Before commenting more specifically on issues related to regional cooperation, I wish to confirm Romania's agreement with the documents submitted to the Council for endorsement, particulary the EAPC Action Plan for 1998-2000. They reflect the important step forward in the enhancement of PfP activities which has to be commended. They also reflect that although the EAPC has been in operation for several months only, in my opinion it already projects a clear preoccupation to respond in practical and concrete forms to current challenges. This trend should be further encouraged. It is of particular importance that NATO's enlargement converges with the general process of strengthening the Alliance.
Facts are to be put in.
The conclusions of the North Atlantic Council meeting of yesterday are encouraging in this respect. I am reffering in particular to paragraph 6 of the final communique of this meeting where the commitment to follow-up activities for implementing the paragraph 8 of the Madrid Declaration is clearly affirmed. I would like to recall that a special refference is made in that Declaration to Romania and Slovenia. Regional cooperation has emerged as a significant dimension of the stability and security in Europe and Romania has committed herself to be an active promoter of such a cooperation. It is true that it is Central Europe which primarily lends itself to and developed such a type of cooperation.