GOVERNMENT ADOPTS REPORT ON SECOND ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS ON SAA

ZAGREB, March 9 (Hina) - The Croatian government at Friday's session adopted a report on the second round of negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union. Prime Minister Ivica Racan said the government was satisfied with the negotiators and how the negotiations were proceeding, and was hopeful they would be completed soon. The government bound the negotiating team to conduct negotiations with a view of completing them by the end of April. According to the report, it is necessary to invest additional effort to enable technical negotiating teams to complete by the end of March talks on the dynamics and scope of liberalisation in agricultural and industrial trade. Foreign Minister Tonino Picula briefed the government about the second negotiating round, held in Brussels in February. He stressed "the EU has no serious remarks on (Croatia's) account... and deems (Croatia) a partner in terms of stability in the region." Picula said the EU was willing to continue intensifying dialogue with Croatia, and announced EU's commissioner for foreign affairs Chris Patten would address the Croatian government at an April 5 session. Croatia's chief negotiator Neven Mimica said the negotiations were proceeding well and that a large section of the SAA text had been harmonised. It is expected the last negotiating round will be held early in May, when the agreement should be initialled, said Mimica. The government will forward the report on the second negotiating round on the SAA to parliament. (hina) ha