ZAGREB ZAGREB, Dec 6 (Hina) - By submitting his report, the coordinator of the South-East European Cooperation Initiative (SECI), Erhard Busek, opened the 17th meeting of SECI's highest steering body - the Agenda Committee, in Zagreb
on Wednesday. Speaking at the meeting, which is held at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, Busek said the recent democratic changes in Yugoslavia had finally created the opportunity for cooperation between all countries in the region. Yugoslavia is a full SECI member since December and all countries which launched the initiative have agreed with its admission, Busek said welcoming Yugoslavia as a new and last member. The Agenda Committee is the highest SECI body which adopts decisions and monitors the implementation of projects. It consists of national co-ordinators from all SECI member-countries. Members of the Committee were acquainted today with the course of implementation of projects whic
ZAGREB, Dec 6 (Hina) - By submitting his report, the coordinator of
the South-East European Cooperation Initiative (SECI), Erhard
Busek, opened the 17th meeting of SECI's highest steering body - the
Agenda Committee, in Zagreb on Wednesday.
Speaking at the meeting, which is held at the Croatian Chamber of
Commerce, Busek said the recent democratic changes in Yugoslavia
had finally created the opportunity for cooperation between all
countries in the region.
Yugoslavia is a full SECI member since December and all countries
which launched the initiative have agreed with its admission, Busek
said welcoming Yugoslavia as a new and last member.
The Agenda Committee is the highest SECI body which adopts
decisions and monitors the implementation of projects. It consists
of national co-ordinators from all SECI member-countries.
Members of the Committee were acquainted today with the course of
implementation of projects which had already been launched as well
as with other activities launched since the Initiative's last
meeting in Istanbul this September.
One of the initiators, Richard Schifter, a special advisor to the US
Secretary of State, said one of the gravest problems in the region
was organised trans-border crime.
Organised crime is a huge problem and it significantly hampers the
economic growth of the region. Countries cannot fight organised
crime individually but have to cooperate on the regional level,
said Schifter, stressing 11 SECI countries ratified an agreement on
fighting organised crime.
The SECI was established in December 1996 at the initiative of the
United States. Its purpose is to encourage south-east European
countries to cooperate among themselves, speed up their
integration into the European Union and improve the movement of
people and goods in those countries.
The SECI includes Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia,
Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldavia, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey
and, since this December, Yugoslavia.
(hina) rml