ZAGREB, July 12 (Hina) - Croatia will apply for full membership in the European Union next year, however, the exact date cannot be set for the time being, until the credibility of the application is supported with responsibly
completed tasks, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in Zagreb on Friday after talks with a high European official.
ZAGREB, July 12 (Hina) - Croatia will apply for full membership in
the European Union next year, however, the exact date cannot be set
for the time being, until the credibility of the application is
supported with responsibly completed tasks, Croatian Foreign
Minister Tonino Picula said in Zagreb on Friday after talks with a
high European official. #L#
"We can advance only if we fulfil previously accepted obligations.
It is our ambition to, once we have prepared ourselves and
harmonised our stands with Brussels and EU member-countries,
submit an application for full membership next year," Picula said
following talks with the director-general of the European
Commission's general directorate for foreign affairs, Guy Legras.
"However, we do not want to specify the date, as this will depend on
how fast we fulfil our obligations from the Stabilisation and
Association Process," the Croatian official said.
"We want to confirm the credibility of our application with tasks
completed in a responsible way," Picula said, commenting on a
reporter's remark that Croatia's official stand was to apply for
membership at the beginning of next year.
Legras, who during the morning met with Vice-Premiers Slavko Linic
and Goran Granic, said that he would return to Brussels satisfied
with Croatia's ambitions.
Croatia is on the road to implementing the Stabilisation and
Association Agreement, signed last year. Everything is not
perfect, but the country is on the right track, Legras said.
Speaking about the Zagreb Process, which was also mentioned by
Minister Picula, Legras said consultations would have to be held
with the next chair of the EU - Greece - about the continuation of
the process.
Picula said that the visit by the senior EC official was an
opportunity to consider the general conditions under which co-
operation was developing and see how far Croatia had advanced in
fulfilling its obligations taken on with the Stabilisation and
Association Agreement.
He added that he expressed interest in Croatia organising a
preparatory meeting at the beginning of next year, as "we believe
that a large gathering of the European Fifteen and countries from
the Stabilisation and Association Process would take place next
year".
(hina) sp rml