NEW YORK NEW YORK, Sept 14 (Hina) - About a dozen bilateral talks held by Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula in New York on Friday were marked by general concern because possible development of events regarding Iraq.
NEW YORK, Sept 14 (Hina) - About a dozen bilateral talks held by
Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula in New York on Friday were
marked by general concern because possible development of events
regarding Iraq. #L#
Picula held talks with each of the countries about the most
important issues of mutual relations.
Hungary places Croatia in the very end of the list of countries in
transition. Bilateral relations are excellent with a continuity
which has not been disrupted with the change of government in
Budapest.
After local elections in Hungary, Picula will in October receive
his Hungarian counterpart, Laszlo Kovacs.
During talks on Friday, the two countries confirmed their wish for
expanding economic cooperation, while Croatia will be trying to
even out the trade balance which is currently exceptionally
unfavourable for Croatia.
Picula continued discussions with Bosnian Foreign Minister Zlatko
Lagumdzija about border issues.
The Bosnian side suggested an agreement on the headquarters of a
commission for Sava River, whose duties would be similar to that of
the Danube River commission. Their wish is for the headquarters of
the commission to be in Brcko, Bosnia.
The two ministers also discussed coming elections in Bosnia. Picula
had said earlier that some open issues had to wait until the
elections "because the political conditions are insufficient for
us to sink our teeth into them".
Picula spoke with his counterparts from Island and Norway, Halldor
Asgrimddon and Jan Patersen, about the so-called third phase of
NATO's expansion after the Prague Summit.
The foreign minister of Luxembourg, Lydia Polfer, was acquainted
with Croatia's intent to apply for entry into the European Union at
the beginning of next year.
Talks with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer focused on
the signing of an agreement on social insurance which would enable
the transfer of pensions of Croatian citizens.
Picula spoke with the foreign minister of New Zealand, Phillip
Goff, about the content of agreements on economic cooperation and
health insurance.
They also discussed Croatian President Stjepan Mesic's visit to New
Zealand next year.
Ukrainian President Leonid Kucma will also visit Croatia within a
month. Picula and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Anatoly Zlenko spoke
about the framework of an agreement on free trade and the regulation
of the visa regime.
Picula also held talks with the Palestinian foreign minister, Faruk
Kadumi, who informed him about the current difficult situation in
the Near East and said he did not believe there was any possibility
of the crisis being successfully solved any time soon. The two
agreed to strengthen the two countries' diplomatic contacts.
(hina) lml