WASHINGTON/SARAJEVO – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Hido Biscevic informed the officials of the US Department of State and the World Bank of the start of RCC’s work and of the latest developments in South Eastern Europe, ending his two-day working visit to Washington today.

"The talks in the State Department focused on the US support to the developmental projects and initiatives to be promoted by the RCC”, said Secretary General Biscevic. “We also agreed on the importance of joint efforts by the US, EU and other key international actors in achieving lasting peace and stability in South Eastern Europe."

In the State Department, Secretary General Biscevic met with Kurt Walker, First Deputy State Secretary, Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Christopher Hoh, Director of the Office of South Central European Affairs, and Thomas Adams, Coordinator of Assistance for Europe and Eurasia. He also met with representatives of the USAID.

Erhard Busek, the outgoing Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, who also participated in the visit, thanked the officials of the State Department for the continuous support of the US to the Pact over the nine years of its existence.

During the meeting at the World Bank, its President Shigeo Katsu and Secretary General Biscevic stressed a common desire to establish close contacts and develop complementary programmes between the two institutions on a number of issues, such as fight against corruption and disaster preparedness and prevention.