CRO. EUROPEAN INTEGRATION MINISTER ENDS VISIT TO ALBANIA

ZAGREB, Feb 27 (Hina) - Croatian European Integration Minister Neven Mimica, during his two-day visit to Tirana, met Albanian Premier Pandeli Majko, Economic Minister Esmeralda Meksi, Foreign Minister Arta Dade and his counterpart Marko Bella, the Croatian European Integration Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. Stressing the importance of the visit by the first foreign official after confirming the newly-formed Albanian government, Albanian partners said they saw Croatia as a model for successful negotiations on the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and clear evidence that negotiation positions could be strengthened by a serious and active approach to the negotiation process. In this regard, Albanian partners expressed extraordinary interest for individual expert aspects related to individual phases of negotiations with the European Commission, the statement read. A need for deepening and strengthening economic relations, for which there are big prospects, was also stressed during the meeting with high Albanian deputies. Particularly welcomed was the beginning of negotiations on signing a bilateral agreement on free trade, which are currently being held in Zagreb, and participation of Croatian companies in reconstruction and development of the energetics sector in Albania. (hina) np sb