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Developments in the Western Balkans and Policy Responses

Members

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Hon. Ben Cardin

Chairman

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

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Hon. Chris Smith

Co-Chairman

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe

Hon. Eliot L. Engel

Congressmember

United States House of Representatives

Hon. Adam Kinzinger

Congressmember

United States House of Representatives

Witnesses

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Hoyt Yee

Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs

U.S. Department of State

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Tanja Fajon

Member (Slovenia)

European Parliament

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Kurt Volker

Executive Director

The McCain Institute for International Leadership

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Contribution of the European Union

This hearing on the Western Balkans examined the progress being made towards democratization. Commissioners Benjamin L. Cardin and Christopher H. Smith presided over the hearing, which included testimonies from: Hoyt Yee, Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs for the U.S. Department of State;  Tanja Fajon, Member for the European Parliament from Slovenia; and Kurt Volker, Executive Director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership.

This hearing held great significance, not only for the members of the Commission, but the wider foreign policy community, as whilst the Western Balkans is no longer the setting for violent conflict that it was two decades ago, the United States has had to devote considerable resources—financial, diplomatic and military —to restore peace and to encourage the democratic and other reforms necessary to sustain it. However, that job is not yet done—the need to see the task of a stable, democratic and fully integrated Western Balkans is yet to be completed.
 

http://www.senate.gov/isvp/?type=live&comm=csce&filename=csce030514

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