GRANIC: CEI HAS IMPORTANT ROLE IN WIDER INTEGRATION PROCESSES

( Editorial: --> 7366 ) ZAGREB, 26 Jan (Hina) - Croatia would strive on all levels towards the realisation of the common goal - a Europe without borders, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic told this year's first meeting of Central European Initiative (CEI) coordinators, which was held in Zagreb on Monday under Croatia's chairmanship. Granic said the CEI was important for Croatia not only because of bilateral relations between its member states but because of wider integration processes. "We all strive towards a Europe without borders and the spirit of cooperation you promote here is very important," Granic said, announcing that the meeting between foreign ministers of CEI member states would be held on Brijuni at the beginning of June. At this year's first meeting of the CEI, national coordinators set the agenda of activities for 1998. Participants in the meeting also continued their work on implementing the action plan for 1998/1999, which was adopted at the recent CEI summit in Sarajevo. On the basis of the Sarajevo plan, Croatia is preparing certain activities which are to give a new push to cooperation between CEI member states and the CEI's stronger integration into current processes in Europe. The further strengthening and institutionalisation of ties between the CEI and the European Union would contribute to more active integration of CEI member-states in the process of expansion of the EU. Cooperation with other institutions (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Council of Europe, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, United Nations), as well as with regional organisations, in seeking concrete forms of cooperation, will continue with the same aim. The agreed trilateral forms of cooperation in the CEI will be supported fully by Croatia, who is also to promote their widening and the strengthening of bilateral forms of cooperation between CEI member states. In order to achieve that, Croatia has prompted the organisation of a trilateral meeting between the Croatian, Slovene and Austrian foreign ministers, to take place on 26 March in Dubrovnik. (hina) mm rm 262131 MET jan 98