(ANSA) - ROME - Starting on his first mission outside Italy in his capacity as Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation minister, Enzo Moavero Milanesi will be in Split on June 11 in order to attend the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Central European Initiative (CEI), that the Croatian presidency chose to focus on ''Central European Initiative: prospects of tomorrow''. Italy's minister considers the CEI a valuable tool for cooperation and a forum for political dialogue and exchange of good practices, with regard to a crucial geo-strategic area for the future of Europe, the Farnesina wrote in a statement. According to Moavero, the Central European Initiative represents ''a crucial tool for strengthening relations between EU countries, Western Balkans and countries of the Eastern Partnership of the Union, a real bridge between these European regions''. As for Italy's commitment, Moavero Milanesi underlined that Italy has financed the CEI Fund at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development with more than 50 million euros, financing technical cooperation projects, transfer of know-how and best practices aiming to enhance social and economic development, toward the European integration of member countries. ''Italy, which is preparing to take over the presidency of the CEI in 2019, on the 30th anniversary of its foundation, wants to promote a full relaunch of the Initiative, even through the implementation of its action plan for the period 2018-2020''.

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