The Programme of the Ninth Meeting of the Presidents of Central European States

Friday 31 May 2002

from 09.10 to 11.00 - arrival of the presidents at Ljubljana airport, Brnik;

09.35 to 11.45 - arrival of the presidents at Grand Hotel Toplice, Bled;

14.15 - in the conference hall of Grand Hotel Toplice the President of the Slovak Republic Rudolf SCHUSTER will make a ceremonial presentation of a mine clearing machine to the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victim Assistance - the machine will be presented to the director of the International Trust Fund Jernej Cimpersek (the other presidents will attend the ceremony);

15.00 - arrival of the Presidents of Central European States at Brdo pri Kranju and a ceremonial reception with military honours in front of Brdo castle;

15.25 - group photograph of the Presidents of Central European States on the terrace of Brdo castle at the symbolic switching on of a fountain renovated in honour of the 9th Meeting of the Presidents of the Central European States (in the case of bad weather this will take place in the atrium of Brdo castle);

15.30 - presidential session of the Ninth Meeting of the Presidents of Central European States on the topic of "Central Europe as a link in an integrating Europe - Achievements of the transformation process in Central Europe" in the Grand Reception Room at Brdo castle; (the presidential session is scheduled to end at 18.30);

18.30 (provisional timing) - briefing by representatives of the Slovenian delegation for Slovenian journalists at hotel Kokra in Brdo pri Kranju

19.55 - a brief ceremony to symbolically rename the White Reception Room in Hotel Toplice as the Presidential Reception Room;

20.00 - gala dinner for the presidents of Central European States in the restaurant of the Grand Hotel Toplice hosted by the President of the Republic Milan Kucan:

• before the dinner the guests will be addressed by the President of the Republic Milan Kucan;
• address by the guest with the second longest term in office - the President of Austria Thomas Klestil;

the dinner will be followed by a presentation of the "Legend of the Sunken Bell", which will take place at Lake Bled;

Saturday 1 June 2002

09.15 - arrival at Villa Zora - Bled's municipal building, the presidents will be welcomed by the Mayor of Bled Boris Malej; the ceremonial unveiling of the fountain in commemoration of the 9th meeting of the Presidents of Central European States - created by sculptor Slavko Oblak;

09.45 - arrival at Bled castle - flute performance by Air Quartet, baroque dance performance by a Skofja Loka dance group, panoramic view from the castle, presentation of Bled's heritage by Prof. Janez Fajfar;

11.10 - final presidential session of the 9th Meeting of the Presidents of Central European States on the topic of "Central Europe as a link in an integrating Europe - Achievements of the transformation process in Central Europe" in the Grand Reception Room in Brdo castle; (the presidential session is provisionally scheduled to conclude at 12.45)

13.00 - press conference of the Presidents of Central European States at Brdu pri Kranju

14.00 - final luncheon and gathering of the Presidents of Central European States and the members of their delegations at Brdo pri Kranju;

from 15.30 onward - The President of the Republic Milan Kucan will bid farewell to the Presidents of Central European States (individually) at Brdo pri Kranju - they will then depart for Ljubljana airport, Brnik;

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