Successful 2nd day for Crans Montana Forum's Central Europe & Eastern New Economies Strategies with the Gulf States

The Forum in, Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Spa, Kingdom of Bahrain will conclude tomorrow, April 10, 2008.

This high profile economic & investment Forum organised by the Crans Montana Forum in association with Crans Montana Forum - Middle East is the first of its kind to connect the GCC with the Central and Eastern European nations.

It is held in partnership with the Federation of GCC Chambers, EUROCHAMBERS, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), and the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The day 2 programme comprised of various plenary sessions, parallel sessions, & individual business meetings focusing each time on presentations of corporate & countries' investments opportunities and business cooperation wishes in the fields of: Transport, Infrastructure, Mining, Oil and Gas, IT, Tourism, Public Health, Trading, Financial Services and Banking, Manufacturing.

"The sessions will discuss the latest economic strategies and policies, and the most current and available investment opportunities will be highlighted. Furthermore, the Forum will provide a platform for the exchange of professional expertise, and enhance dialogue on a variety of key topics of mutual interest, including: common market, commercial arbitration, free economy, common currency, economic co-operation, investment promotion, and the prospect of the proposed Free Trade Agreement with the EU," Mr. Osama Al Khajah, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of CMF - ME commented.

Among others, confirmed participants include Mr. Bernard Savage, Ambassador of the European Union to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Essam A. Fakhro, President, Federation of GCC Chambers & President of Bahrain CCI, Mr. Petar Stoyanov, Former President of the Republic of Bulgaria, Mr. Adrian Nastase, Former Prime Minister, Member of the Chamber of Deputies, Romania, Mr. Peter Medgyessy, Former Prime Minister, Ambassador at Large of Hungary, Mr. Ovidiu Silaghi, Minister for SMEs Trade, Tourism & Liberal Professions, Romania, Mr. Pierre Simon, President, EUROCHAMBRES & Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris and numerous high level Official and Business delegations for Central, Eastern Europe and the Gulf.

The topics addressed included:

- Romania : Member of the EU, Crossroads of the Black Sea and gateway to the New Eastern Markets presented by Mr. Adrian Nastase Former Prime Minister, Member of the Chamber of Deputies Romania & Mr. Constantin Teodorescu; Deputy Minister, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Romania and finally Mr. Ion Florin Pogonaru CEO, Central European Financial Services, Romania.

- Bulgaria :The center of gravity of the European Union with the Middle East, Turkey & Central Asia presented by Mr. Petar Dimitrov, Minister of Economy & Engery Bulgaria, Mr. Zlatin Sarastov, CEO, Amphora Capital, Bulgaria and Mr. Stoyan Jivkov Stalev, Ex. Director, Invest Bulgaria Agency, Bulgaria.

- Specificities of the South Eastern European States: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey presented by Mr. Pascal Chaigneau, Dean, Monte-Carlo Graduate Insititute of Int. Studies along with Mr. Omer Faruk Dogan, Dy. Undersecretary for Foreign Trade, Office of the PM, Turkey, Mr. Neven Mimca, MP., Dy. Speaker, Parliament, Crotia, Mr. Haris Basic, Gen. Director, Foreign Investment Promotion Agency, Bosnia-Herzegovina

- Parallel sessions on:

- Tourism industry: the key segment for Investing in the new markets by Mr. Uldis Vitolins, Director, Latvian Tourism Development Agency

- Fostering Development through Transport & Infrastructure: Examples of Bosnia & Herzegovina & Romania by Mr. Erdal Trhulj, Director of the Directorate for Road Infrastructure, Bosnia & Herzegovina & Mr. Alexandru Pavel, Gen. Director, Ministry of Transportations, Romania

- Trade Arbitration in Europe by Mr. Abdulgadir Warsama Ghalib, Head of Legal Affairs, Bank of Bahrain & Kuwait & Mr. Stephan Roh, Attorney-at-Law, Switzerland

- Prospects for the financial markets in Ukraine by Mr. Clive Hunter Dunne, Corporate Finance, Millenium Capital, Ukraine & Mrs. Zinaida Svetelik, Head of Equity Sales, Millenium Capital, Ukraine who also co-chaired pvt. Business lunch at Al-Khayma in Ritz to special invitees.