Ambassador of New Zealand Laurie Markes, accredited in Italy and covering Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Portugal, Malta and Cyprus, visited the IFIMES International Institute today, 22 October 2008.
Ambassador Markes was received by the Institute's Directors Bakhtyar Aljaf and Zijad Bećirović. The Institute's management presented the activities of IFIMES, notably those related to the Balkan region, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Sandžak which has been determined as the potential crisis region. The connoisseurs of the region have recommended the accredited ambassadors to visit Sandžak as soon as possible and learn about the situation in the field. They have pointed to the inevitable role of the EU and USA in taking preventive action to avoid eventual conflict in Sandžak.
Ambassador Markes has expressed his satisfaction with the Institute's activities, especially in terms of democratisation and creating positive atmosphere for foreign investments. Although New Zealand companies are not intensively present in the Balkans, strengthened stability in the region will create appropriate conditions for investments and increased interest of companies from New Zealand in those countries.
At the end of the visit ambassador Markes was presented with the latest publications of the Institute.
Ljubljana, 22 October 2008