ZAGREB, April 6 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in Zagreb on Friday that the part of the first European Commission report on countries in the Stabilisation and Association Process which referred to Croatia
strongly emphasised the country's achievements as well as those aspects that required more work.
ZAGREB, April 6 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula
said in Zagreb on Friday that the part of the first European
Commission report on countries in the Stabilisation and
Association Process which referred to Croatia strongly emphasised
the country's achievements as well as those aspects that required
more work. #L#
"The report strongly stresses the positive elements which have been
achieved and those that are being worked on, as well as issues which
need improvement," Picula told reporters at Zagreb airport upon
return from official visits to Latvia and Estonia.
The EC on Thursday issued its first annual report on the situation
in countries included in the Process of Stabilisation and
Association.
"The report is an important encouragement to the project which the
Croatian government started two years ago in agreement with the
citizens. That project is admission to the community of European
Union members and those countries which are to become EU members in
two or three years. We have been recognised by the EU as a country
one can demand more from," Picula said.
The report is a comparative study on the progress achieved by the
countries in the Process - Albania, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Yugoslavia and Croatia.
"The fact that Croatia really stands apart should not get us
lulled," he added.
Asked if the report implied that relations between Croatia and
Yugoslavia had come to a stalemate, Picula said that relations
between the two countries were not stagnating.
He announced a visit to Belgrade on April 23, "when we shall confirm
that the prospects for a stable cooperation between Zagreb and
Belgrade are good".
(hina) rml ,