The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, met today with Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar and Ambassador Mitja Strukelj, National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, to discuss political situation and regional cooperation in South East Europe.

Secretary General Biscevic congratulated Minister Zbogar on Slovenia joining, as of June this year, the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), which will give an additional impulse to cooperation and EU integration in the region.

The RCC Secretary General also informed the Minister and the Ambassador of the implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013, with a special emphasis on the development of large-scale regional projects in infrastructure, transport and energy, which are instrumental in stimulating economic and social advancement in the region.

Minister Zbogar supported the work of the RCC and its Secretariat, and the principles of regional ownership and all-inclusiveness. He announced even more active role of Slovenia in regional cooperation in South East Europe.

All interlocutors positively assessed the findings of the European Commission’s enlargement strategy paper and progress reports issued last week, as a further step in stimulating necessary reforms by EU aspirants and an enhancement of enlargement momentum in the region.

The meetings with the Slovenian officials were part of a series of the RCC Secretary General’s political consultations with leaders in South East Europe on regional priorities in the context of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.