ZAGREB, Oct 23 (Hina) - Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) President Ivo Sanader met Italian Prime Minister and European Union Chairman Silvio Berlusconi in Strasbourg on Wednesday, the HDZ said in a statement on Thursday.
ZAGREB, Oct 23 (Hina) - Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) President
Ivo Sanader met Italian Prime Minister and European Union Chairman
Silvio Berlusconi in Strasbourg on Wednesday, the HDZ said in a
statement on Thursday. #L#
Sanader asked Berlusconi for support to Croatia's efforts to join
the European Union.
The HDZ leader said that a speedy accession to the EU was important
both to Croatia and the EU, and that it would also be encouraging to
other countries in Croatia's neighbourhood.
Sanader said that Croatia and Europe were "two sides of the same
coin", and that there could be no united Europe without Croatia and
other countries in the region.
He hailed the decision reached at the EU summit in Thessaloniki,
which opened up prospects for all countries of Southeast Europe to
enter the EU on an individual basis.
Berlusconi, who was in Strasbourg in his capacity as chairman of the
EU, expressed full support to Croatia and welcomed the views of the
HDZ president, the statement said.
The two officials also discussed bilateral cooperation between
Croatia and Italy, and the international situation.
Sanader was on a day-long working visit to the European Parliament
on Wednesday where he met leading officials of the European
Parliament and the European Popular Party.
(hina) vm