Athens, 2 June 2022 (MIA) – The importance of regional cooperation and contribution of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) in this regard was emphasized by the President of the Hellenic Parliament Constantine Tassoulas and the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ioannis Smirlis who delivered opening remarks at the 9th plenary session of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly, MIA’s Athens correspondent reported on Thursday. The Hellenic Parliament is organising and hosting on June 1-2 the 9th plenary session of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly in the framework of the Greek Chairmanship-in-Office of this regional organisation. A delegation of the Republic of North Macedonia is taking part at the session led by Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi, which includes MPs Martin Kostovski, Pavle Trajanov and Artina Qazimi. Speaker Xhaferi is set to deliver an address Thursday the session on topic “Sustainable development goals for the environment: Crisis impact on SE Europe's:  energy supply security and the agri-food chain." In his opening speech, President of the Hellenic Parliament Tassoulas underscored that SEECP is a functional and productive forum for regional cooperation. “The approved programme of the SEECP so far has resulted in conclusions and tangible results for initiatives with specific goals. Still, our ambition is the strongest idea of the Greece’s SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office to refer to strengthening the common awareness that our region is not only a source of inspiration, but also a field for the realization of a future with security and economic prosperity,” Tassoulas said. Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ioannis Smirlis in his speech referred to the Greece’s SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office, which began on July 2021, presenting the programme and what was achieved, noting that the main message during the Athens Chairmanship-in-Office of the SEECP is strengthening the cooperation. He noted that that the priorities of the presidency are strengthening cooperation on security issues, promoting democratic reforms, rule of law and human rights within the European perspective of the region, by putting a focus on preventing radical nationalism, xenophobia and Euroscepticism, but also topics such as connectivity, cooperation in investments, environment, etc. Heads of delegations are to hold a discussion following the opening addresses. At the end of the 9th plenary session of the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly, the participants are expected to adopt a final declaration. This regional cooperation forum aims at strengthening the good-neighbourly relations among all participants from South East Europe (SEE), and transforming this region into an area of peace, security, stability and cooperation, with the main goal of full integration of SEE into European and Euro-Atlantic structures. ​The SEECP consists of 13 participants from the SEE region.