The Athens conference of parliament presidents of countries signatories focused on regional development, energy, the environment, and tourism.
According to Bebic, the Mediterranean dimension of Croatia's regional cooperation includes the activities of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative which he described as a perfect framework for political dialogue and which contributed to the strengthening of bilateral relations among countries in the region, all of which helped the intensive integration into the European Union.
He also said that Croatia was advocating a regional cooperation based on the exchange of the know-how, notably in cross-border projects.
Within its accession into the EU, Croatia is giving a priority to projects aimed at economic development, including the enlargement of road infrastructure in the Adriatic-Ionian region as such a network would facilitate access to tourist and other resources in this part of the Mediterranean, Bebic said.
Therefore, a priority should be given to the construction of the Adriatic-Ionian motorway from Trieste to Igumenitsa, he said.
Greek Parliament Speaker Dimitrios Sioufas and Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, who addressed the event, spoke about the importance of regional cooperation in times of global crisis.
Sioufas welcomed the recent admission of Albania and Croatia to NATO, and supported efforts by other countries in the region to join the EU and NATO.
Minister Bakoyannis said that Croatia's and Albania's NATO membership must encourage other countries in the region in their Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
The Adriatic-Ionian Initiative was established at a conference on the development and safety of the Adriatic and Ionian seas in Ancona in 2000, when the foreign ministers of then participating countries -- Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Croatia -- adopted a declaration binding the countries from the region to cooperate in many areas. Later, Montenegro and Serbia joined the initiative.
Special attention is paid to strengthening peace and security in this part of Europe, good neighbourliness, economic development, traffic connections, prevention of all forms of crime, technical assistance, environmental protection, cooperation in health and culture, tourism development and maritime cooperation.