SEGEDIN, June 24 (Hina) - Addressing an informal summit of foreign ministers of Central European Initiative states in Segedin, Budapest, on Saturday, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said Croatia saw regional cooperation as the
key factor of peace and stability and the foundation of European integration processes. Picula said Croatia ascribed particular attention to the political, economic, and security dimension of regional cooperation, pointing out that CEI's value as a regional forum would be measured by the degree to which programmes motioned by member-states were concretised. A debate on political and economic cooperation in transition and CEI's role marked the beginning of today's summit of foreign or deputy foreign ministers of CEI's 16 states, which is chaired by Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martony. Picula said Croatia ascribed great importance to CEI's efforts to
SEGEDIN, June 24 (Hina) - Addressing an informal summit of foreign
ministers of Central European Initiative states in Segedin,
Budapest, on Saturday, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula
said Croatia saw regional cooperation as the key factor of peace and
stability and the foundation of European integration processes.
Picula said Croatia ascribed particular attention to the
political, economic, and security dimension of regional
cooperation, pointing out that CEI's value as a regional forum
would be measured by the degree to which programmes motioned by
member-states were concretised.
A debate on political and economic cooperation in transition and
CEI's role marked the beginning of today's summit of foreign or
deputy foreign ministers of CEI's 16 states, which is chaired by
Hungarian Foreign Minister Janos Martony.
Picula said Croatia ascribed great importance to CEI's efforts to
step up the integration of its member-states with European
structures, and highly appreciated the exchange of experience
among the member-states, especially as regards reserve activities
for membership in the European Union.
According to Croatia's foreign minister, the CEI market has
enormous potentials for additional investments in trade, industry,
tourism, and other vital economy branches.
Speaking about the major potentials of various forms of trilateral
cooperation and sub-regional meetings, Picula recalled that
Croatia was participating in an Adriatic-Ionian initiative, which
he said had covered up the geopolitical void which existed in the
basin.
Picula said that in terms of concrete activities, it was necessary
to carefully coordinate cooperation between CEI and the Adriatic-
Ionian initiative to ensure the compatibility of regional
programmes.
He also pointed to the need of reintroducing free navigation along
the Danube river, and singled out two key long-term projects of
crucial significance for the overall stability of and mutual links
among Southeast Europe countries. These are a highway running along
the Adriatic-Ionian coastline and the Budapest-Osijek-Sarajevo-
Ploce corridor. He voiced satisfaction with two offers already
submitted for drafting a feasibility study for the highway.
Following the informal summit, CEI will hold a plenary session with
addresses by CEI ministers and delegation leaders of international
organisations cooperating with CEI. A final document is expected to
be adopted at the end of the session, mentioning all relevant CEI-
related events, including a section in which CEI expresses
satisfaction with Croatia's achievements this year.
(hina) ha