Distinguished Ministers of Spatial Planning of VASAB Countries At
the 5th Conference of Ministers Responsible for
Spatial Planning, held in Germany in September 2001, the
Ministers adopted the Wismar Declaration on transnational
spatial planning and development policies for the Baltic Sea
Region to 2010. In the Declaration the Ministers noted with
satisfaction that the States of the Baltic Sea Region were
developing together by revitalizing their close historical
relationships. Furthermore,
it was noted that spatial planning was increasingly
acknowledged as an interactive, interdisciplinary and
democratic instrument to promote sustainable and balanced
spatial development and spatial cohesion, and that special
attention should be dedicated to impact caused by borders
between present and future EU Member States and their
neighbouring countries and regions such as North-West Russia
and regions of Belarus. According
to the Wismar Declaration, the Committee on Spatial
Development of the Baltic Sea Region (CSD/BSR) prepares
Ministerial Conferences and implements the VASAB 2010 Plus
Spatial Development Action Programme. The preceding Russian
Chairmanship of VASAB intensified the successful dialogue
between North-Western regions of Russia and the other Baltic
Sea Region countries represented in the VASAB Committee. A
Russian National Sub-Committee (RNSC), which is composed of
high level regional politicians, has been established as a
co-ordinating body for spatial planning and development for
North-West Russian regions. Several conferences and meetings
have been organised in Russia, aiming at exchange of know-how
and experience in practical spatial planning. A
project called the East-West Forum has been thoroughly
discussed at the last CSD/BSR in St. Petersburg in June 2002.
This Project is now ready for applying for funding. The
East-West Forum has been elaborated to implement the Wismar
Declaration. The objective is to strengthen the exchange of
experience and information on spatial planning. The Forum will
benefit all stakeholders, especially the RNSC, by providing
implementation structures as well as training of planners and
administrators. The project is practically oriented and based
on the principle of learning by doing. As
the chairperson of the VASAB Committee, I kindly ask you to
recognise the advantages of the East-West Forum. The
recognition would encourage the participation of Russian
regional authorities in the East-West Forum and would be
beneficial for applying for funding from the EU TACIS
programme and other possible sources. I
sincerely hope that the East-West Forum would promote the
implementation of the Wismar Declaration by intensifying
spatial planning co-operation between North-Western Russia and
the rest of the Baltic Sea Region. Sincerely
yours Ulla
Koski
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