Sanader hosted the two-day Croatia Summit 2006 in the southern Adriatic resort. The event, which began yesterday, pooled senior officials from several countries from the region and Europe, as well as representatives of renowned international institutions, who discussed the Euro-Atlantic integration of Europe's Southeast.
Sanader said the region must turn towards trade and investment, notably through the Central European Free Trade Agreement, which he said must expand to include Ukraine and Moldova after Romania and Bulgaria will step out following their accession to the EU.
I hope the economic development we are witness to in Croatia will be felt by other countries in the region too, said Sanader, adding that Slovakia's economic miracle should be the example to follow.
Sanader gave a special welcome to Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, congratulating him on the successful referendum on Montenegro's independence.
Speaking at the plenary session, Sanader said all the remaining issues in Southeast Europe could be settled by looking to the future and through statesmanly behaviour. He sees the region's future in full membership of the EU and NATO, assessing the latter as the most successful alliance in history.
The summit was also addressed by Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, who said Southeast Europe had gone back to the past too many times, repeating the same mistakes. But today the processes are going in a positive direction, both in politics and the economy, he added.
Mesic said there were still unresolved constitutional and legal issues in Southeast Europe, and warned that their settlement must not cause new crises.
Croatian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Seks said values such as democracy and human rights could be ensured primarily through EU and NATO membership.
Relations among states should be arranged on the foundations of justice, law, equality, good neighbourliness, the acknowledgement of the interests of all peoples, and the consent of the international community.
Seks said membership of the EU and NATO was Croatia's absolute priority and that Croatia was willing to assume all the obligations stemming from NATO membership.
Speeches about the perspectives of Southeast Europe will also be delivered by delegation leaders from several European and regional countries, and representatives of the Council of Europe and NATO.