ZAGREB, April 22 (Hina) - Organised crime is active on the regional level and regional cooperation of Southeast European countries in bids to counter crime is of crucial importance, the international community's High Representative to
Bosnia-Herzegovina said in Zagreb on Tuesday.
ZAGREB, April 22 (Hina) - Organised crime is active on the regional
level and regional cooperation of Southeast European countries in
bids to counter crime is of crucial importance, the international
community's High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina said in
Zagreb on Tuesday. #L#
British diplomat Paddy Ashdown gave this statement at a news
conference at the end of his day-long visit to Zagreb where he met
Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula
and Vice Premier Goran Granic.
According to Ashdown, the Balkans is not an economically,
politically and culturally integrated space but it is an united
area in organised crime.
He added that criminals were working together at the regional level
and therefore those who fought against them should be organised in
the region as regional cooperation was of key importance in the
crack-down on organised crime.
This topic was discussed at the talks Ashdown held with Mesic,
Picula and Granic.
Ashdown and the Croatian officials agree that the region should use
this moment when Belgrade launched a clamp-down on organised crime
following Serbian Premier Zoran Djindjic's assassination.
Ashdown and his hosts talked about Southeast European countries'
efforts to draw closer to the European Union.
The Briton congratulated the Croatian government on its great
progress, as he said, in drawing closer to the EU.
He added that the Croatian officials and he also discussed
possibilities of the transfer of Croatia's experience to its
neighbours covered by the Stabilisation and Association process.
(hina) ms sb
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