Speaking at a conference on European integration processes in Belgrade, organised by the Serbian Government's Office for Association with the European Union and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the diplomat said both countries could progress if they rely on each other.
"The bilateral relations are now very good and last year's visit of Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader to Belgrade played an important role in that, he said and stressed that this particularly referred to Croatia-Serbia economic cooperation because neither of the two countries alone was strong enough to place its products on developed world markets," Stanicic said.
Of 626 conditions for the start of negotiations with the EU, Croatia met 625, i.e. all but the extradition of ICTY indictee General Ante Gotovina, the ambassador said and added that the positive thing about the postponement of Croatia's EU membership talks was the fact that Gotovina's extradition to The Hague was no longer a condition but Croatia needed to prove that Gotovina was not hiding in the country.
"I believe Croatia is lately successfully proving that," the ambassador said and added that growing Euro-scepticism in Croatia should not be linked to the Gotovina case alone.
"The most important thing is that Croatia is ready for the start of the negotiations with the EU and a proof of that is the fact that the country has already met 15 of some 30 conditions to be set to Croatia on its path to the EU," Stanicic said.