MINSK, 9 June (BelTA) – Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei will attend the Annual Meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the CEI Member States, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Mironchik told a press briefing, BelTA has learned.
According to Dmitry Mironchik, on 16 June Banja Luka (Bosnia and Herzegovina) will host the Annual Meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs of the Central European Initiative Member States. “Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei will be attending. The event is expected to review the topical issues of cooperation within the CEI, including the integration crisis, cooperation in the transport and energy fields, the Organization's role in the European integration processes,” Dmitry Mironchik said.
The Central European Initiative (CEI) was established in 1989 as an organization to promote sustainable relations between the states of Central, Western and Eastern Europe in politics, economy and culture, and to prevent the emergence of new dividing lines in Europe. Since the 1990s, the main purpose of the CEI has been to facilitate the European integration and rapprochement between the EU and European states outside its membership.
Today the CEI has 18 member countries: Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Croatia, Montenegro, and the Czech Republic.
The Republic of Belarus became a member of the CEI in June 1996. Belarus views the CEI as an effective tool for enhancing and strengthening regional cooperation through the implementation of joint projects in topical areas of activity, including energy, sustainable development, ecology, science and technology.