After the talks, the Finnish foreign minister expressed support for the EU expansion and said that he was satisfied with the progress and course of Croatia's accession negotiations with the European Commission.
Finland advocates the further enlargement of the EU. We believe that every European country which meets the set criteria is entitled to membership of the Union, Tuomioja told reporters.
The Croatian minister agreed with him saying that the enlargement "is a process which strengthens the EU".
The two officials also share the position that candidates for EU membership should be evaluated according to their individual achievements.
Grabar Kitarovic also informed the Finnish guest about Croatia's initiative for the expansion of CEFTA (Central European Free Trade Agreement) as a framework for multilateral cooperation in southeastern Europe and Croatia's preparations for the chairmanship over the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP).
The two ministers described the political relations between Croatia and Finland as excellent, adding that there was much room for the development of economic cooperation.
Finland will chair the EU from 1 July to the end of this year.
Priorities on the agenda of its presidency are the continuation of talks on the European Constitution ratification process, the Union's enlargement, the implementation of the Lisbon strategy, trans-Atlantic relations and the deepening of relations between the Russian Federation and the EU, and the adoption of a new political framework document for the North Dimension.
The Finnish minister will leave Zagreb for Bulgaria for an informal ministerial meeting of the EU and NATO.