TRANSBORDER COOPERATION MUST DEVELOP WITHIN ESTABLISHED FOREIGN POLICY

ZAGREB, Sept 7 (Hina) - Croatian Minister for European Integration Ljerka Mintas-Hodak on Tuesday pointed to the importance of the transborder cooperation between local and regional authorities, stressing that the cooperation must develop within the established Croatian foreign policy. At the opening of a one-day-long seminar on the transborder cooperation between local and regional authorities, Mintas-Hodak said it was important to respect differences, and to recognise interests which connect regions along a state border to be able to solve similar problems. The seminar was organised by the Council of Europe, the Croatian Office for European Integration, and the state directorate for state administration and local government. "I believe that Croatia will receive advice from experts of the Council of Europe", Mintas-Hodak said, adding that Croatia has had good cooperation with the Council of Europe so far, in preparing laws on the transborder cooperation. Deputy director of the administration for environment and local authorities of the Council of Europe Tarcisio Bassi said it was necessary to implement rules in the legislation of all member countries which would enable better transborder cooperation. The rules were defined in the European Convention on the Transborder Cooperation between territorial units or authorities, passed in 1980 and recently signed by Croatia. (hina) it jn