CAVTAT, Dec 4 (Hina) - Regional cooperation is a priority for all Southeast European countries if they wish to become desirable partners to the European Union, said senior officials of countries in the region attending the first
regional economic forum, which started in the southern Adriatic resort of Cavtat on Thursday.
CAVTAT, Dec 4 (Hina) - Regional cooperation is a priority for all
Southeast European countries if they wish to become desirable
partners to the European Union, said senior officials of countries
in the region attending the first regional economic forum, which
started in the southern Adriatic resort of Cavtat on Thursday. #L#
The gathering was addressed by Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and
his counterparts from Serbia-Montenegro and Macedonia, Svetozar
Marovic and Boris Trajkovski respectively, as well as the Chairman
of Bosnia-Herzegovina's Council of Ministers, Adnan Terzic.
Mesic said the cooperation had to be promoted on bilateral and
multilateral levels, but on the basis of full sovereignty of each
country.
The Croatian president said that a free trade zone was the best
model of cooperation for Southeastern Europe. However, he
dismissed the possibility of establishing a customs union due to
different levels of development in each country. He reiterated the
proposal for "the scandinavisation" of the Balkans as a proven
model for the overcoming of international conflicts and the
successful coexistence of neighbouring countries.
According to Mesic, Croatia must conduct a well-balanced economic
policy towards its neighbours in and outside of the European Union
if it wants to achieve economic stability. In that process, Croatia
must not neglect cooperation with Mediterranean countries, Mesic
added.
Marovic said that countries in the region had to leave the past
behind and build a better future for their citizens. "It is our duty
to be partners in free trade, in an open society without visa
regimes, in cooperation with international organisations, as well
as in the promotion of democratic values," Marovic said addressing
the forum.
Trajkovski agreed with Marovic, stressing that "the period of
conflicts has been replaced with a period of cooperation".
Terzic said that Southeast European countries had to coordinate
their activities in order to improve the region's reputation.
The political leaders agreed that the stabilisation process in
Southeast Europe and the enlargement of the European Union were two
parallel processes. They said that there was a consensus in their
countries about their joining the EU, and added that membership
criteria should be based on economic conditions.
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