ZAGREB, July 17 (Hina) - Croatia and Macedonia are cooperating very successfully at both bilateral and multilateral levels, but should take specific measures to encourage economic cooperation, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and his
Macedonian counterpart, Boris Trajkovski, said in Zagreb on Thursday.
ZAGREB, July 17 (Hina) - Croatia and Macedonia are cooperating very
successfully at both bilateral and multilateral levels, but should
take specific measures to encourage economic cooperation, Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic and his Macedonian counterpart, Boris
Trajkovski, said in Zagreb on Thursday. #L#
The two presidents and their delegations also discussed regional
cooperation, the importance of which had been stressed previously
at summits in Thessaloniki and Zagreb.
They agreed that regional cooperation was important for
integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, and stressed the
importance of an individual approach to EU membership, as had been
confirmed at the Thessaloniki summit.
"I have informed President Trajkovski of our model of construction
of highways and our desire for all countries in the region,
including Macedonia, to join in the construction of a so-called
Adriatic-Ionian highway," Mesic told reporters after the talks.
The Macedonian president, who arrived in Zagreb today for a three-
day visit, said that "relations between the two countries are at a
high level, and have been particularly positive over the past few
years."
Trajkovski said that there were no open issues between Macedonia
and Croatia and that their relations had "a special quality that
will help them on the path to the EU and NATO."
Speaking of the role of ethnic minorities in the promotion of
relations, Trajkovski praised Croatia for its European approach to
the treatment of its citizens of Macedonian origin and affirmation
of their cultural and ethnic symbols.
He congratulated Croatia on its official application for EU
membership, saying that "Croatia's integral approach to resolving
issues on the path to the EU should serve as an example to all
countries in the region."
The Macedonian president expressed hope his country would apply for
EU membership before the end of the year, adding that Croatia's
support and experience would be useful and its moves "encouraging
and inspirational".
The two presidents supported a regional approach to combating
organised crime, corruption, and drug and human trafficking.
(hina) vm sb