SARAJEVO, Dec 5 (Hina) - Croatia's foreign policy will not change regardless of the change in power, it is only possible that new priorities be set in the interior affairs, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said in Sarajevo on
Friday.
SARAJEVO, Dec 5 (Hina) - Croatia's foreign policy will not change
regardless of the change in power, it is only possible that new
priorities be set in the interior affairs, Croatian President
Stjepan Mesic said in Sarajevo on Friday. #L#
At a news conference held after a meeting of the Croatia-Bosnia
Cooperation Council, Mesic said he expected final and official
results of the recent parliamentary elections in Croatia by
Saturday, adding that he would start conducting consultations
about a new premier designate on Monday.
"The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) won the polls but it did not
sign coalition agreement before or after the elections. If it
remains so, the HDZ will most probably form a minority government
with the support of a large portion of MPs," Mesic said.
The foreign policy of the new government, Mesic says, cannot be
changed but it is possible that new priorities in the interior
policy be set. President Mesic is confident that the same goes for
Croatia's relations with Bosnia, i.e. the solving of the Ploce Port
status. This problem has to be a priority for the new government as
well, adding that Croatia would do its best to show a maximum level
of cooperation. He said he expected of two countries to reach an
agreement on the Ploce Port in the near future.
Commenting on election upheaval in Serbia and a possible victory of
the radical right, Mesic said he hoped that those who advocated the
change of borders even today would not win the polls. Should such
people come to power after all, this will not represent a problem
only to Croatia or Bosnia but to the entire Europe and the
international community, said Mesic. "I expect that those who
within their possibilities are trying to create a better life for
their citizens will win the elections," Mesic said.
During his official stay in Sarajevo, Mesic met international
community's High Representative Paddy Ashdown. Mesic said the
meeting was an opportunity to talk about problems in Bosnia.
Mesic also talked about the situation in the country with Sarajevo
Archbishop Cardinal Vinko Puljic. The Croatian head of state and
the Primate of the Catholic Church in Bosnia agreed that Croatia
could significantly help Bosnia and Bosnian Croats by
participating in business projects in the country.
(hina) it sb