Source: The State

Wire Service: AP

http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/world/10386076.htm

On December 10, 2004 the Associated Press reported, "Balkan leaders on Friday agreed that strengthening regional dialogue was the only way to prevent the return of ethnic violence that wracked the region in the 1990s. Closing a two-day summit on ethnic and religious tolerance, the presidents of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia-Montenegro also pledged to speed up their efforts to join the European Union and NATO.... The leaders said dialogue was 'the core of continued inter-religious cooperation and collaboration in the region.' They also cited practical steps such as ensuring freedom of movement and making minorities serve as bridges of unity."