We regret the death of Pope John Paul II who will be remembered for his excellent leadership of the Catholic Church and his efforts to promote peace, freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, reads the declaration signed by heads of state or government of nine south-eastern European countries, including Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic.
Other participants in the regular SEECP summit were leaders of Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, Macedonia, Serbia-Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Albania.
Welcoming Croatia's admission to SEECP as a full member, participants in the Bucharest summit decided to entrust Croatia's Foreign Minister Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic with the task of chairmanship over the SEECP from May 2006 to May 2007. The Bucharest meeting marked the finalizing of the Romanian Chairmanship-in-Office of the SEECP and the taking over of the mandate by Greece, the future Chairmanship-in-Office.
The final declaration emphasises cooperation in the fields of the economy, regional infrastructure, environment protection, the fight against terrorism, organised crime and illegal migrations.
With regard to the situation in Iraq, the south-eastern European leaders condemned abductions and terrorist attacks in which innocent civilians are victims.
Concerning the situation in Kosovo, they called on Belgrade and Pristina to start constructive dialogue, and stressed that a multi-ethnic Kosovo was important for the stability of the entire region.
On the margins of the summit, President Mesic held talks with the European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn on Croatia's intensified efforts aimed at meeting conditions for opening EU membership talks.
Mesic also met his counterparts from Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia, Traian Basescu, Georgi Parvanov and Branko Crvenkovski, as well as the chairman of the Bosnian three-man presidency Borislav Paravac.