ZAGREB, Oct 30 (Hina) - Germany supports Croatia's entry into the European Union and feels that Croatia has become the mainstay of stability in the region, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said in Zagreb on Thursday.
ZAGREB, Oct 30 (Hina) - Germany supports Croatia's entry into the
European Union and feels that Croatia has become the mainstay of
stability in the region, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said in
Zagreb on Thursday. #L#
Schroeder arrived in Zagreb today for a one-day visit. He is the
first German chancellor to visit Croatia since it gained
independence over a decade ago.
"Under Prime Minister Racan's leadership this country has become
the mainstay of stability in this region, and this is very important
not just for Croatia but for the wider region and Europe as well,"
Schroeder told a joint news conference with Ivica Racan.
"One point was clear in the talks with Prime Minister Racan as well
as in talks with President Stjepan Mesic. This country considers
itself part of Europe, which is something Germany wholly supports,"
Schroeder said, adding that Berlin fully understood Croatia's bids
for an accelerated admission to the EU.
"We support that and feel the time is right since Croatia has made
great progress in comparison to the other countries in this
region," the chancellor said, hoping said headway would be
reflected in the opinion on Croatia's EU membership application the
European Commission is due to define in April.
Said Racan, "We know our tasks and what we have to do on the road to
the EU, and we expect that our friends will appreciate that". He
thanked Germany for the support in the realisation of Croatia's
strategic goals, saying it was very important.
Racan and Schroeder discussed bilateral relations, international
affairs, and European politics. Both said Zagreb-Berlin relations
were excellent.
Croatia and Germany are in a period of transition and reforms which
are unpopular because the results are not immediately visible, they
said.
Asked by a reporter if Croatia could begin negotiating EU
membership before fugitive General Ante Gotovina was turned over to
the Hague war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Schroeder
said those two issues should be viewed separately.
"On the one hand there is no doubt that Croatia is cooperating with
the Hague tribunal, while on the other it has to be pointed out that
you can't extradite someone you don't have, who isn't here, and
there should be more understanding for this."
Both Schroeder and Racan dismissed journalists' claims that the
chancellor's visit was connected with upcoming elections in
Croatia. They said the date of the visit had been agreed before the
elections were called.
Said Schroeder, "I think it's in the interest of this country...of
Croatian-German relations and of Europe to acknowledge the
significance of this successful policy, the policy of the country's
opening and the policy of reforms advocated by Prime Minister
Racan".
"Still, I can say for whom my heart beats," Schroeder said,
concluding that the results of the parliamentary ballot would be an
indication of the Croatian people's sovereign will.
Later today, Racan and Schroeder will attend the opening of the
German-Croatian Chamber of Commerce, which the chancellor said
should further advance the two countries' good economic
relations.
(hina) ha