Dear friends,

With the authorisation of Emma Bonino, secretary of the party, I would like to insert in this conference, which I know is read by many of you, also in Eastern Europe, my thoughts on an hypothesis

of a political initiative (which already appears, although only touched upon, in the documents presented at the Sofia Assembly) which I think could be of great importance if developed autonomously by members in the countries concerned. Certainly

the project needs to be further developed (and in the Danube

Conference this was done, but in Italian), but in the meantime

I would be interested to see the first reactions to this short English text: bearing in mind that even if here it comes to naught, I would repropose it in other situations and in a different way. If I consider it opportune to insert it here, it is because I am taking account of the recent declarations of Delors, who, at the end of his mandate and preparing to leave the European scene, raises problems which could be avoided also by developing this project.

Thank you, in any case, for your attention.

Angiolo Bandinelli

(email: a.bandinelli)

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FEDERATIO BALCANICA - A PLAN FOR EX YUGOSLAVIA AND THE BALKANS

by Angiolo Bandinelli

I would like to pass on to readers of AGORA some considerations on the question of ex-Yugoslavia. They may at first sight appear to be impracticable or utopian, but I believe them to be politically incisive, realistic and of absolute priority if we are to focus on a long range initiative with regard to the political problems of ex-Yugoslavia and of the Balkans in general.

There have been up to now several initiatives of great importance both as regards the war front (Bosnia) and as regards Macedonia and the Kossova, two areas where already now some political action must be prepared in case of future, likely, deprecable military initiatives on the part of the Serbs. Promotion of the War Crimes Tribunal is essential, as part of a strategy which is directed towards stabilization of the present situation, but which cannot open up real prospects of peace. I am convinced that any action limited to the immediate situation, aimed at obtaining recognition of the new realities, and at stabilization of frontiers, and even the referral of the culprits to a Tribunal of Humanity is not sufficient to bring about a global solution to the problems of ex-Yugoslavia, and might perhaps result in that country becoming a point of reference and renewal also for the equally dramatic realities which threaten, or have already exploded, in neighbouring countries, even as far away as the Caucasus.

No freezing of frontiers (which is what it is NOW hoped to achieve) can ensure a perfect ethnic (re-)distribution , that is to say ethnic "purity" within each of the countries involved, as it seems all parties hope to achieve or tend to accept today. In the whole area potentially explosive situations of hidden uncertainty are likely to persist and to produce terrorism and genocide, which will have to be faced for decades to come.

It is for this reason that together with initiatives towards diplomatic, political and judicial "containment", it will be necessary to promote a series of initiatives to launch A NEW WAY of coexistence between peoples, not just as a generic affermation of civilization, tollerance, etc., but in the form of a truly political project within the framework of renewed democracy inspired on the great principles of occidental federalism, as we know for instance from American history and constitution. This project, through various stages, would result in the foundation of a true "Federatio Balcanica" (I deliberately use the Latin terminology, as for the "Federatio Helvetica", Switzerland.). This Federation would comprise all the Balkan countries; a sort of EEC, or pact, initially con-federal and later federative; an institutional and judicial framework, or convention, permitting coexistence of all the many peoples and races concerned, together with a stronger, more rapid and substantial economic development, no lon

ger encumbered, as it is today, by divisons between countries too small and disorganised to hope to make a leap forward worthy of their people's aspirations.

One of the reasons for the present confrontation is the obsession of each of the ethnic, and religious, groups to lay claim to the resources made free by the end of communist economics or coming from the West: a sort of "war among the poor" or "between rich and poor", with much, and not fortuitous, assonance with the Lega Nord here in Italy.

This federative project could/should involve several not unimportant sectors:

a) The cultural sector, to which would fall the ambitious task of identifying not only the historical reasons for unity, as opposed to those for division, but also the instruments and structures for obtaining that unity, using for the first time, positively and adequately, modern linguistic/cultural systems of communication, telematics, etc., capable of overcoming barriers up to now rightly or wrongly considered to be insuperable. Close connection with the most advanced cultural forces of the West, sensible to these problems, would be essential here.

b) The economic sector, encouraged to reflect on how to achieve development at a subcontinental - no longer at a micro-national - level, drawing on past, even partial and sectorial, experience (e.g. the Tennessee Valley Authority, Ferruzzi's "technocratic" experiments in agriculture in Argentina and in the Caucasus, where the agricultural development of whole regions is being planned). This would require the support of Western economists aware of the importance of economic, cultural and social development experience, at the global level, in an environment that is particularly interesting because it has already reached a certain mean level, and is not completely backward, neither in cultural nor in economic terms.

c) The religious sector, which should be encouraged to promote the healing of divisions, which in the area concerned are certainly very serious and deep-rooted: this would be the first occasion where coexistence between Christians and Muslims could start from positions not already compromised....

Surely such a project would find favour with at least a fraction of the leading classes, or even of the "political" classes? I believe it would; and if I am right such a project would provide for those who decided to take it over, a real opportunity for growth.

Outside the Balkans, the project would surely attract attention in the EEC, which could finally associate itself with an organic plan, full of potential, etc. which would not involve it at the military level but....

This Federatio Balkanica project could be seen as the spearhead of a political renewal in all the Eastern european Countries, as far as the Caucasus and beyond. It would also be the first attempt to construct a non-violent society, whose very purpose would be to provide institutional solutions to the problem of inter-racial violence, etc. The feasibility of such a project might be questionable but not a priori impossible. Other groupings of areas can be seen to be already evolving as a result of the breaking up of the USSR: I am here referring to the project, the presidency of which would naturally fall to Turkey, to group together in a kind of EEC the Muslim countries of the Caucasus, aiming also probably as far as Bosnia. Thus some centripetal force, no longer centrifugal, is starting to move: why not anticipate it, by starting up at least a strong minority debate on the subject, perhaps even run initially by a transnational Radical Association?

The objection has been raised that this project would meet with insurmountable obstacles in the divisions and ethnic wars at present under way: only "afterwards", I am told, can such a project as this be considered. I believe, however, that this objection proves the contrary: an élite, certainly a minority élite, which came forward today with such a controversial but fascinanting idea would introduce a strong element of confrontation and of debate not necessarily destined to fall on deaf ears.

Anyone interested in developing this project, which is still very much in the initial stages, and willing to form a small group for discussion and updating, should send messages through AGORA to A.Bandinelli, participate in this Conference, or write to Angiolo Bandinelli, Via D. Bartoli 9, 00152 Rome, Italy.