Depot:Adriatic Ionian Initiative (AII)

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Jadransko-jonska pobuda

Ministrstvo za zunanje zadeve, Prešernova 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia,

http://www.mzz.gov.si

info.mzz@gov.si

Phone386 (0) 1 478 2000

ProprietorMinistry of Foreign Affairs

Bogdan Benko, Director General, Directorate for European Affairs and Bilateral Relations

Phone386 (0) 1 478 2068

Slovenia is a co-founder of the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII), which officially came into being in Ancona in May 2000. The Initiative receives support from the EU with its representative of the European Commission being a member of the Adriatic Ionian Council. The purpose of the Initiative is co-operation between members situated along the Adriatic and Ionian Seas in the development and security of the entire region. In addition to Slovenia, the members are: Italy, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro.

Considering the specific nature of the sea and the coastal area, the countries co-operate in a number of fields, with six round tables representing the framework of aII activities. The round tables include: the fight against organised crime; environmental protection and sustainable development; economy, tourism and small and medium-sized enterprises co-operation; transport and maritime co-operation; culture and education; and inter-university co-operation.

Slovenia held the presidency in the period 2003-2004. During its presidency Slovenia, in the framework of culture, focused on an integrated approach to the conservation of cultural heritage and on the implementation of international legal instruments in this field. The main topics discussed were archaeological research in heritage protection, underwater cultural heritage, integrated conservation of protected areas and salt pans as eco-museums. Slovenia also included the Slovene coast with the University of Primorska in the activities during its presidency.