The AER Presidium met on 18th February 2000 and welcomed with satisfaction the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi’s, announcement concerning the drawing up of a White paper of European governance and decided to commit AER member Regions to making a contribtion to this deliberation in the interest of regional authorities.

In addition, the Presidium exressed its concern regarding the difficulties facing the peace process in Northern Ireland and asked all involved parties to commit themselves to the restoration of conditions in which regional democracy and autonomy can be fully applied and as quickly as possible.

With reference to the crisis in Chechnya, the AER President stressed that only the values of regionalism, such as the respect of peoples’ rights and diversities, interregional and cross-border cooperation as well as the principle of regional autonomy, can offer a constructive solution to current problems. The AER puts its expertise and its bodies at the service of the involved parties and institutions in charge of the discussion.

In addition, on the occasion of this meeting, the Presidium members committed themselves to giving AER support to the new Polish Regions which are currently preparing their development strategy for the enlargement process.

The AER, responding to a direct appeal from seven of its member Regions which had been effected by the ecological disaster of the Danube, asked its members – in particular its riverside dwelling Regions of the Rhine – to put their know-how in terms of water treatment at the service of the Polish Regions.

For more information: [email protected]