IRELAND SUPPORTS CROATIA'S APPLICATION FOR EU MEMBERSHIP

DUBLIN, Feb 3 (Hina) - Ireland supports Croatia's bids to join the European Union and will back Zagreb's official application for its membership of the EU, the Irish minister in charge of European affairs, Bick Roche, said after his meeting with a Croatian parliamentary delegation in Dublin on Monday. #L# The minister Roche said his country would back the forthcoming Croatian candidature for the admission into the EU and would provide Croatia with all necessary assistance in such bids. A delegation of the Sabor's foreign affairs committee, led by a parliament vice-president and the committee's chairman, Zdravko Tomac, is visiting Ireland. Addressing reporters after his meeting with the Croatian delegation, the Irish senior official said Dublin was interested in the admission of small and medium-sized countries into the European Union, as this, he said, would facilitate peace, progress and stability. He announced that Croatian Premier Ivica Racan was expected in Dublin on 20 February for talks. Ireland is one of the first seven countries to have ratified Croatia's Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU. (hina) ms sb