VIENNA, Dec 5 (Hina) - Croatia will have fulfilled all obligations with regard to associate membership in the European Union by the end of 2003, Croatian European Integration Minister Neven Mimica said on Thursday in Vienna.
VIENNA, Dec 5 (Hina) - Croatia will have fulfilled all obligations
with regard to associate membership in the European Union by the end
of 2003, Croatian European Integration Minister Neven Mimica said
on Thursday in Vienna. #L#
"Croatia can become the first candidate for the next EU expansion
round, regardless of the pace of other countries in south-eastern
Europe. Until (the end of) 2003 we shall have met all obligations
regarding associate membership, and by 2006 we shall meet
conditions which are placed before countries which have started
negotiations on the membership," the minister added.
Although the time term for the implementation of the Stabilisation
and Association Agreement (SAA) is six years, Croatia has succeeded
in doing more than 50 percent of the entire job in the first year
alone, Mimica said at the congress "Croatia on the Road To the EU" in
the Austrian capital.
Croatia expects the EU to send a clear message about its intentions
towards countries in the so-called western Balkans at the
Copenhagen Summit or at least next summer in Salonika, Mimica said,
adding that the EU had so far shown little enthusiasm and support to
the countries in the region.
The minister said Zagreb would continue contributing to regional
stability and nourish good neighbourly relations, thus drawing
closer to the Union.
(hina) ms sb