FM attends meeting of Adriatic-Ionian Initiative

Serbia's FM Vuk Jeremic stressed at a meeting of the Adriatic-Ionian Iniative today the significance of regional cooperation for the W. Balkans EU integration. Speaking in Brussels on Monday, the minister added that the fight against organized crime would remain a priority for Serbia during its chairmanship over the organization. FM attends meeting of Adriatic-Ionian Initiative "The decision to hold the meeting in Brussels symbolizes a heightened awareness-by all stakeholders-of the fact that the promotion of regional cooperation in our part of the world is inseparable from the promise of a clear European perspective to the Western Balkans," Jeremic noted. During its chairmanship, which starts Monday, Serbia will focus on the fight against organized crime, various projects, better parliamentary cooperation between member states and advocation of an official EU strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian region, Jeremic stated. He estimated that the key part of the regional cooperation is that all countries work in concert with one another towards reconciliation so as to to remember the past by honoring the victims, while ensuring that yesterday's tragedies don't circumscribe our ability to reach out and work together for a better tomorrow. "This much-needed contribution to the European transformation of the Western Balkans has opened the door to making Belgrade the symbolic capital of regional cooperation in 2011," Jeremic stressed. "This year, we preside over the Central European Initiative, the Migration Asylum and Refugees Regional Initiative, the South East European Cooperation Process, and, of course, the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative-before taking over the chairmanship of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization in 2012," he underscored. "A common theme driving all our activities will be fighting organized crime. Serbia's zero-tolerance policy on this transnational scourge will continue unabated. However, ultimate success cannot come without a much stronger and more coordinated effort by the member states," Jeremic added. "When it comes to the issue of organized crime, as well as every other topic of regional cooperation, Serbia will work hard to strengthen existing partnerships and create more interaction between the various platforms," he said. The Serbian chairmanship of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative will maintain the successful project-oriented approach, Jeremic announced. "We will host a series of round-tables on cooperation in fields such as tourism and inter-university cooperation; small- and medium-sized enterprises; archaeological and cultural heritage protection; safeguarding the environment; scientific and technological research; rural development; as well as transportation and maritime industries," the foreign minister underlined. "We will also devote special attention to deepen parliamentary cooperation between the national assemblies of the member states," he added. "Furthermore, the Serbian chairmanship will seek to function in tandem with European Commission-sponsored programs. In this context, I emphasize our preparedness to share our experience with other member states on harmonizing their respective river management policies with the EU Strategy for the river Danube," Jeremic underlined. One of Serbia's goals is to have the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative space defined as an EU macro-region. "Lastly, we will engage with Brussels and encourage the Union to define our geographic space as an EU macro-region - that is, to adopt an official EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region," Jeremic pointed out. The Adriatic-Ionian Initiative was launched in May 2000 with the goal of improving regional cooperation among the countries in the Adriatic region, primarily in terms of security, stability and environmental protection. Right now, the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative includes eight countries - Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. Serbia will take over the chairmanship from Montenegro. Vuk Jeremic (Tanjug, file)

FM attends meeting of Adriatic-Ionian Initiative

"The decision to hold the meeting in Brussels symbolizes a heightened awareness-by all stakeholders-of the fact that the promotion of regional cooperation in our part of the world is inseparable from the promise of a clear European perspective to the Western Balkans," Jeremić noted.

During its chairmanship, which starts Monday, Serbia will focus on the fight against organized crime, various projects, better parliamentary cooperation between member states and advocation of an official EU strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian region, Jeremić stated.

He estimated that the key part of the regional cooperation is that all countries work in concert with one another towards reconciliation so as to to remember the past by honoring the victims, while ensuring that yesterday's tragedies don't circumscribe our ability to reach out and work together for a better tomorrow.

"This much-needed contribution to the European transformation of the Western Balkans has opened the door to making Belgrade the symbolic capital of regional cooperation in 2011," Jeremić stressed.

"This year, we preside over the Central European Initiative, the Migration Asylum and Refugees Regional Initiative, the South East European Cooperation Process, and, of course, the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative-before taking over the chairmanship of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization in 2012," he underscored.

"A common theme driving all our activities will be fighting organized crime. Serbia's zero-tolerance policy on this transnational scourge will continue unabated. However, ultimate success cannot come without a much stronger and more coordinated effort by the member states," Jeremić added.

"When it comes to the issue of organized crime, as well as every other topic of regional cooperation, Serbia will work hard to strengthen existing partnerships and create more interaction between the various platforms," he said.

The Serbian chairmanship of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative will maintain the successful project-oriented approach, Jeremić announced.

"We will host a series of round-tables on cooperation in fields such as tourism and inter-university cooperation; small- and medium-sized enterprises; archaeological and cultural heritage protection; safeguarding the environment; scientific and technological research; rural development; as well as transportation and maritime industries," the foreign minister underlined.

"We will also devote special attention to deepen parliamentary cooperation between the national assemblies of the member states," he added.

"Furthermore, the Serbian chairmanship will seek to function in tandem with European Commission-sponsored programs. In this context, I emphasize our preparedness to share our experience with other member states on harmonizing their respective river management policies with the EU Strategy for the river Danube," Jeremić underlined.

One of Serbia's goals is to have the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative space defined as an EU macro-region.

"Lastly, we will engage with Brussels and encourage the Union to define our geographic space as an EU macro-region - that is, to adopt an official EU Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region," Jeremić pointed out.

The Adriatic-Ionian Initiative was launched in May 2000 with the goal of improving regional cooperation among the countries in the Adriatic region, primarily in terms of security, stability and environmental protection.

Right now, the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative includes eight countries - Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.

Serbia will take over the chairmanship from Montenegro.