ANKARA, Feb 6 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic will on Wednesday pay a two-day official visit to Turkey, his first visit to Turkey since he took over the office of Croatia's head of state. The visit should confirm the good
political relations between the two countries at the highest level, as well as their interest in improving their ties, particularly economic ones. Mesic, who was invited by his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Necdet Sezer, will head a delegation including Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, Tourism Minister Pave Zupan Ruskovic, and European Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic. On the first day of the visit, President Mesic will meet his host, President Sezer, visit the Turkish parliament and meet its president Omer Izgi, and meet Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Turkey's former president and a proven friend of Croatia, Suleyman Demirel. On Thursday, President Mesic will meet representatives of the Tur
ANKARA, Feb 6 (Hina) - Croatian President Stjepan Mesic will on
Wednesday pay a two-day official visit to Turkey, his first visit to
Turkey since he took over the office of Croatia's head of state. The
visit should confirm the good political relations between the two
countries at the highest level, as well as their interest in
improving their ties, particularly economic ones.
Mesic, who was invited by his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Necdet
Sezer, will head a delegation including Foreign Minister Tonino
Picula, Tourism Minister Pave Zupan Ruskovic, and European
Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic.
On the first day of the visit, President Mesic will meet his host,
President Sezer, visit the Turkish parliament and meet its
president Omer Izgi, and meet Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and
Turkey's former president and a proven friend of Croatia, Suleyman
Demirel.
On Thursday, President Mesic will meet representatives of the
Turkish media, after which he will visit Izmir, the third biggest
city and an important business and tourism centre, and meet
Governor Alaaddin Yuksel. The Croatian president is also to visit
Efes and go on a tour of its cultural and historical monuments.
The Croatian delegation returns to Croatia on Thursday evening.
One of the main topics to be discussed by the Croatian delegation
and their hosts will be the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative, a regional
association gathering Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Bosnia-
Herzegovina, Yugoslavia, Albania and Greece, countries which are
interested in economic cooperation, joint infrastructure
projects, prevention of organised crime etc.
Also discussed will be bilateral relations, particularly in the
field of economy, as well as the signing of a free trade agreement
and the improvement of trade. Trade between the two countries has
been on the increase over the past few years but is still below the
level of the early '90s. In 1999, trade between Croatia and Turkey
amounted to some US$38.6 million, with Croatia registering a
significant deficit. It is estimated that the total value of trade
between the two countries amounts to US$ 50 million.
The two sides will also discuss the strengthening of cooperation in
tourism and Turkish investments in Croatia's tourism and exchange
stands on military cooperation. Croatia's delegation will also
inquire about Turkey's views regarding the possibility for
Croatian army members to participate in UN peace troops on Cyprus.
Other topics to be discussed include membership in the European
Union, given that Turkey has been an associate EU member for some
time, and the upcoming signing of a programme of cooperation in
education, science, culture, information science and sports.
Efforts are being made to open departments for the Croatian
language in Istanbul and Ankara, similar to the Turkish language
department at the Zagreb Faculty of Philosophy.
As Croatia faces the problem of a considerable number of illegal
immigrants from Turkey, part of the talks will be dedicated to that
issue as well. Also discussed will be the situation in the Near
East.
(hina) rml