STATEMENT ON REGIONAL COOPERATION IN EDUCATION SIGNED IN SARAJEVO

SARAJEVO, April 15 (Hina) - Croatian, Bosnian, Serbian and Montenegrin education ministers in Belgrade on Monday signed a special statement on the establishment of regional cooperation with the aim of stimulating further reorganisation of the education system to adjust it to European norms as soon as possible. #L# The statement says that the four states will exchange experiences in education and its reform, exchange experts, documents and information about the education modernisation process, and cooperate in all other significant issues in the education field. On behalf of Croatia, the statement was signed by Education and Sports Minister Vladimir Strugar who expressed satisfaction with the fact than an informal education ministers conference of countries of the Southeast Europe, held in Strasbourg last year, had been continued in Sarajevo. Recalling that Croatia last October signed the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, Strugar said that in line with the document Croatia had the obligation to regulate relations with other countries in education. The relations will be stipulated by bilateral agreements. A document regulating cultural cooperation with Yugoslavia has already been initialled. Strugar expressed conviction that a similar agreement would soon be signed with Bosnia. The joint goal of all countries in the region is the same -- the reorganisation of the education system which will enable a quicker economic and social development, Strugar said. The chairman of the Bosnian Presidency, Beriz Belkic, urged education experts to immediately undertake concrete measures which would enable the modernisation of the education system and help eliminate the influence of politics on the system. Belkic suggested that appropriate agreements in education be drawn up for the next session of interstate cooperation councils of Croatia and Bosnia, and Bosnia and Yugoslavia, to take place in May, when the agreements should be signed. (hina) lml