"Both initiatives, the CEFTA and the SEECP, along with the Stability Pact, have full EU membership as their ultimate goal, because Europe, the European Union, will not be complete until all the countries from this region are admitted to its membership," Sanader said at the plenary session entitled "European Enlargement: It's Time for Southeast Europe!".
Speaking of the SEECP, Sanader said that in addition to CEFTA countries the process also included Greece and Turkey.
"Croatia assumes the year-long presidency of the SEECP in May and we have a very ambitious plan. That is the reason why we believe that the time has come for our neighbours to have a very clear and bright perspective of EU membership," he said.
Sanader said that Croatia wanted to contribute to the efforts by the international community, the EU, the Stability Pact and other international organisations involved in restoring permanent peace to Southeast Europe and that its activities would be coordinated with those of the international community.
Speaking of enlargement fatigue in some EU members, the Croatian prime minister said that participants in the Crans Montana Forum agreed that despite the fatigue and debates on the absorption capacity and EU borders "this part of Europe should not and cannot be forgotten."
Addressing the conference, Bosnian Prime Minister Adnan Terzic said that EU enlargement towards the southeast was not only in the interests of the region and its countries individually. "It will not be possible to evaluate European integration processes as a global historical precedent if a black hole is left on the map of Europe," he said, adding that the EU "must take responsibility for its historic role rather than avoid it."
"In Bosnia-Herzegovina today, political representatives of all three peoples, of all political options, agree on one issue, and that is that a key to the permanent stabilisation of the country is its integration with the European Union," Terzic said, citing the results of a public opinion survey according to which 80 per cent of Bosnian citizens support their country's ambition to join the EU.
"Support for pro-European forces and an open-door policy can only strengthen the pro-European forces in the region and help us achieve our common goals faster and more easily. At this historic point neither the EU nor the region can accept the price of an alternative to this process," the Bosnian prime minister said.
"Now is really the right time for Southeast Europe. Let us not miss this opportunity and let us not be late," Terzic said in conclusion of his presentation.
Member of the European Parliament Doris Pack expressed her strong support for the European perspective of the countries in Southeast Europe.
"If Croatia succeeds in becoming a member of the Union very soon, I think that will be the best encouragement to all other countries in the region to meet the (membership) criteria," she said.
The Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, also gave a talk on the subject of further EU enlargement.
She said that benefits from the enlargement process were evident as Central Europe had become a zone of stability and prosperity sending out a strong message to the neighbours in the east. For EU members, the enlargement process expanded the single market and provided opportunities for long-term investment that would ensure competitiveness at the time of globalisation, she added.
"The EU must keep its promises. Enlargement must continue as a process contributing to Europe's strength," Grabar-Kitarovic said.