ZAGREB, Feb 27 (Hina) - Croatia's integration with the European Union is supported by the Spanish government as well as people, the Spanish State Secretary in charge of European affairs, Ramon de Miguel Egea, said in Zagreb on
Thursday.
ZAGREB, Feb 27 (Hina) - Croatia's integration with the European
Union is supported by the Spanish government as well as people, the
Spanish State Secretary in charge of European affairs, Ramon de
Miguel Egea, said in Zagreb on Thursday. #L#
The official of the Spanish Foreign Ministry, who arrived in Zagreb
on Wednesday, is the first representative of an EU member country to
visit Croatia after Zagreb officially submitted its application
for membership of the EU last week.
"We entirely support the idea of Croatia's integration with the
EU," said Miguel Egea after talks with Croatian Deputy Foreign
Minister Ivan Simonovic.
In that process Croatia has the support not only of the Spanish
government, but of the Spanish people as well, because "we better
than anyone else" know the difficult process of the adjustment to
European associations, Miguel Egea said.
Spain, one of the first countries to have ratified the
Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Croatia and the
EU, promises to help Croatia on that path with its experience in
negotiations and adjustment.
"Croatia is very grateful to Spain and its support," Simonovic told
reporters at a joint press conference after the talks.
Croatia's trade with Spain, which is one of the ten economically
strongest countries in the world, amounts to disappointing one
percent of Croatia's exchange with foreign countries and
improvements in that field was also one of the topics discussed
today, Simonovic said.
The general director of Senior Council of the Spanish Chamber of
Commerce, Fernado Gomez Avilis, and the president of the Croatian
Chamber of Commerce, Nadan Vidosevic, earlier today signed a
protocol on cooperation and the establishment of a Joint Business
Committee with an aim to advance the bilateral business
cooperation, the Croatian official said.
Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio is expected to visit Croatia
by the year's end.
Later today, Miguel Egea should be received by Croatian head of
state Stjepan Mesic.
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