ZAGREB, Nov 21 (Hina) - In the year Croatia presided over the +Central European Initiative (CEI), member-countries had the +opportunity of engaging in a more intensive exchange of experience +in accepting and implementing standards in
force in Europe, +Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa said on Saturday.+ Opening a plenary session of premiers of CEI countries, Matesa +summed up Croatia's year-long presiding of the Initiative by saying +that special attention had been directed at European standards in +human rights, and at strengthening mutual economic cooperation.+ Great effort had been invested in establishing real cooperation +with the European Union, he said.+ Last year special significance was ascribed to security and +stability as basic pre-conditions for achieving economic, +cultural, and all-round cooperation among CEI members, Matesa +said.+ He pointed out Croatia believed the diversity of CEI memb
ZAGREB, Nov 21 (Hina) - In the year Croatia presided over the
Central European Initiative (CEI), member-countries had the
opportunity of engaging in a more intensive exchange of experience
in accepting and implementing standards in force in Europe,
Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa said on Saturday.
Opening a plenary session of premiers of CEI countries, Matesa
summed up Croatia's year-long presiding of the Initiative by saying
that special attention had been directed at European standards in
human rights, and at strengthening mutual economic cooperation.
Great effort had been invested in establishing real cooperation
with the European Union, he said.
Last year special significance was ascribed to security and
stability as basic pre-conditions for achieving economic,
cultural, and all-round cooperation among CEI members, Matesa
said.
He pointed out Croatia believed the diversity of CEI members
enabled the development of economic relations on a regional level,
adding the regular CEI summit concept had been altered to include an
economic forum as well.
The Croatian Premier commended the international community's
activities directed at resolving the crisis in and finding an
adequate political solution for Kosovo within the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia (FRY).
In this respect, he said Croatia welcomed FRY's agreement with the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and
supported the verification mission's activities in Kosovo.
Matesa also pointed out to the successful cooperation between the
international community and Croatia in achieving peace and
stability in the region through the peaceful reintegration of the
Danube River region.
The Premier also recalled the very good cooperation which the CEI
had recently achieved with the United Nations Economic Committee
for Europe and the OSCE, as well as the expansion of CEI activities
to new fields, such as fighting organised crime, for instance.
Croatia's year-long presiding over the CEI terminates today, when
the Czech Republic will take over.
(hina) ha jn