CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ON RELATIONS WITH NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES

ZAGREB, Feb 4 (Hina) - Over the last two years Croatia achieved a lot in relations with neighbouring countries, but today the country is faced with brand new problems with almost all neighbours, such as the transit of oil and oil products by Croatian roads, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in Zagreb on Tuesday. Croatia's new problems in relations with neighbouring countries are the result of the fact that these are transitional countries and the fact that the consequences of recent history have not been overcome yet, Picula told a news conference which focused on Croatia's ties with neighbours. Even though there are more than just a few problems, they are no longer of ideological but of trade and commercial nature and should be solved through negotiations and agreements, Picula said. He added an additional problem was the fact that a faster and greater progress in some of the countries' relations with Croatia was not possible due to their internal instability. Croatia is aware that the speed and quality of its Euro-Atlantic associations is closely connected with the state of bilateral relations with the neighbours, Picula stressed. He added the normalisation of relations between Croatia and other countries would depend on the normalisation of relations within the countries themselves. The best way of solving the new problems is avoiding politicisation, the foreign minister said. This is the case with the problems which occurred in relations with Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina regarding a decree on the transportation of oil through Croatia. Picula said the issue had passed the stage of escalation and that a solution acceptable to all parties must be reached through negotiations. I have to reiterate that the decree never aimed at to politically discriminate against anyone, Picula said. (hina) it