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Relations between Croatia and Serbia constantly improving

BELGRADE, Oct 4 (Hina) - Cooperation between Croatia and Serbia has been constantly improving, and both governments, notably the government in Zagreb, have been contributing to it, it was said at a panel discussion organised at the Centre for Cultural Decontamination in Belgrade on Wednesday. The event was organised by the Vreme weekly, the Friedrich Ebert foundation and the European Movement in Serbia on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Croatian-Serbian diplomatic relations.
BELGRADE, Oct 4 (Hina) - Cooperation between Croatia and Serbia has been constantly improving, and both governments, notably the government in Zagreb, have been contributing to it, it was said at a panel discussion organised at the Centre for Cultural Decontamination in Belgrade on Wednesday. The event was organised by the Vreme weekly, the Friedrich Ebert foundation and the European Movement in Serbia on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Croatian-Serbian diplomatic relations.

Croatia's Ambassador to Serbia Tonci Stanicic pointed to economic cooperation, stressing that political elites and the media were responsible for maintaining positive trends in overall relations.

"I am very pleased with economic cooperation, which has been growing tremendously over the last year. This year trade is expected to amount to USD800 million," Stanicic said.

He went on to say that looking back could have a negative effect on efforts to move forward, because it would be difficult "even at an event like this one, regardless of how well-intentioned everyone may be, to reach a consensus on issues of the recent past".

Goran Svilanovic, official of the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe and former Serbia and Montenegro foreign minister, recalled that in the past decade a lot had been done and that most disputed issues burdening bilateral relations had been solved. He added that the status of Serbs in Croatia and refugee return were still not settled.

Svilanovic and other participants in the panel discussion said that Croatia's southernmost peninsula of Prevlaka was a successful example of how border disputes were settled. Croatia's position on negotiations on Kosovo was described as an example of responsible behaviour in the region.

Svilanovic said that relations between Serbian PM Vojislav Kostunica and Croatia's Ivo Sanader set a good example in the region and commended the announced cooperation between the Croatian concern Agrokor and Serbia's Delta company.

Serbia's former ambassador to Croatia Milan Simurdic recalled that in the last decade the two countries had signed agreements on minorities, social insurance and pensions, and free trade, and established military relations. The Serbian police were taking over control of the border, which bears evidence to the growing trust on both sides, he said, adding that the greatest breakthrough in diplomatic relations was made by cancelling visa requirements.

Participants in the event underlined the importance of facing one's own past and welcomed cooperation between the two countries' judiciaries in the prosecution of suspected war criminals.

They agreed that even if some disputes about the past did exist, there existed no disagreements about the future.

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