BELGRADE: SOLANA, SENIOR YU. OFFICIALS ON CONSTITUTIONAL CHARTER

BELGRADE, July 25 (Hina) - The European Union's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, met with senior Yugoslav officials in Belgrade on Thursday. #L# Solana held talks with Yugoslav and Montenegrin Presidents Vojislav Kostunica and Milo Djukanovic, Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic, and the president of the Yugoslav parliament's Council of Citizens, Dragoljub Micunovic. The aim of Solana's visit to Yugoslavia was the completion of work on the drawing up of a constitutional charter of the future Serbia- Montenegro union, Kostunica's office said in a statement. According to Kostunica, it is realistic to expect that a draft charter can be prepared in a relatively short period of time if there is political will to do so. The key differences regarding the charter refer to the model of election of the two republics' representatives and the financing of joint institutions, read the statement from Kostunica's office. It was agreed during the talks that the differences should be worked out next week, in consultations with the Venice Commission. The signatories of the Belgrade Agreement are to meet again in August to help draw up the final version of the constitutional charter. Serbian PM Djindjic said afterwards these talks should make sure the future common state is functional and expedite its integration into European structures. He announced that Serbian and Montenegrin representatives in the Venice Commission should have a joint text of the future charter ready by mid-August. This text could come before the Serbian, Montenegrin, and Yugoslav parliaments early in September, said Djindjic. Solana announced he would next visit Yugoslavia in August. (hina) ha