BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Tuesday evening held a lecture at the Belgian Royal Institute for International Relations, at whose invitation he visited Brussels. During talks with Belgian officials, the
president received support for Croatia's decision to apply for membership in the EU.
BRUSSELS, Feb 11 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on
Tuesday evening held a lecture at the Belgian Royal Institute for
International Relations, at whose invitation he visited Brussels.
During talks with Belgian officials, the president received
support for Croatia's decision to apply for membership in the EU.
#L#
During today's lecture, which focused on Croatia's potential
contribution to united Europe, Mesic said that membership in the EU
will enable the country to make "another step towards the
realisation of the project of united Europe". He added that Croatia
could also help the Western Balkans to "first draw closer to and
later join the EU".
Earlier in the day, Mesic visited the Belgian parliament, where he
held talks with the president of the House of Representatives,
Herman de Croo, and Senate president De Decker. De Croo was
confident that Croatia would join the EU in 2007 and conveyed
Belgium's support for its decision to apply for full EU
membership.
After the visit to the parliament, Mesic attended a lunch organised
in his honour by the Belgian king, Albert II.
The Belgian king was Mesic's guest in 2002 and 2001, when he was
vacationing on the Adriatic coast.
European Commission President Romano Prodi, whom Mesic met upon his
arrival in Brussels on Monday, expressed support for Croatia's
application for EU membership as well.
On Wednesday morning, Mesic will travel to Tirana, where he will
attend a working meeting with his Albanian and Macedonian
counterparts, to focus on harmonising the countries' efforts to
join NATO as soon as possible.
(hina) rml sb