EPP CONGRESS ADOPTS RESOLUTION STRONGLY SUPPORTING CROATIA'S EU ENTRY

BRUSSELS, Feb 5 (Hina) - The 16th Congress of the European People's Party (EPP) adopted a resolution in Brussels on Thursday, expressing strong support for expediting the process of Croatia's admission to the European Union.#L# More than 700 delegates attended the gathering, including prime ministers and deputy prime ministers, European commissioners and leaders of Christian democratic, conservative and people's parties comprising the EPP. The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party, which joined the EPP in 2002, was represented by its leader, Prime Minister Ivo Sanader, Foreign Minister Miomir Zuzul, and Culture Minister Bozo Biskupic. The resolution calls on the European Commission and the leaders of EU countries from the EPP's ranks to adopt a strategy for Croatia's EU entry as soon as possible. The document stresses that Croatia's admission to the Union is very important for the preservation and advancement of stability in the region. The EPP Congress applauded the new Croatian government's agenda, notably the determination to ensure full cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague, intensify relations with the EU and NATO and do everything possible to continue with reforms and fulfil the Copenhagen Criteria in view of joining the Union as soon as possible. The resolution also hails the government's agreement with ethnic minority parties, notably what is described as a historic agreement between PM Sanader and Croatian Serb leader Vojislav Stanimirovic on the return of refugees and restitution of property, which led to the Serb minority's support to the new government. Unlike the draft which appeared yesterday, the final resolution contains a sentence welcoming the government's willingness to cooperate in settling all problems with neighbouring countries. "This resolution represents a very great success," said Sanader. (Hina) ha