PORTOROZ, March 17 (Hina) - Parliament presidents of Italy, Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia at Monday's plenary meeting in Portoroz adopted a joint statement voicing hope that despite the dramatic development of events, the United
Nations would find an agreement about disarming Iraq and Saddam Hussein's regime without using violence.
PORTOROZ, March 17 (Hina) - Parliament presidents of Italy,
Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia at Monday's plenary meeting in
Portoroz adopted a joint statement voicing hope that despite the
dramatic development of events, the United Nations would find an
agreement about disarming Iraq and Saddam Hussein's regime without
using violence. #L#
"The presidents of parliaments of Croatia, Hungary, Italy and
Slovenia express their hope that in these hours of decision, it is
possible to reach an agreement for a peaceful solution of the Iraqi
crisis at the UN Security Council, and that Saddam Hussein's regime
will urgently and unconditionally disarm in accordance with
Security Council Resolution 1441," says the joint statement.
Along with the Iraqi crisis, parliament presidents Piero Cassini,
Katalino Szili, Borut Pahor and Zlatko Tomcic addressed mutual
cooperation and stability in the south-east of Europe.
At a joint news conference, Croatia's Tomcic said the parliament
presidents of Italy, Hungary and Slovenia had supported Croatia's
ambition to fulfil all conditions for full membership in the EU by
2004, and to remove all obstacles on this path by 2006. Tomcic
congratulated his Hungarian and Slovene colleagues for their
coming accession into the EU.
In reply to reporters' questions, Tomcic said that the killing of
Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic would not deeply affect
Croatia, apart from the fact that positive processes in economic
cooperation into which Croatian companies had invested
significantly in the past period would slow down.
Regarding the Iraqi crisis and its influence on Croatia, Tomcic
said the Croatian government had made certain moves allowing the
flyovers of civilian aircraft for refuelling.
The four parliament presidents also tackled the situation in
Serbia, stressing the need for the necessary reforms in this
country to continue. They strongly condemned Djindjic's
assassination.
Casini said: "We have not yet ended the battle with terrorism and
crime. Terrorism and organised crime are connected world-wide.
This especially goes for countries where institutions are weak,
including the Balkans."
(hina) lml sb