ZAGREB, March 10 (Hina) - Croatia has achieved exceptionally great progress in the past three years, and there is no doubt that it will successfully solve the remaining problems on its path towards EU membership, Swedish Foreign
Minister Anna Lindh said in Zagreb on Monday.
ZAGREB, March 10 (Hina) - Croatia has achieved exceptionally great
progress in the past three years, and there is no doubt that it will
successfully solve the remaining problems on its path towards EU
membership, Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh said in Zagreb on
Monday. #L#
After talks with her host, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, Minister
Lindh, who was on a day-long visit to Croatia, said her country
beyond any doubt supported Croatia on the road towards the European
Union.
She voiced confidence that Zagreb would solve the remaining issues
in the fields of the judiciary, cooperation with the UN war crimes
tribunal and the return of refugees.
Minister Picula said he had thanked his Swedish colleague for the
support Stockholm had to date offered to his country, and recalled
that during the Swedish presidency over the EU in the first half of
2000, Croatia had begun and wrapped up negotiations and initialled
a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA).
Picula said he had received assurances from Minister Lindh that the
Swedish parliament would soon ratify the SAA.
He described the bilateral relations as good, although there was
room for improvement, and informed reporters that Zagreb and
Stockholm had so far signed seven treaties and additional three
were being prepared.
Bilateral trade came to 150 million dollars, but with a big
imbalance which is unfavourable for Croatia, Picula said.
(hina) ms sb