CROATIAN REPS ATTEND SALONIKA INTER-BALKAN CONFERENCE

SALONIKA, 9 June (Hina) - A Croatian state delegation, led by an assistant to Croatian Foreign Minister, Hido Biscevic, is attending a ministerial Inter-Balkan conference which opened in Salonika on Monday. Croatia has the status of an active observer. #L# Biscevic informed the conference about the successful completion of the peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danube river region. As a Central European and Mediterranean country, Croatia now wants to turn to its strategic foreign policy goals - its admission to Central European and Euro-Atlantic economic, political and security associations, Biscevic said. Croatia is interested in developments in the neighbouring South- East Europe and is ready to cooperate with the countries of the region. That is why it will continue to give full support for the consistent implementation of the Dayton peace agreement, being aware of the importance of its successful implementation for the stability of South- East Europe, Biscevic said. The two-day conference, which is focused on good neighbourly relations between the countries in East Europe and the prospects of economic cooperation, is attended by its permanent members - Greece, Albania, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia, Albania and Turkey. Representatives of the United States, Russia, European Union, Council of Europe, Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and South-East European Cooperation Initiative (SECI) have the status of observers, as do Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Armenia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Sweden. The conference will also include meetings between some 100 business people, bankers and economic experts, who will discuss the strengthening of economic ties in the region, especially those concerning transport and power industry. (hina) rm jn 091852 MET jun 97