ZAGREB TO HOST CONFERENCE OF PARLIAMENTARY PRESIDENTS

ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - The Croatian parliament will next week host the 16th Conference of European parliamentary presidents, which is to gather around 400 participants, Sabor President Zlatko Tomcic said on Thursday. #L# The conference, which is organised by the Croatian parliament, will take place at Zagreb's Opera hotel on 9-12 May under the name "Democracies Faced With Terrorism - National Strategies". By organising the conference, the Sabor wants to contribute to a closer cooperation among the parliaments of Council of Europe member-countries, Tomcic said at a news conference. Of the 388 participants who have announced their attendance, 57 are parliamentary presidents and vice-presidents. The conference will be addressed, among others, by Prime Minister Ivica Racan, President Stjepan Mesic, the president of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, Peter Schieder, and the president of the lower house of the German parliament (Bundestag), Wolfgang Thierse. (hina) rml