STOCKHOLM, May 27 (Hina) - Croatia enjoys Sweden's support in the process of rapprochement with Euro-Atlantic associations, Croatian and Swedish Prime Ministers Ivica Racan and Goran Persson said in Stockholm on Monday.
STOCKHOLM, May 27 (Hina) - Croatia enjoys Sweden's support in the
process of rapprochement with Euro-Atlantic associations,
Croatian and Swedish Prime Ministers Ivica Racan and Goran Persson
said in Stockholm on Monday. #L#
"Croatia enjoys support for its aspirations to EU and NATO
membership," Racan said at a joint press conference, held after an
hour-long meeting with the Swedish prime minister.
Sweden realises that Croatia is a guarantee of stability in the
region and that it is part of Europe, Persson said, while Racan
added that contributing to stability in the region was in Croatia's
interest.
Asked by Swedish reporters when he expected his country would be
ready for admission to the EU, Racan said that Croatia would carry
out its duties as soon as possible taking into consideration the
quality of the process.
Croatia has a well and precisely defined plan of implementation of
the Stabilisation and Association Agreement, Racan said, recalling
that Croatia completed talks on the SAA during Sweden's
chairmanship of the EU.
The Swedish prime minister said that there would probably be no
problems with regard to Sweden's ratifying the SAA as it was
believed that Croatia had been making progress and preparing well
for the integration process.
Racan expects Croatia would fulfil its obligations by 2006.
We are aware that the process of EU enlargement has its price which
is not small, however, abstaining from integration into Europe can
only be more costly, he said.
Racan also spoke about Sweden's humanitarian help to Croatia.
Both officials described the two countries' cooperation as very
good, but urged its promotion in the field of economy.
(hina) rml