Caspian Forum

Thank you very much, I'm very excited to be here.

I think this is the sign of how the workd is shrinking, and how we are becoming very interdependant and need to work with each other.

I want to make a comment the Caspian institute. It was great idea to use this opportunity when so many people meets in New York to discuss the world affairs, to bring in something that certainly matters for international relations of the future, and I would also say, a very much matter of international relations and foreign policy today.

Europe needs diversified suppliers, diversified routes, and diversified sources. It needs it for its stability, it needs it for its future, and it needs it for its freedom. And maybe it is not so visible but it actually has been prooven over and over again that creating an environment in which you have multiple sourcers, in which you have multiple suppliers, in which you have multiple routes - it makes the world safer.

And by making this choice of the TAP route I think you have contributed to stability and long term security of an important region of the world - Europe. I think we have made an important business decision, and I know this is something that people don't like so much, but you have also made an important political decision. It is a decision that does contribute to to the stability.

I am here to plead for for something that is logical consequence of that decision to bring in gas into the Southern Europe through this southern route that will supply all Europe.

Im here to plead to continue this project through the Ionian Adriatic Pipeline. That is something that will go from Albania up to the eastern coast of the Adriatic. That will go up through Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and into my own country - Croatia. But also through Croatia to Austria, Hungary, and other countries of the Central Europe. That includes also all the other countries of that region because it does in microlevel, the same thing that you have done with your decision to construct TAP. I will not take up more of your time here, but you will see me over and over again on your debates, because I will fight for this.