SVILANOVIC, ASHDOWN CALL FOR COOPERATION IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE

SARAJEVO, Feb 18 (Hina) - Serbian and Montenegrin Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic and High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, Paddy Ashdown on Wednesday called on Southeast European countries to take a unique stance at the European Union summit to be held in Greece's Salonika in June in order to advance their chances for accelerated joining European associations. #L# "I expected that we will receive clear instructions at the summit in Salonika regarding out obligations on the path towards drawing closer to the European Union," Svilanovic said on Sarajevo where he is on a day-long working visit. Svilanovic told reporters that his stay in Bosnia was directly connected with preparations for the meeting of the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) member countries to be held in Belgrade on April 9. Apart from Bosnia and Serbia and Montenegro, SEEPC member countries are Albania, Greece, Macedonia and Romania while Croatia still enjoys the observer status. Svilanovic said the meeting in Belgrade was the real opportunity to prepare a co-ordinated stance for the Salonika summit, and the best message that the countries of the region could send was the improvement of their cooperation. "We must use the meeting in Belgrade to jointly define our European policy," Svilanovic said. High Representative Ashdown said after the talks with Svilanovic that it was very important for the Southeast European countries to take a joint stance expressing their wishes to European Union member countries. By doing so the Southeast European countries will ensure the continuation of support necessary for their joining European associations, Ashdown said and added he would also discuss the issue in detail with Bosnian authorities. Svilanovic is accompanies by Serbian Finance Minister Bozidar Djelic. (hina) it