PARTICIPANTS IN ANCONA CONFERENCE SIGN JOINT STATEMENT

ANCONA, May 20 (Hina) - The Ancona conference on development and security on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas ended on Saturday with the signing of a joint statement by the countries which participated in the meeting. Apart from the foreign ministers of Italy, Croatia, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Slovenia, Greece and Albania, the statement was also signed by the President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, which is a step aimed at giving the conference greater importance and a European framework. Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, who headed a Croatian delegation, in a short address attached great importance to the fact that some round tables focused on concrete projects, such as the Adriatic-Ionian highway or a programme of protection of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Croatian officials demonstrated a wish for the next meeting to be held in one of Croatia's towns on the Adriatic coast. Italian Prime Minister Giuliano Amato informed reporters about the establishment of a so-called Adriatic-Ionian council, which was formed today and which will hold regular ministerial conferences. Part of the conference, including closing statements, was dedicated to security and crime prevention. All countries were urged to cooperate in preventing the smuggling of humans, drugs and cigarettes. (hina) jn rml