Croatia is running the last few meters on its road towards the European Union. On this road, Croatia, of course, has to fulfill benchmarks we have agreed on. We in Germany are sure that Croatia should become an EU member provided that it meets all conditions and we are very hopeful that it will soon happen, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said upon his arrival at an EU ministerial meeting in Brussels on Monday morning.
Croatia's EU membership bid will be on the agenda of today's working dinner, scheduled after the official part of today's meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Croatia will be a topic of their informal discussions and the Hungarian EU presidency has stated that no decision should be expected from that working dinner.
Hungary that is presiding over the EU until 30 June is trying to prepare the ground for the completion of Croatia's EU entry talks by the end of its chairmanship. However some sources from Brussels hint that the talks will be most probably concluded in July.
In response to reporters' questions French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said he was in favour of the fast completion of the negotiations with Croatia with an efficient supervision of the fulfillment of commitments and that this would be a topic of further discussions.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said his country strongly supported Croatia.
Croatia is not on the official agenda of today's ministerial meeting. We strongly support Croatia's EU membership and it is important for the country to undergo all envisaged procedures. We are waiting for a formal recommendation from the European Commission. We would like to see Croatia and the entire Western Balkans in the European Union, Hague said.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said that Croatia was ready for the completion of the accession negotiations by the end of Hungary's EU presidency, expressing confidence that a treaty of accession could be signed in early autumn.
Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said that the accession talks should be wrapped up as soon as possible.
Asked about monitoring Spindelegger said this should be also discussed although it would be better if there would be no monitoring.
Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal said that his government was awaiting the Commission's report on the topic and that it was advocating a stronger monitoring through the entire process.