ZAGREB, May 22 (Hina) - If there are two countries in Europe whose cooperation is exemplary, those are Austria and Croatia, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic said after a meeting with Austrian President Thomas Klestil in Zagreb on
Wednesday.
ZAGREB, May 22 (Hina) - If there are two countries in Europe whose
cooperation is exemplary, those are Austria and Croatia, Croatian
President Stjepan Mesic said after a meeting with Austrian
President Thomas Klestil in Zagreb on Wednesday. #L#
Klestil met Mesic at the beginning of a three-day return visit to
Croatia, during which he will also visit Pula and Brijuni Islands.
President Mesic told reporters Austria was the leading investor in
Croatia and that his talks with the Austrian president focused on
further investments, particularly in infrastructure.
"Roads linking Austria and Croatia are important for the overall
cooperation between the two countries, especially for tourism,"
Mesic said.
He also noted that the process of privatisation was being wrapped up
and added he wanted Austrian capital to be more present in Croatia.
Speaking about regional cooperation, Mesic said that they both
agreed that it should be intensified, but stressed that this could
happen "only after guilt for committed crimes is individualised".
Austria and Croatia have a long common past, Klestil said, adding he
hoped the two countries would also share a successful common
future.
From the very beginning of Croatia's independence, Austria has
supported Croatia on the path of democracy and will continue to do
so on its path of international integration, particularly as
regards the European Union, Klestil said. He hoped Croatia would be
in the next EU accession round.
The value of Austrian investments in Croatia amounts to around two
billion euros. Trade has been increasing too, and the fact that it
has not been balanced and that the imbalance has been to Croatia's
detriment is mitigated by information on 700,000 Austrian tourists
in Croatia last year, the Austrian president said.
Around 800 Austrian companies have established joint ventures with
Croatian companies in Croatia.
Also discussed at today's talks was interest in undertaking further
activities in the privatisation of Croatian companies, which
Austrian companies are interested in.
(hina) rml sb