Trilateral Commission starts meeting in Belgrade

BELGRADE - A meeting of the European branch of the Trilateral Commission, a discussion group often called "the world's shadow government," started in Belgrade Saturday, with Chairman of the Commission's European branch Jean-Claude Trichet and Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic welcoming the participants.

Trichet, who opened the meeting, said that the members of the global economic and political elite had come to Belgrade to discuss issues faced by Europe, the future of European integration and the Western Balkans, and the current situation in Russia and Ukraine.

He pointed out that a few days from now was an anniversary celebrating the fall of the Berlin Wall and the return to a Europe that was integrated and free, and told Prime Minister Vucic that the Commission would be there for Serbia on its road to the EU.

Addressing the participants, Chairman of the Serbian National Group at the Trilateral Commission Jovan Kovacic said that the region suffered from "too much history and little understanding" and that we should do all to change that legacy for the sake of future generations.

The Commission has been discussing issues concerning this region, where history has brought great chaos, on a regular basis, he said, observing that Belgrade had been run down by 250 armies and razed to the ground more than 40 times over the course of history.

The situation is similar in the rest of the region. We owe our children not to leave them such a legacy, said Kovacic.

Opening the three-day meeting together with Trichet, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic extended words of welcome to the members of the Commission and said that Serbia would be an agent of peace and promoter of stability in the future.