ZAGREB, Apr 28 (Hina) - Croatian and Italian Foreign Ministers Tonino Picula and Franco Frattini confirmed during talks in Sarajevo on Monday the two countries' relations were at a high level, Croatia's foreign ministry said in a
statement.
ZAGREB, Apr 28 (Hina) - Croatian and Italian Foreign Ministers
Tonino Picula and Franco Frattini confirmed during talks in
Sarajevo on Monday the two countries' relations were at a high
level, Croatia's foreign ministry said in a statement. #L#
Picula and Frattini held their first bilateral meeting on the
margins of the Interreg III A ministerial conference on regional
cooperation.
Italy will fully support Croatia's road to the European Union
during its presidency over the Union in the second half of this
year, it was said. Italy also wishes to support Croatia in carrying
out reforms and meeting the Copenhagen EU accession criteria as
fast as possible, read the ministry statement.
The Italian government has approved Croatia's Stabilisation and
Association Agreement with the EU and has forwarded into parliament
for ratification ten days ago, the statement said.
Picula and Frattini also addressed the work of a Croatian-Italian
commission mulling the possibility of including Italian citizens
in the denationalisation process in Croatia, stating this issue
would be tackled by experts and would not hamper endorsing
Croatia's application for EU membership.
The two ministers also discussed the signing of an agreement on
friendship, cooperation and partnership, and another on measures
aimed at preventing incidents at sea. The latter would resolve the
issue of security on the Adriatic through cooperation between the
two police forces. Declaring protected fishing areas will be
resolved in line with an announced EU fishing policy, it was said.
Picula and Frattini said the Interreg III A initiative was an
important instrument in Zagreb-Rome cooperation.
The ministers agreed another round of talks would be held before
Italy takes over the EU presidency.
(hina) ha