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| PRESS RELEASE Anniversary Ambassadorial Briefing |
| (January 31, 2005, Szentendre, Hungary - Press R. No.01E-2005) The meeting was addressed by István Ori, state secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Environment and Waters, who emphasised the support of the Hungarian Government for REC activities in the CEE region. He also welcomed an initiative from the Government of the Czech Republic on untied voluntary contributions towards support for REC activities in the “Environment for Europe” process and other projects in South Eastern European and NIS countries. “Traditions play an important role in everybody’s life,” Szigeti Bonifert began her presentation. “By now, the 15-year-old REC has established several traditions and institutions – and one of these institutions is the Ambassadorial Briefing, which strengthens cooperation with the signatory, donor and beneficiary countries’ governments.” Objectives for activities in 2005 are focused on supporting the transition to sustainable development; contributing to its implementation at local, regional and national levels of decision making; supporting the European integration process and the EU’s new neighbourhood policy, as well as the implementation of international mandates and contracts for secretariat support given to the REC. Participants were also briefed about plans for the 15th Anniversary Ministerial General Assembly in June. The event will focus on key challenges to sustainability in the Central and Eastern European region. “We will formulate a new strategy for the next five years that should be adopted by the General Assembly, and the meeting will also be an important occasion for a new intellectual contribution to the thinking process behind environmental aspects of sustainable development,” said Szigeti Bonifert. The 15th Anniversary Ministerial General Assembly will be held on June 28, 2005. Environment ministers from signatory countries to the REC Charter, along with those from donor and beneficiary countries, will be invited together with key stakeholders from the NGO and business communities. For more information, please
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The annual Ambassadorial Meeting of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) was hosted on January 28 by Andras Barsony, state secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassadors and senior diplomats from more than 30 countries of the REC’s signatory, donor and beneficiary countries were present. Corrado Clini, chairman of the REC Board of Directors and director general of the Italian Ministry for the Environment and Territory, and Marta Szigeti Bonifert, executive director introduced the 2005 Work Plan and the preparations being made for the 15th Anniversary Ministerial General Assembly. The REC will celebrate its 1990 founding in June 2005.