BOSNIA SHOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF REGIONAL PROJECTS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 26,2008) – The ways Bosnia can take the best advantage of the projects advocated by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) was the main point of discussion between the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic and Bosnia's Prime Minister, Nikola Spiric, held in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

Spiric expressed full support to RCC activities and reaffirmed Bosnia's commitment to regional cooperation.

The two officials stressed the importance of taking the best advantage of regional projects through the European Union’s forthcoming multi-beneficiary strategy for Southeast Europe, highlighting the RCC contribution in identifying the project areas.

Secretary General Biscevic presented Prime Minister Spiric with the upcoming RCC projects, including the establishment of the Southeast European Regional Fire-Fighting Centre and the Regional Disaster Insurance Facility, as well as a conference on integrated use of inland waterways.

The important role the international financial institutions and RCC National Coordinators can play in this process was also stressed.

With regards to the political situation in the southeastern Europe, both officials emphasized the urgent attention the countries of the region need to pay to reform processes in order to speed up their European integration prospects.

As the successor of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, the RCC is intended to foster regional cooperation and support European and Euro-Atlantic integration in Southeast Europe. Its work focuses on six priority areas: economic and social development, energy and infrastructure, justice and home affairs, security cooperation, building human capital, and parliamentary cooperation as an overarching theme. The RCC is based in Sarajevo.
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