TALKS ON FINANCING OF STABILITY PACT PROJECTS START IN ROME

ROME, Dec 17 (Hina) - Representatives of international financial institutions and countries-members of the Stability Pact for South-East Europe on Friday started an informal meeting in Rome within the Pact's table on economy. The meeting focuses on the financing of projects in the countries of the region. Croatia's delegation is led by the national coordinator for the Stability Pact, Assistant Foreign Minister Vladimir Drobnjak. During this morning, delegations of international organisations and financial institutions, including the World Bank and the European Investment Bank, spoke about the development of the region and projects for providing assistance to South-East European countries. It is expected that the proposal on the construction of the Adriatic-Ionian highway, which Croatia is especially interested in, would probably be discussed in January in Dubrovnik, at a meeting which should have been held last weekend but was cancelled due to the death of Croatian President Franjo Tudjman. The next meeting of the Pact's group on economy should be held in Skopje in February next year, when Macedonia is to take over the chairmanship of the group. (hina) rml