CEI CONFERENCE OPENS IN CAVTAT

( Editorial: --> 6489 ) CAVTAT, May 25 (Hina) - A two-day meeting of the Central European Initiative (CEI), which this year is chaired by Croatia, opened in Cavtat (southern Adriatic) on Monday. The meeting gathered parliamentary delegations from 16 European countries and is so far the largest international parliamentary meeting held in Croatia ever. The conference is to discuss stability in the region, refugee return, media and environmental protection. Participants were welcomed on behalf of the Croatian National Parliament by House of Representatives deputy speaker Drazen Budisa and this year's President of the CEI Parliamentary Committee, Zdravka Busic. Croatia is interested in the establishment of cooperation between the peoples and countries of the CEI and the strengthening of this organisation in economic, political and cultural terms, Budisa said. Participants of the CEI conference were received today by Dubrovnik Mayor Vido Bogdanovic. (hina) rm/mb 251835 MET may 98