ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula on Monday received the Austrian Parliament National Council's head, Heinz Fischer, who is on a two-day official visit to Croatia. ## Picula and his guest agreed that
Croatian-Austrian relations were good, read a statement released by the foreign ministry in Zagreb. During talks, the two interlocutors exchanged opinions on the situation in the region, Croatia's relations with its neighbours, and on issues relating to global security. Commenting on relations between Zagreb and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the Croatian minister said his country was fully cooperating with the Hague-based tribunal and would respect any decision by the ICTY's Appeals Chamber regarding the case of General Janko Bobetko. Fischer said his country was attentively following the economic and political developments in Croatia and
ZAGREB, Oct 28 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula on
Monday received the Austrian Parliament National Council's head,
Heinz Fischer, who is on a two-day official visit to Croatia. ##
Picula and his guest agreed that Croatian-Austrian relations were
good, read a statement released by the foreign ministry in Zagreb.
During talks, the two interlocutors exchanged opinions on the
situation in the region, Croatia's relations with its neighbours,
and on issues relating to global security.
Commenting on relations between Zagreb and the International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the Croatian
minister said his country was fully cooperating with the Hague-
based tribunal and would respect any decision by the ICTY's Appeals
Chamber regarding the case of General Janko Bobetko.
Fischer said his country was attentively following the economic and
political developments in Croatia and its bids to come closer to
European integration processes and NATO.
Minister Picula thanked Fisher for Austria's support to Croatia's
efforts to draw closer to the European Union. In this context,
Picula said Austria had been the first EU member-state to ratify a
Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) which Zagreb
concluded with the Union.
Commenting on refugee returns, Picula informed the Austrian
official that approximately 100,000 Croatian Serbs had to date
returned to their pre-war homes, but that the entire process of
return depended on several factors. According to Picula, some
ethnic Serbs have already integrated themselves in Serbia and some
would like to go to third countries.
Picula informed the Austrian official that the Croatian government
had taken a loan to make it possible for another 4,300 displaced
persons to return by the end of 2003.
(hina) ms