ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - It is feasible for Croatia to be given candidate status for European Union membership at a meeting of the European Council in June, but that does not mean that a date for the start of entry talks will be
automatically set, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana has said in an interview with the Zagreb-based Vecernji List daily to be published on Monday.
ZAGREB, April 25 (Hina) - It is feasible for Croatia to be given
candidate status for European Union membership at a meeting of the
European Council in June, but that does not mean that a date for the
start of entry talks will be automatically set, EU High Representative
for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana has said in
an interview with the Zagreb-based Vecernji List daily to be published
on Monday.#L#
In the interview headlined "Candidate Status in June, Possibly Without
Date for Negotiations", Solana said he was pleased that the European
Commission had proposed opening talks with Croatia in its opinion, the
so-called avis, released last week.
"The positive avis is important for opening negotiations, and I
therefore think it is feasible for Croatia to be given the green light
in June, although it does not mean that a date for the start of
negotiations will be automatically set," Solana said.
"It is important to underline that the avis is just the first step in
a long process. Additional efforts are necessary on all other issues
such as cooperation with the Hague tribunal, the protection of
minority rights, the return of refugees, judicial reform, regional
cooperation and the fight against corruption," Solana said.
(Hina) vm