STRONGER PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION IS NECESSARY -- TOMCIC

ROME, Nov 30 (Hina) - Croatian National Parliament speaker Zlatko Tomcic and president of the Italian parliament's House of Representatives, Luciano Violante said in Rome on Thursday that regional initiatives in which the two countries are taking part do not have an adequate parliamentary dimension. "This primarily concerns the Central European Initiative, Adriatic Initiative, the Quadrilateral (Italy, Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia), as well as the Stability pact," Tomcic told reporters after his meeting with Violante. Croatia and Italy are holding regular consultations and joint appearances in presenting problems in the region, there is thus an evident need for the initiation of a stronger parliamentary cooperation among countries of Southeast Europe. Moreover, Tomcic said, a concrete initiative has been started for a joint organisation of parliaments of countries of the Southeast Europe. The parliamentarians should at the meeting discuss true possibilities of realising the declaration adopted at the Zagreb Summit held on 24 October. The two sides stressed relations between the two countries were at an enviable level, Tomcic said. Italy continues to support Croatia's strategic aspirations for entering the European Union and NATO, and expects Croatia to quickly adjust to EU standards. (hina) lml