CAIRO/ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - Egyptian officials want Croatia to be actively included in searching for a solution to the crisis in the Near East, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula told Hina on Sunday after talks with Egyptian
President Hosni Mubarak.
CAIRO/ZAGREB, Dec 15 (Hina) - Egyptian officials want Croatia to be
actively included in searching for a solution to the crisis in the
Near East, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula told Hina on
Sunday after talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. #L#
"The Egyptian president expressed wish that Croatia be actively
included in the process of forwarding authentic Arab messages to
European Union countries and the entire West, because he believes
that our policy in the last several years showed results in a sphere
which is interesting to Egypt," said Picula, who is on an official
visit to Egypt.
The Croatian Foreign Minister also met the president of the
Egyptian parliament Fadi Suror and members of the parliamentary
foreign affairs committee.
The one-hour Picula-Mubarak talks focused on bilateral relations
and the Egyptian head of state presented his stands not only about
the situation in the Near East, but also about problems which caused
it.
"President Mubarak told me what he expected the international
community to do in the next several months in order to reduce
possibilities for an armed conflict which could have immeasurable
consequences not only for Iraq and Arab countries, but which could
threaten world's security," Picula said.
The Croatian official relayed President Stjepan Mesic's invitation
to the Egyptian head of state to visit Zagreb, and voiced Croatia's
wish that Egypt be a partner-country at one of the coming autumn
fairs in Zagreb.
Picula also invited the president of the Egyptian parliament to
visit Croatia next year. "Minister Maher accepted the invitation,"
Picula said.
Croatia's delegation also met Egypt's Premier, Atef Abeid, to
discuss economic cooperation. During the talks a clear signal was
given to intensify the two countries' economic relations, Picula
said.
The Croatian Foreign Minister and Egyptian Transport Minister
Hamdi Abdel Salem El-Fahib are expected to sign a bilateral
agreement on maritime transport.
A Croatian delegation of businessmen, led by the president of the
Chamber of Commerce (HGK), Nadan Vidosevic, is also paying a visit
to Cairo where Vidosevic is to present the Croatian economy.
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