STRESA, June 9 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic has assessed that the goal of a joint statement he and his Yugoslav counterpart Vojislav Kostunica signed on Friday in Italy's Verbania, is to defuse tension and open a space
for removing problems in the relations between the two countries.
STRESA, June 9 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic has
assessed that the goal of a joint statement he and his Yugoslav
counterpart Vojislav Kostunica signed on Friday in Italy's
Verbania, is to defuse tension and open a space for removing
problems in the relations between the two countries.#L#
"It (statement) in any case lessens tension and directs our
attention towards bids to settle problems which burden us such as
the issue of missing people, problems of refugees and displaced
persons and the individualisation of the guilt," Croatia's head of
state said on Saturday in Stresa, Italy.
Presidents Mesic and Kostunica signed this document on Friday
evening in Verbania in the presence of other 12 heads of state
gathered at a forum of the presidents of central and eastern
European countries. This two-day informal summit took place at Lago
Maggiore, Italy.
In the statement Mesic and Kostunica urged the further
normalisation of the ties between Croatia and the Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia (FRY) as well as measures to be taken which may
facilitate the free movement of people, goods and ideas.
The two presidents advocate the equal protection of minorities in
both countries and removal of all obstacles in the return of
refugees.
They insist that everything possible be done to clarify the destiny
of the missing persons whose whereabouts have been unknown since
the war.
Mesic and Kostunica agreed that their countries should face the
truth about the events from the last 10 years and apply the
principle of individual liability.
They confirm that Croatia and Yugoslavia have no claims to any part
of Bosnia-Herzegovina's territory.
This is the first statement to have been signed by the two
presidents.
Mesic said the preparations for the document had begun within
preparations for the participation in the central European
countries' forum and his meeting with Kostunica.
"When preparations for the Italian summit were under way we started
talking about what to do to make a step forward which can be useful
not only for our bilateral relations but also for the defusion of
the situation in the entire region," said he.
Before the resumption of the working meeting of 14 presidents who
should consider freedoms and democracy, on Saturday morning Mesic
held talks with Italian President and the host of this event, Carlo
Azegli Ciampi.
The Italian head of state is due to visit Croatia this autumn.
On Friday evening, the participants in the forum discussed the
situation in southeastern Europe and the current crisis in
Macedonia.
(hina) ms