BUSEK PRESENTS SECI PLATFORM IN BRUSSELS

GENEVA, Jan 10 (Hina) - The high representative of the South- Eastern Europe Cooperation Initiative, Erhard Busek, outlined the platform of the Initiative at a round-table conference involving ambassadors of SE European countries, officials and experts with the UN Economy Commission for Europe, in Brussels on Friday. The Initiative was conceived as a flexible forum involving experts, ideas and capital with the aim of long-term stabilisation and economic development of South East Europe, Busek said. He dismissed fears that SECI would grow into a new political organisation or association. Within the framework of the Initiative, South-European countries and other international economic factors would propose investment projects, particularly in the fields of infrastructure, communications and environmental protection, which meet the interests of at least two neighbouring countries, Busek said. The SECI Programme Committee would consider the first group of projects presented by experts with the UN Economy Commission for Europe, at its session on Jan 29 in Geneva. Meanwhile, US President Clinton's special advisor Richard Shifter would visit the Zagreb and Ljubljana 14 and 15 to provide senior officials of the two countries that have not yet joined SECI with the necessary information on its functioning and goals. Schiffer is expected to meet Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, the President's chief-of-staff Hrvoje Sarinic and Foreign Ministry Mate Granic. Schiffer is also to meet with Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa. (hina) as 102351 MET jan 97