ZAGREB, Nov 18 (Hina) - This week's Central European Intiative +(CEI) summit in Zagreb has great significance for Croatia, because +it is the largest international conference in Croatia to date, and +because it will give Croatia the
opportunity to intensify bilateral +talks on economic cooperation, high Croatian officials assessed on +Wednesday.+ The conference of premiers of CEI member-countries "is the biggest +foreign policy event taking place since the creation of independent +Croatia," Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa told reporters.+ CEI is an organisation gathering 16 countries of central and +eastern Europe intent on joining the European Union (EU) and +strengthening regional economic and political cooperation.+ Croatia is this year's presiding country.+ The Zagreb summit is preceded by an economic forum which, according +to Croatian Econmy Minister Nenad Porges, gathers 170 comp
ZAGREB, Nov 18 (Hina) - This week's Central European Intiative
(CEI) summit in Zagreb has great significance for Croatia, because
it is the largest international conference in Croatia to date, and
because it will give Croatia the opportunity to intensify bilateral
talks on economic cooperation, high Croatian officials assessed on
Wednesday.
The conference of premiers of CEI member-countries "is the biggest
foreign policy event taking place since the creation of independent
Croatia," Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa told reporters.
CEI is an organisation gathering 16 countries of central and
eastern Europe intent on joining the European Union (EU) and
strengthening regional economic and political cooperation.
Croatia is this year's presiding country.
The Zagreb summit is preceded by an economic forum which, according
to Croatian Econmy Minister Nenad Porges, gathers 170 companies and
institutions, half of them foreign.
A joint statement is expected to be issued at the close of the
summit. The statement should appeal for trade liberalisation and
more intensive cooperation with the EU. The British Trade Secretary
will also attend.
Croatia would take the opportunity to conduct bilateral meetings,
especially to intensify negotiations on free trade with members of
the Central European Free Trade Association, said Porges. Due to
their negotiations on joining the EU, these countries were given
limitations in signing trade agreements.
The Zagreb summit will gather 12 premiers and 11 foreign
ministers.
Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic said Croatia was finishing
its year-long presiding over the CEI with several initiatives.
These include the initiation of an economic forum, and initiatives
aimed at connecting the CEI and the EU.
In this regard, Zagreb will host a meeting between EU's chairman,
the Foreign Minister of Austria, and representatives of the
European Commission and a CEI troika, composed of Croatia, as
current presiding country, and Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Czech
Republic, as former and next presiding countries.
(hina) ha jn