5 BSPC Resolution

RESOLUTIONActing on the mandate for Parliamentary Conferences on Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Area,Members of the Parliaments of Åland, Bremen, Denmark, Estonia, the Federal Republic ofGermany, Finland, Greenland, Hamburg, Iceland, Karelia, Latvia, Lithuania, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Norway, Poland, the Russian Federation, Schleswig-Holstein, Sweden, as well asof the Baltic Assembly, the Nordic Council, and the European Parliament, met in Riga on 10-11September 1996, to continue to develop the existing cooperation between representativeinstitutions of the Baltic Sea area, and to discuss major regional issues.The Participants of the Conferencenotingthe number of positive political developments contributing to stability andsecurity in the Baltic Sea area,the constructive process leading up to the Visby Summit in May 1996, and the comprehensivePresidency conclusions agreed upon at that meeting,the action programmes of the Baltic Sea States Cooperation adopted at the Kalmar meeting ofthe CBSS in July 1996,a number of national and international initiatives to speed up sustainable growth and economicdevelopment in the region,the important work of the CBSS Commissioner on Democratic Institutions and Human Rights,including the Rights of Persons belonging to the Minorities,various cooperation schemes launched by regional, local, and private organizations,the intertwining of economic, social, cultural, environmental, and political problems andchallenges in the region,taking into accountthe importance of an irreversible democratic evolution through the intensification ofinterparliamentary cooperation,the inviolability of internationally recognized state borders and the safeguarding of humanrights and equitable treatment of minorities,common historical experience and similarity in cultural background of the peoples living in theregion,the permanent and urgent need for close monitoring and resolute cooperative efforts to solvethe salient environmental challenges of the area,the importance of intensified cooperation with and among the sub-regions around the BalticSea as a basis for a growing regional identity, the development of local democracy and self-government, and sustainable economic growth,the initiatives of the Council of the Baltic Sea States to coordinate regional policies, and todefine priorities in the Baltic Sea area,the European Union's "Baltic Sea Region Initiative" prepared by the EU Commission andpresented at the Visby Summit,have agreed tofurther regional economic cooperation,give full national support through the law-making, budgeting, and ratificationprocesses for cooperation programmes in the field of environmental protection and sustainableeconomic growth and development,encourage regional, local, and private cooperation schemes conducive to the furtherdemocratic and socio-economic development in the area,support the free flow and exchange of information on social and environmental Issues,fight against organized crime,help fighting chauvinism, racism, and xenophobia on all political levels,facilitate the free movement of persons, goods, services, and capital amongst the countries asa means for a balanced and equitable economic development in the countries,support within the framework of Parliamentary Conferences the holding of seminars and othersimilar parliamentary activities at various levels;call on the Governments of the participating countries todeepen the constructive dialogue between the Parliamentary Conferences and the Council ofthe Baltic Sea States (CBSS),act resolutely and without delay implement the conclusions of the Visby Summit and theKalmar meeting,give priority to the fight against organized crime by every acceptable means and facilitate thecooperation between national administrations and police authorities to counter the threat oftrans-boundary criminal activities and establish close and operative common actionprogrammes giving special attention to trafficking in drugs and people,manifest political willingness to stimulate regional, sub-regional, and local cooperation withinthe Baltic Sea area,create conditions for lifting visa requirements as soon as possible,refrain from the use of force and any other form of threat in their relations, and to encouragecollective security and further arms control in the region,safeguard a stable and secure political, economic, legal, social and ecological development inthe region, and make sure that in this process sound and equitable minority rights areguaranteed.improve the conditions for mutual and free exchange of cultural, educational, and scientificcooperation projects,support activities and cooperation of national and transnational non-governmentalorganizations in the region,make sure that national, regional and local development plans are conducive to sustainableeconomic growth and development schemes,take effective measures to reduce the danger of breakdowns of nuclear power plants andnuclear powered vessels and of the hazards of nuclear waste deposits,take effective measures to reduce the emissions and discharges of hazardous waste in theBaltic Sea area with the target to secure the cessation of such discharges and emissions incooperation with HELCOM,show solidarity in the energy field in the short term by facilitating the establishment of afunctional power grid for the entire region, and by supporting the commercial use of renewableenergy resources,prepare step by step a full-fledged free trade area in the region, including all finished and semi-finished goods, raw materials, energy, and foodstuffs, and facilitate business cooperation byensuring transparency in business laws,strengthen cooperation for an effective and responsible regime for sustainable fisheries in theBaltic Sea,encourage close cooperation of research institutes in the region in order to ensure acomprehensive data base and the availability of a strategic research and planning facility forthe further development of the region;have decided toask the CBSS to present by the end of June each year a written report on its annual actionprogrammes to the participating parliaments and to discuss it with the members of theParliamentary Conferences at their annual meetings,ask the CBSS to consider setting up a joint Baltic Sea Region training facility for civil servantsfrom state, regional, and local level in order to prepare for a greater regional as well asEuropean involvement,let the interparliamentary working group preparing this 5th Conference continue its work as astanding committee for the parliamentary cooperation, and serve as a link to the CBSS,ensure the continuous and smooth functioning of the annual parliamentary conferences byallocating adequate economic and personnel resources for this task,express deep appreciation to the Latvian Parliament for the organization and hospitalityextended to the 5th Parliamentary Conference on Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Area, andaccept with gratitude the invitation of the Polish Parliament to hold the 6th ParliamentaryConference on Cooperation in the Baltic Sea Area in Gdansk on 15-16 September, 1997.