ATHENS, May 24 (Hina) - The principle of individual approach and the individual assessment of the progress countries make on the path to the EU is a crucial and unavoidable issue in the completion of the process of Europe's
unification, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said at a plenary session on European prospects held as part of a meeting of Southeast European countries in Athens on Saturday.
ATHENS, May 24 (Hina) - The principle of individual approach and the
individual assessment of the progress countries make on the path to
the EU is a crucial and unavoidable issue in the completion of the
process of Europe's unification, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic
said at a plenary session on European prospects held as part of a
meeting of Southeast European countries in Athens on Saturday. #L#
Mesic stressed that his advocacy of the individual assessment of
each country in the process of joining the EU did not mean putting
the necessity of regional cooperation in the background.
Croatia understands well the importance of regional cooperation,
he said, adding that building democracy, strengthening the rule of
law, implementing the policy of respect for human rights and
promoting market economy would be faster and easier with regional
cooperation.
Mesic said he personally had no doubts at all that Croatia would be
accepted in the EU. Croatia knows well what European standards are
and what it must do to meet them, he said, adding Croatia might even
do so faster than some outside Croatia expected.
Croatia is absolutely ready to make its contribution to the
progress of the region, but also to the completion of the process of
Europe's unification, Mesic said.
Addressing the situation in the region, Greek Foreign Minister
Georgios Papandreou stressed that Croatia's application for EU
membership had been received with great respect.
The president of the European Parliament, Pat Cox, told the
participants in the session that European MPs would adopt a joint
position on EU enlargement in Strasbourg next week and forward it to
the upcoming EU summit in Salonika. He stressed that the region's
joining the EU would not be fast or easy, but stressed that Europe
had a vision of how to integrate its south-east.
Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Zivkovic spoke about the successful
fight against organised crime and the continuation of democratic
reforms in his country. He stressed Serbia's determination to
integrate into Europe.
Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski advocated the establishment
of a South Eastern Europe free trade zone and a more liberal flow of
people from the region to the EU.
By participating in the session, Mesic ended his visit to Athens. He
returns to Zagreb in the afternoon.
The economic meeting of the region's countries was organised for
the first time, under the patronage of the World Economic Forum.
Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia-
Herzegovina, and Serbia-Montenegro signed a memorandum on
cooperation in tourism.
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