ZAGREB, Feb 17 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said after meeting the leaders of parliamentary parties on Tuesday that Croatia could be an anchor of stability in South-East Europe. Speaking on behalf of the parliamentary
parties, the leader of the Social Democrats, Ivica Racan, said that by obtaining the status of a candidate for admission to the EU, Croatia could set an example to other South-East European countries.
ZAGREB, Feb 17 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivo Sanader said after
meeting the leaders of parliamentary parties on Tuesday that Croatia
could be an anchor of stability in South-East Europe. Speaking on
behalf of the parliamentary parties, the leader of the Social
Democrats, Ivica Racan, said that by obtaining the status of a
candidate for admission to the EU, Croatia could set an example to
other South-East European countries.#L#
Sanader informed party leaders about the activities his government had
taken in the field of foreign policy with the aim of bringing Croatia
closer to the EU and NATO.
Both Sanader and Racan agreed about the measures which should be taken
to draw closer to the EU and NATO, warning that one should exercise
caution.
"We should not be pessimistic, but we should be cautious and do what
we have to do and aspire to
having the EU take a position on that," Sanader said.
EU officials say that Croatia sets an example, but a country setting
an example must not be punished, it must be an encouragement to
others, Racan said. He reiterated that he was a moderate optimist when
it came to the avis and believed that Croatia would obtain it before
the coming EU enlargement round.
He said that Croatia must not make any mistakes in the coming months
that would jeopardise the avis and its candidate status.
Racan and Sanader did not fully agree about the government's
performance so far.
Racan said that one could talk about results only when concrete
results were achieved and warned against being too optimistic in the
interpretation of some statements and assessments by EU officials.
Sanader said it was good that such statements were being made because
they created a positive atmosphere and that it would be disastrous if
they were negative.
He also dismissed claims that Croatia was not making any progress.
That the international community has not taken a few months to monitor
the new government is an exceptional success of this government,
Sanader said, stressing that international officials had accepted an
open and cordial dialogue with his government.
Racan eventually agreed with this assessment, saying that Sanader's
government had reached the level of openness in relations with the
international community which his government had had at the end of its
term.
(Hina) rml sb