State Secretary and SEECP co-ordinator Hido Biščević chaired meeting of SEECP Political Directors Committee, Opatija, 6 October 2006

The meeting pointed out the three important dimensions of Croatia’s SEECP presidency: Strengthening the SEECP as an authentic voice of the region, promoting the European dimension of the South Eastern Europe, and strengthening the concrete forms, projects, and initiatives of regional modernisation and development.

The political directors discussed the situation in the region, forms of regional co-operation, issues concerning the exit strategy of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, pointing out the importance of the Euro-Atlantic integration processes as the frameworks that contribute to the stability, security, and progress of the South Eastern Europe.

The meeting saw the presence of all of the SEECP countries, as well as the representatives of the Republic of Montenegro as the special guests of Croatia’s SEECP presidency.

The Republic of Croatia assumed the SEECP presidency 4 May 2006 at the meeting of the heads of state and government held in Thessaloniki, and will be succeeded by Bulgaria in May/June 2007.