EXCELLENT TURNOUT FOR NEXT WEEK'S STABILITY PACT MEETING IN ZAGREB

ZAGREB, Sept 8 (Hina) - Forty-five state and international organisation delegations have confirmed their attendance at next week's Stability Pact for Southeast Europe meeting of parliamentary speakers in Zagreb, which is an outstanding turnout, a Croatian Foreign Ministry ambassador said on Friday. About 150 delegates, including representatives of 45 states and six international organisations will participate in the Monday- Wednesday meeting, ambassador Neven Madey told reporters, pointing out this was the biggest international conference Croatia was hosting since gaining independence in 1991. "Among the 45 delegations, 12 will be headed by the speakers of national parliaments or parliamentary assemblies of international organisations," said the ambassador. Croatia's six-member delegation will be headed by parliament speaker Zlatko Tomcic, the host of the conference, and will include parliament's House of Counties president Katica Ivanisevic, Zdravko Tomac, Mato Arlovic, Vlatko Pavletic, and Drazen Budisa. Madey said the conference would provide the opportunity for numerous bilateral meetings. It has been confirmed Tomcic will meet Stability Pact special coordinator Bodo Hombach on Monday afternoon. Foreign Ministry spokesman Goran Rotim said media interest in the conference was big, and that 110 requests for accreditation had been received, including half from foreign reporters. (hina) ha