ZAGREB, Oct 14 (Hina) - Croatia is planning to conduct another round of talks with neighbouring countries and the European Commission on its ecological and fishing zone before a ministerial conference in Venice, Deputy Foreign
Minister Ivan Simonovic announced on Tuesday. "(Croatia) will enter into those talks with quite clear views. We are ready for cooperation, but we are also firm in our intention to protect our national interests," Simonovic said at a round-table discussion. Simonovic said Croatia did well to declare an ecological and fishing zone, because in that way it "managed to protect its own national interests with regard to the protection of the Adriatic without overly irritating its neighbours or the European Union." Speaking of Italy, he said that problems in relations with this country were overblown in the media and that Italy also shared some interests with Croatia. "Now we have t
ZAGREB, Oct 14 (Hina) - Croatia is planning to conduct another round
of talks with neighbouring countries and the European Commission on
its ecological and fishing zone before a ministerial conference in
Venice, Deputy Foreign Minister Ivan Simonovic announced on
Tuesday.
"(Croatia) will enter into those talks with quite clear views. We
are ready for cooperation, but we are also firm in our intention to
protect our national interests," Simonovic said at a round-table
discussion.
Simonovic said Croatia did well to declare an ecological and
fishing zone, because in that way it "managed to protect its own
national interests with regard to the protection of the Adriatic
without overly irritating its neighbours or the European Union."
Speaking of Italy, he said that problems in relations with this
country were overblown in the media and that Italy also shared some
interests with Croatia.
"Now we have to talk to Italy, and Croatia's negotiating position is
stronger after the proclamation (of the fishing zone)," Simonovic
said.
Croatia now has to take steps to take full advantage of the zone it
has proclaimed: improve its radar system, secure more patrol boats,
strengthen its fishing fleet and adjust regulations on the
environment to enhance its fishing stocks, he added.
The round-table discussion focused on the political, legal,
environmental and business aspects of expansion of Croatia's
jurisdiction in the Adriatic Sea. It was organised by the Croatian
Institute for International Relations with the support of the
Friedrich Ebert Foundation.
The gathering was addressed by Croatian experts on international
law and representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs,
agriculture and maritime affairs, the Institute for Oceanography
and Fisheries, and the Centre for Marine Research.
The Venice conference on sustainable fisheries in the
Mediterranean, scheduled for late November, will bring together EU
member states, candidates for EU membership and all other
Mediterranean countries to work out a joint approach to the issue of
protected fishing zones.
(hina) vm sb