CROATIAN PRESIDENT HOLDS TALKS WITH ALBANIAN OFFICIALS

TIRANA, Feb 13 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic in Tirana on Thursday held talks with Albanian officials on drawing closer to Euro-Atlantic associations and projects such as the Adriatic- Ionian Highway. #L# Mesic on Thursday also held talks with Albanian Prime Minister Fatos Nano, parliament president Servert Pellumbi, and Foreign Minister Ilir Meta. Yesterday, Croatia's head of state held a trilateral meeting with the presidents of Albania and Macedonia, Alfredo Moisiu and Boris Trajkovski. Mesic said his talks with Albania's most senior officials were "meaningful" and that they discussed topics of mutual interest. He said he acquainted the Albanian officials with Croatia's experience in drawing closer to Euro-Atlantic associations, and its reforms. Commenting on the Adriatic-Ionian highway, Mesic said Albanians were very interested in cooperation in the project, as well as in other fields. Asked to comment on a statement which he signed jointly with his Albanian and Macedonian counterparts on Wednesday, Mesic said the statement reflected a joint standpoint on cooperation among the three countries in their attempts to draw closer to NATO. He said the cooperation "does not at all bring individual approach into question" and that each country determined its own pace for entering Europe. (hina) it sb