VIENNA, July 10 (Hina) - Austria fully supports Croatia's rapprochement with the European Union, it was said at a meeting between Croatian European Integration Minister Neven Mimica and Austria's Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero
Waldner in Vienna on Wednesday.
VIENNA, July 10 (Hina) - Austria fully supports Croatia's
rapprochement with the European Union, it was said at a meeting
between Croatian European Integration Minister Neven Mimica and
Austria's Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero Waldner in Vienna on
Wednesday.
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The two officials discussed the current situation in Croatia and
the region, issues related to European integration, and concrete
forms of Austrian assistance to Croatia's efforts to join the EU.
The meeting was a continuation of very rich and exceptionally well
developed relations between the two countries, Mimica and Ferrero
Waldner told reporters after the meeting.
European prospects are the EU's most important means of
establishing stability in South-East Europe, with states setting
the dynamics of their rapprochement with the EU on their own, she
said, adding that continuing the process of well started reforms
was the most important task for Croatia, which faced the
composition of the new government.
By signing a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), with
Austria being one of the first countries to ratify it, Croatia has
determined its own development strategy, the Austrian official
said.
She said the two countries had exceptionally good bilateral
relations, which were accompanied by an excellent economic
cooperation.
Austria is currently the leading foreign investor in Croatia, with
1.7 billion US dollars of investments made in the period between
1993 and 2001, ahead of Germany and the United States.
The two countries have been working on a series of cooperation
projects within the programme "Osthilfe", which will continue, the
Austrian minister said, promising Austria's support for Croatia in
its bids to join the EU and implement political and economic
reforms.
Croatia must secure sufficient political support for the creation
of preconditions which we obliged ourselves to create by signing
the SAA, Mimica said after the meeting, at which he informed his
Austrian hosts about the course of composition of the new
government.
"European integration and everything that should be accomplished
on the road to the EU remain the priority of every Croatian
government, because this is what more than 80 percent of Croatian
citizens want, expecting Croatia to speed up its rapprochement with
the EU," Mimica said, adding that the talks also tackled Austria's
technical and advisory assistance, particularly expert assistance
in adjustment to EU standards.
The two officials stated that Croatian could contribute to
stabilising the situation in the region by developing relations
with Yugoslavia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Mimica confirmed Croatia's readiness to become a leader in the
region, which would be followed by other countries on their way to
the EU.
We have agreed that reconciliation and cooperation in the Balkans
and South-East Europe can be possible only after countries in the
region are admitted to the EU, with each of them accomplishing that
goal independently and in line with its development potentials, he
said.
Asked by Ferrero Waldner when Croatia intended to apply for EU
membership, Mimica said Croatia wanted to carry out the SAA
Implementation Plan by mid 2003, and that the date and credibility
of its application would depend on that.
Croatia wants to become a candidate for full EU membership in 2004,
he concluded.
(hina) rml