ZAGREB, Feb 17 (Hina) - The EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, said on Tuesday he was confident the Croatian government was doing all that it could about the issue of fugitive general Ante
Gotovina. He added, however, that some issues, like the Gotovina issue, demanded strong and determined action and less public speeches.
ZAGREB, Feb 17 (Hina) - The EU High Representative for Common Foreign
and Security Policy, Javier Solana, said on Tuesday he was confident
the Croatian government was doing all that it could about the issue of
fugitive general Ante Gotovina. He added, however, that some issues,
like the Gotovina issue, demanded strong and determined action and
less public speeches.#L#
"It is important to act, not to talk," Solana, who is on a one-day
visit to Croatia, said after talks with Croatian Foreign Minister
Miomir Zuzul.
"As you can imagine and I am sure that you can understand that it is
important that you try to talk as little as possible in public because
it affects people to make decisions that we don't want them to make,
which is why it is important to act firmly, to act rapidly and not to
talk too much about it," Solana said.
The High Representative reiterated that relations with the Hague war
crimes tribunal were crucial for Croatia in the process of joining the
EU. He voiced confidence that the Croatian government was doing all in
its power to fully cooperate with the tribunal.
Solana said he was positive the government was doing its best to have
a firm and transparent relationship with the Hague tribunal. He added
that after talks with ICTY chief prosecutor Carla del Ponte and
Minister Zuzul he was under the impression that cooperation would be
good.
Solana, who is visiting Croatia for the first time after the
parliamentary election last November, expressed satisfaction with how
the new government had started.
"We would like very much to see the country moving forward, namely to
continue the implementation of reforms and cooperation with
the international tribunal and to deal with the question of refugees.
Those issues are very important to be part of the European family,"
Solana said.
Stressing that he and Zuzul talked about all important issues in
Croatia-EU relations as well as issues at the regional level, the EU
High Representative expressed satisfaction with what was achieved at
the meeting.
Solana, however, said there was a lot of work today and that his
meeting would help deepen the relations between Croatia and the EU.
Foreign Minister Zuzul said that Solana's visit to Zagreb "is an act
of encouragement and support to the steps that we are making, but also
a clear sign of the EU's attitude towards Croatia".
The Croatian minister said he and Solana talked about all issues
Croatia must resolve on its path towards the EU.
"I informed him of the government's determination to meet all
Copenhagen criteria and other political conditions, as well as of our
wish to receive the EU answers within the set deadlines," Zuzul said.
According to Zuzul, the two officials shared the same standpoints
about the situation in the region. He said Croatia was ready to set an
example to all neighbouring countries regarding the solving of issues
on the path towards the EU.
Zuzul expressed conviction that Solana's visit "will be another huge
step in the realisation of our objective -- drawing closer to the
EU".
(Hina) it sb