PAPANDREOU SAYS EUROPE SEES CROATIA AS SUCCESS

ZAGREB, Jan 14 (Hina) - Croatia is a success in the EU's eyes in many ways as it is well ahead of the other countries in the region and may serve as an example for the entire area, Georgios Papandreou, Greece's foreign minister and chairman of the EU Council of Ministers, said in Zagreb on Tuesday. #L# Speaking to journalists after talks with his Croatian counterpart Tonino Picula, Papandreou said Europe viewed Croatia as successful because it had taken very important steps towards the application of European standards, creating institutions which are required to prepare the country for membership in the European Union. The Greek official is visiting Zagreb as part of his tour of five Southeast European countries participating in the Stabilisation and Association Process with the EU. The EU wishes to succeed in the entire region and Croatia is very important because it is well ahead of the region's other countries and may serve as an example, he said, stressing Greece supported Croatia's intention to apply for EU membership very soon. The EU is a successful project, based on the common values of peace, cooperation, democracy, respect for human rights, and economic prosperity, said the Greek official. He added the Union believed those values had to extend also to the region referred to as the Western Balkans. Papandreou stressed that every country in the region would be evaluated by its own merits on the path towards the EU. Minister Picula said he was satisfied with Papandreou's announcement that the Greek parliament would ratify Croatia's Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU in this year's first half and with the promise that Greece, the EU's current chair, would support Croatia's European ambitions. (hina) ha