritime Organisation(IMO),Welcomethe resolutions adopted at the extraordinary meeting of the HelsinkiCommission (HELCOM EXTRA 2001) on 10th September 2001 in Copenhagen,which reflect a large part of the demands contained in the Resolution adopted atthe Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference on 4th September 2001 in Greifswaldthe decision taken by the Helsinki Commission on 7th March 2002 to grant theBaltic Sea Parliamentary Conference observer statusthe fact that high political priority continues to be given to maritime safety in theBaltic Sea area and that awareness of maritime safety has increasedconsiderably57BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEthe fact that new conventions, directives, regulations and other provisionsdesigned to improve maritime safety have been negotiated or concluded by theresponsible international and national bodies faster than in the past (cid:150) due alsoto the commitment of the COMS Working Groupthe introduction of AIS as of 1st July 2002 for all new ships with a gross tonnageof over 300 and the fact that the Baltic Sea is one of the first regions world-wideto introduce the Automatic Ship Identification System (AIS)the declaration of the ministerial conference (cid:147)Safety and Security of EnergySupplies in the Baltic Sea Region in the Context of the European UnionEnlargement(cid:147), adopted on 27th September in Ventspils, Latviathe fact that a HELCOM workshop will be held in March 2003 with theinvolvement of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the EuropeanCommunity (EC) to discuss the (cid:147)Environmental effects of increased shippingdensity in the Baltic Sea(cid:148),The initiative of the Nordic Council of Ministers to produce an electronic map ofthe oil spill risks caused by the increasing oil and other transportation as well asthe oil combating preparedness in the Baltic Sea area, through combininginformation and data bases collected by HELCOM and the Baltic Sea states.Notethat the time required for the ratification and entry into force of internationaltargets in the implementation of conventions and directives is still unsatisfactorythat it is necessary to adopt not only measures to prevent the Baltic Sea frombeing contaminated by oil and other pollutants from shipping operations but alsoother suitable measures to improve marine environmental protection in theBaltic Sea area58BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCECall on the CBSS and the governments of the Baltic Sea countries tokeep up their efforts to improve maritime safety in the Baltic Sea area especiallybyimplementing the HELCOM Copenhagen Declaration as quickly as possible inthe Baltic Sea statessupporting the work of the IMO and its efforts to establish a model for auditingflag statesconsidering on a priority basis ratification of the Protocol (Protocol on Seafarers(cid:146)Condition of Work) of 1996 to Convention No. 147 of the International LabourOrganisation (ILO), as well as Convention No. 180, for the codification andmonitoring of elementary demands for minimum social standards, which (cid:150)except for a few exceptions (cid:150) have not yet been ratified by the Baltic Sea statesjointly before the IMO stress the importance of designating areas of the BalticSea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA), as a first step to implementthe relevant part of the Greifswald resolutionquickly and uniformly improving the safety level of Baltic Sea ports andpresenting common demands in the framework of the IMO(cid:146)s diplomaticconference, which will take place in December 2002 with regard to- making it mandatory for ships to be equipped with AIS transponders earlierthan planned- the performance of security risk assessments for ships, mobile platforms aswell as ports- the appointment of security commissioners- the preparation of ship and port security plans- reporting violations of security regulations in force59BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEeffectively implementing the Baltic Strategy ((cid:147)Strategy for Port ReceptionFacilities for Ship Generated Wastes and Associated Issues(cid:148) [HELCOM 17/96]),including suitable activities in the fields of enforcement, monitoring andprosecutionexamining whether a (cid:147)Port and Maritime Security Act(cid:148) (cid:150) along the lines ofcurrent plans in the United States (cid:150) should be developed and implemented forthe Baltic Sea areaimplementing as quickly as possible (cid:147)Directive 2000/59/EC of the EuropeanParliament and of the Council of 27th November 2000(cid:148) on port receptionfacilities for ship-generated waste and cargo residuesresolutely introducing any other suitable measures to improve marineenvironmental protection, in particular by reducing land-based emissions ofpollutants and nutrientsrecommending the governments of the HELCOM contracting parties to carry outfurther investigations for location and characterisation of dumped chemicalmunitions, informing HELCOM about the results of these investigations andcommissioning HELCOM to update the latest information and knowledge aboutchemical munitions in the Baltic Sea and to present a new, written report to thecontacting partners as soon as possibledeveloping regional plans within the respective national territorial waters as wellas the introduction of joint regional planning strategies of the countriesbordering the Baltic Sea in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the BalticSeapromoting the efforts made by the IMO to unify international training certificatesand standards for seamen and the development of standards and procedures60BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEfor mutual accreditation of maritime education and training institutions andmutual recognition of Certificates of Competence / Documents of Evidencewithin the EU/EEA areaagreethat the establishment of a (cid:147)working group(cid:148) of the Baltic Sea ParliamentaryConference has proven to be a suitable instrument to increase the potential forpolitical acceptance of its demands and to improve the dialogue with theexecutive institutions in the Baltic Sea area and with international institutionsthat this instrument should also be used in future when suitable issues arise,andthat the Standing Committee of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference shouldfocus its attention on maritime safety and security measures.61BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEAnnex IIPARTICIPANTSSPEAKERS AND CHAIRPERSONSAhrens, Heinz-Werner Speaker, Member of the Standing CommitteeCarlsen, Per Director, Danish Institute of InternationalAffairsDegn, Helle CBSS Commissioner on DemocraticDevelopmentEnestam, Jan-Erik Minister for Nordic Co-operation,representing CBSS PresidencyPesola, Tauno Ambassador, Chairman of the CSO, FinlandStr(cid:246)m, Ingmar Counsellor, Ministry of Foreign AffairsVuori, Lea AttachØ, Ministry of Foreign AffairsHemmo, Muntingh Senior Policy AdviserKlostermann, Henning MP, Chairman of COMSKosachev Konstantin MPLarsen-Jensen, Claus MP, Chairman of COSACMironov, Sergey Chairman, Council of FederationOjala, Outi President, Nordic CouncilOstojski, Mieczyslaw S Executive Secretary, HelcomPaka, Vadim DirectorPivnenko, Valentina MP, State Duma, RussiaRavnanger, Kristin State Secretary, NorwaySavenko, Yuri MP, Mayor of KaliningradSeleznev, Gennady Chairman, State DumaTarasov, Sergey Chairman, St Petersburg LegislativeAssemblyTulaev, Nikolay MP, Chairman of the Standing Committee ofthe BSPCVissing, Lars Ambassador, EU PresidencyWalendziak, Wieslav MPYakovlev, Vladimir Governor of St PetersburgPARLIAMENTARY DELEGATIONSAdriatic-Ionic InitiativeBrasi, Raffaello de MP62BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEBaltic AssemblyKlisonis, Audrius MPKuzmickas, Kestutis MPPurvaneckiene, Giedre MPRazminovics, Arnis MPRazuks, Romualds MPTarvis, Laine MPVelliste, Trivimi MPParliament of ̄landSj(cid:246)lund, Folke MPWigl(cid:246)f, Lasse MPParliament of Free and Hanseatic City of BremenArnold-Cramer, Ursula MPC(cid:252)nthner, Martin MPH(cid:252)ttelberg, Dieter MPR(cid:246)wekamp, Thomas MPTeiser, Michael MPParliament of DenmarkLangballe, Jesper MPLarsen, Jens Christian MPSłvndahl, Villy MPParliament of EstoniaKirsipuu, Valve MPVarik, Andres MPParliament of F(cid:230)roe IslandsNielsen, Hergeir MPParliament of FinlandBrax, Tuija MPGestrin, Christina MPKanerva, Seppo MPKatainen, Jyrki MPLehtom(cid:228)ki, Paula MP63BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEParliament of the Federal Republic of GermanyB(cid:246)rnsen, Wolfgang MPDeichmann, Christel MPHiller, Reinholt MPTh(cid:246)nnes, Franz MPParliament of Free and Hanseatic City of HamburgGrund, Uwe MPHardenberg, Gerd MPL(cid:252)demann, Carsten Ludwig MPM(cid:252)er, Farid MPStapelfeldt, Dorothee SpeakerWoestmeyer, Martin MPRegional Duma of KaliningradNikitin, Vladimir MPZolothukin, Sergey MPLegislative Assembly of the Republic of KareliaLevin, Nikolay I. SpeakerMakarov, Nikolay I. MPStepanov, Vladimir N. MPZaykov, Nikolay I. MPParliament of LatviaBunkŝs, Janis MPLegislative Assembly of the Leningrad RegionKlimov, Vitaliy ChairmanShadaev, Damir Chairman of the Standing Commission onEcological Safety and Nature ManagementParliament of LithuaniaBurbiene, Sigita MPState Parliament of Mecklenburg-Western PomeraniaCaffier, Lorenz MPHolznagel, Renate MP64BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEKlostermann, Henning MPKuessner, Hinrich SpeakerNeumann, Karsten MPSchwebs, Birgit MPNordic CouncilBrłrby, Berit MPKallis, Bjarne MPKristoffersen, Asmund MPLyngstad, Arne MPL(cid:246)v, Pehr MPMolvik, Sigbjłrn MPNistad, Thore Aksel MPOjala, Outi MPSigridur Johannesdottir MPStavad, Ole MPParliament of NorwayHalleraker, (cid:216)ivind MPHansen, May Elisabeth MPKorsberg, (cid:216)ivind MPKlungland, Rolf Terje MPSkulberg, Andreas MPTłrresdal, Bjłrg MPParliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)Burbiene, Sigita MP, LithuaniuaParliament of PolandSenatCzaja, Gerard MPSejmKanilowski, Stanislaw MPPiekarska, Katarzyna MPSienko, Jan MPWalendziak, Wieslav MP65BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEFederal Assembly of RussiaCouncil of FederationBurbulis, Gennady MPGusev, Vladimir MPMironov, Sergey SpeakerTulaev, Nikolay MP, Chairman, Standing Committee of theBSPCState DumaChernyshenko, Igor MPKosachev, Konstantin MPPolevikov, Nikolay MPPivnenko, Valentina MPSeleznev, Gennady SpeakerLegislative Assembly of St. PetersburgBrodskiy, M. MPMatveev, I. MPPanchenko, Anatoliy MPTarasov, Sergey ChairmanYagya, Vatanyar MPState Parliament of Schweswig-HolsteinArens, Heinz-Werner PresidentBehm, Joachim MPFischer, Rolf MPK(cid:246)hler, Joachim SpeakerSpoorendonk, Anke MPVologodskaya OblastTikhomirov, Nikolay T. MPOBSERVERSAdriatic Ionic InitiativeBiondi, Alfredo Vice ChairmanGazzetta, PeterrenricoSolia, Alberto66BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEStanding Committee of the Parliamentarians of the Arctic RegionHansen, Lavst Riemann Deputy Secretary General of the NordicCouncil in DenmarkBaltic Sea States Sub-regional Cooperation (BSSSC)Synak, Bruno ChairmanWroblewska, Krystyna Secretary GeneralBaltic Youth AssemblyDziambor, ArthurJulØn, ToveWeidemann, SandraCouncil of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)Enestam, Jan-Erik Minister for Nordic Cooperation and mattersrelating to Neighbouring Areas, FinlandPesola, Tauno Ambassador, Chairman of the CSO, FinlandHalinen, Hannu Director of the CBSS SecretariatBotcher, Bjarke AdviserEuropean CommissionPiket, Vincent Head of delegationFederal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN)Hansen, Hans-HeinrichGlobe EuropeDeimer-Sch(cid:252)tte, PetraMuntingh, Hemmo Consultant AdvisorO(cid:146)Donnel, Lesley DirectorVorontsova, Maria Director IFAWInter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of IndependentStates (IPA CIS)Krotov, Mikhail Secretary GeneralBakenov, H. Representative, KazakhstanDzafarov, A Representative, AzerbaidzhanGushan, F Representative, ArmeniaKhushvakhtov, H. Representative, Tadzhikistan67BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEKirichenko, N. Representative, Ukra(cid:239)neKomarov, L. Representative, ByelorussiaMorozov, P. Representative, KirgiziaRyabukhin, P. Representative, Federal Assembly of theRussian FederationSurguladze, P. Representative, GeorgiaZlachevsky, V. Representative, MoldovaNordic Council of Ministers, Information office, St PetersburgMarkkanen, EsaMoscow State University, Russia, Faculty of GeographyGogolev, GeorgiyHasnutdinov, RamilNorth-West Parliamentary Association of RussiaSazhinov, Pavel MP, Murmansk Regional DumaCity of OuluNenonen, KariKer(cid:228)nen, SirkkaKorhonen, AnneliPomeranian Region, PolandSzakiel, Ludwik International Officer for the Office of thePomeranian region PresidentRed CrossSchr(cid:246)der, Waltraud Vice-president, GermanyTrade Union Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Region/NFSSaxØn, Tom Secretary GeneralUnion of the Baltic Cities (UBC)Andersen, Per Błdker ChairmanZaboklicki, Pawel Secretary GeneralOlsen, Ingemann68BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCELocal Parliament of Western PomeraniaRewaj, TadeuszCORPS DIPLOMATIQUESUSAKlecheski, Michael Deputy Principal OfficerRupp, Abigail Political and Economic OfficerDenmarkWeis, Jłrgen Peter General ConsulZakharova, Elena AssistantFinlandJ(cid:228)msen, Kauko General ConsulKarttunen, Aarno ConsulSalo, Petri ConsulGermanySch(cid:246)ning, Ulrich General ConsulM(cid:252)rs, Peter H Deputy General ConsulLatviaAudarinsh, Juris General ConsulLithuaniaRonkaitis, Gintaras General ConsulGriesiuviene, Erika Vice ConsulNorwayTollefsen, Per A. General ConsulSwedenEriksson, StefanSECRETARIATSParliament of ̄landHolm-Johansson, Marine Secretary of the Delegation69BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEBaltic AssemblyMolnika, Baiba Secretary General of the Baltic AssemblyLaizane-Jurkane, Marika Project ManagerParliament of Free and Hanseatic City of BremenKrause, WalterParliament of EstoniaRongelep, Ene Secretary for the Estonian delegation to theBaltic AssemblyParliament of FinlandEriksson, MagnusParliament of the Federal Republic of GermanyNothelle, AndreasMeier, SilkeParliament of Free and Hanseatic City of HamburgWagner, ReinhardParliament of LatviaTrumkalns, Edgars Deputy Chief, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Division for Baltic and Nordic statesAunina, Inese Head of Press DepartmentSticenko, Ingrida Secretary for the Latvian delegation to theBaltic AssemblyParliament of LithuaniaJankauskaite, Renata Secretary for the Lithuanian delegation to theBaltic AssemblyParliament of Mecklenburg-VorpommernBahr, BodoBoer, Hendrik deGutzeit, GeraldLoscher, BerndTebben, Armin70BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCENordic CouncilGranvik, Lena Political secretaryNikolajsen, Mads Political secretaryPakarinen, Heikki Political secretaryPalsh(cid:246)j, Peter Political secretaryStenarv, Gunnar Political secretaryStern, Lisa Political secretaryHagemann, Henrik Head of Secretariat, DenmarkMyhre-Jensen, Kjell Head of Secretariat, NorwaySmekal, Eva Head of Secretariat, SwedenZilliacus, Patrick Head of Secretariat, FinlandNokken, Frida Secretary GeneralLindroos, P(cid:228)ivikki Senior AdviserWidberg, Jan Senior AdviserFredriksson, Kristina SecretarySłrensen, Torkil Secretary, Information deptParliament of NorwayBrun, Słlvi AdviserMathisen, Ragnhild Political adviserSl(cid:229)ke, (cid:216)yvind Political adviserParliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE)Ramanauskaite, Aiste Secretary of the PACE Committee onEconomic Affairs and DevelopmentLegislative Assembly of St. PetersburgPanchenko, Anatoliy RepresentativePolevikov, Nikolay Head of the Sector for Inter-parliamentaryCo-operationTerehovskiy, Sergey Head of the External Affairs DepartmentParliament of PolandJanuszewski, Andrzej71BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEFederal Assembly of RussiaCouncil of FederationArbuzova, AntoninaAstapov, KirillBereza, AnatoliyDakhova, NadezdaDolgov, VitaliyGvozdeva, GalinaKarahanov, AndronikKiselev, VyacheslavKomysova, NataljaKopiekina, SvetlanaKudjukova, SvetlanaLatenkov, MikhailMaidan, RaisaMikhailov, AlexanderNaumkina, TamaraParshin, VasiliyPavlova, LarisaPogrebnoy, ValeriyPopov, IgorPopova, TamaraSenin, VladimirSherbakov, GennadiyShurov, LeonidSivachenko, LiudmilaTchaikovskiy, EvgeniyViktorov, ValerianVoronin, AnatoliyVostretsov, AlexeyYakovleva, ZinaidaVdovichenko, LarisaZenkovich, NikolayZharov, ValeryZhrorov, AlexanderState DumaAliev, TalyatGlushenko, Kira72BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEKopnov, VitaliyKhomyakov, AndreyKudinov, NikolayMarinko, PavelMamiev, VictorPerfiljev, VladimirUsov, AnatoliyYahmenev, PetrZaitseva, ArinaState Parliament of Schweswig-HolsteinK(cid:246)hler, JoachimMuxfeldt, InaSchmidt-Holl(cid:228)nder, Jutta ExpertSch(cid:246)ning, J(cid:252)rgen DirectorRAPPORTEUR (SUMMARY REPORT)Williams, Leena-KaarinaJOURNALISTSEwald, R(cid:252)digerBaab, PatrikHoffmann, AndrØHolsten, KnutUllrich, AlexanderYl(cid:228)joki, JannePARTICIPANTS IN THE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION 30 SEPTEMBER -The Gulf of Finland Growth TriangleFinnish delegation:Lempinen, Aimo Executive Director, Uusimaa RegionalCouncilSavo, Juho Executive Director, Regional Council ofSouthwest FinlandHalme, Esa Executive Director, Regional Council ofP(cid:228)ij(cid:228)t-H(cid:228)meJuurola, Ulla Member of the Parliament, Chairman of theBoard, Regional Council of P(cid:228)ij(cid:228)t-H(cid:228)me73BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCEKauranen, Aarne Chairman of the Board, Regional Councilof H(cid:228)meSalminen, Lauri Member of the Board, Regional Council ofSouthwest FinlandOjanen, Jukka Head of Economic Affairs, RegionalCouncil of H(cid:228)meMoisio, Urpo Project Manager, Regional Council ofSouth KareliaSavander, Juha Senior Adviser, Uusimaa Regional CouncilKivikari, Urpo Professor, Turku School of Economics andBusiness AdministrationVirolainen, Veli-Matti Professor, Lappeenranta University ofTechnologySulonen, Taisto Director, Helsinki Chamber of CommerceSaarnia, P(cid:228)ivi Manager, Project planning, Green NetFinlandVasiljeva, Irina Editor, Finnish-Russian Chamber ofCommerce (in St. Petersburg)Viita, Johanna General Secretary, South Finland RegionalAllianceVen(cid:228)l(cid:228)inen, Eero Project Manager, South Finland RegionalAllianceEstonian delegation:Valtson, Orm Governor, Harju countyEts, Aare Director of economic department, HarjuCounty GovernmentToos, Tiit Ida-Viru County GovernmentHindrikson, Ingrid Co-ordinator of development projects,Tallinn City GovernmentTeniste, Kairi Manager of enterprise board, Tallinn CityGovernmentRepnau, Mart Specialist of small enterprise, Tallinn CityGovernmentDanilson, Riina International relations manager, EstonianAssociation of SME’s, EVEAKaas, Marina Board’s member of Estonian Association ofSME-s EVEA, Co-ordinator of GrowthTriangle concept in Estonia74BALTIC SEA - WAYS OF INTEGRATION AND CO-OPERATION11th BALTIC SEA PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCESımer, Kaire Managing director of Helsinki-TallinnEuregioKarpikov, Oleg Chairman of Chamber of Russian-EstonianEntrepreneursPung, Andre Estonian consul in St. PetersburgPere, Marianne Director of Konetti (business magazine)75