POMORIE, BULGARIA – The Heads of State and Government of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) endorsed the 2008-2009 Strategic Work Programme of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), presented to them by the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic in Pomorie today.

They expressed full support to the work of the RCC, its Secretariat in Sarajevo and the Secretary General Biscevic.

The Secretary General Biscevic pointed to the need to speed up development of the region.

"To this aim, I call upon the SEECP countries to continue to remain committed to cooperation in South Eastern Europe."

He highlighted the positive role the EU and other key international actors have played in this process.

"I want to stress their important contribution to the establishment of the RCC, as a focal point for regional co-operation and realization of strategic goals of individual governments in the region as well as of the EU enlargement policy in South Eastern Europe."

During the Summit, Secretary General Biscevic held talks with a number of participants, including the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Moldova Andrei Stratan, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic, and Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Babacan.

The Summit was held at the end of the Bulgarian SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office. The Republic of Moldova will be the SEECP Chair for the next 12 months.

The full text of the 2008-2009 RCC Strategic Work Programme, as well as the Concept Paper on regional ownership, is available at www.rcc.int.