CROATIAN PRESIDENT URGES YOUNG EUROPEAN ACTIVISTS TO BUILD UNITED EUROPE

SARAJEVO, May 7 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Friday called on youth leaders from Europe, who gathered in Sarajevo for the European Youth Peace Summit, to advocate the creation of a world in which all individual, ethnic and cultural rights would be respected, with a balanced development which would reduce the current imbalance between the rich and the poor.#L# Mesic was the only head of state to be invited to address the Youth Summit in the Bosnian capital. The two-day event, which began on Friday, pooled about 550 political activists from almost every European country. The summit was opened by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Adnan Terzic, who said in his keynote speech that there was no better place than Sarajevo for hosting an event which promoted tolerance, unity and diversity. President Mesic recalled in his speech that four years ago heads of state who gathered at the UN Millennium Summit of the United Nations had agreed on the reduction of poverty, promotion of health and education for everybody as well as offering equal opportunities to both genders and better environment protection. Following the Millennium goals, young people gathered in Sarajevo as part of preparations for the World Youth Peace Summit, scheduled to take place in Kenya this October. "I am sure that the united Europe will not become an end in itself. The united Europe is a guarantee that there will be no more wars and destruction on our continent," the Croatian president said, calling on the gathered young people to mark Day of Europe with the belief that the process of uniting Europe would be completed when its south-east became a part of that process. (Hina) ms sb