PORTOROZ MEETING ON EU & CROSS-BORDER REGIONAL COOPERATION ENDS

( Editorial: --> 1622 ) PORTOROZ, Sept 19 (Hina) - The Portoroz international conference on the European Union and cross-border regional economic cooperation ended on Saturday. Cooperation between the northern Adriatic ports of Trieste, Koper and Rijeka was another important aspect of the meeting. The conference was attended by about 100 scientists and experts from Italy, Slovenia and Croatia as well as representatives of the European Union, Central European Initiative (CEI) and international financial institutions. The conference was not a diplomatic meeting - its purpose was the exchange of experience and ideas directed towards a joint market appearance of the three ports, participants told reporters. The meeting agreed to establish a joint working body which is to prepare concrete proposals for foreign joint projects, in line with conclusions adopted over the past two days. Slovene Chamber of Commerce President Josko Cuk stressed the need for specialising the ports, which could be carried out after individual interests have been defined. Modernisation of ports has to be carried out along with their specialisation and reconstruction of road and railway infrastructure, Cuk said. The conference stressed EU's role in supporting the aspirations of the northern Adriatic ports. Considering the totally different positions of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia towards the EU, an important bridge could be the CEI, it was said. Croatia's efforts to join international organisations and its development programmes for traffic infrastructure were presented at the conference, said Dragutin Subat, Croatian Deputy Minister of Transport, Communications and Maritime Affairs. Subat stressed the need for establishing high-quality road and railway links between the three ports. The conference also discussed the problem of environmental protection and the introduction of a "feeder" system, which would result in greater participation of the three ports in maritime transport in the Mediterranean. (hina) rml 191920 MET sep 98