SISAK, June 11 (Hina) - Croatian parliament speaker Zlatko Tomcic said today the joint statement signed by Croatian and Yugoslav presidents Stipe Mesic and Vojislav Kostunica is "on a positive path towards a final stabilisation of
good neighbourly relations", and "the rejection of Milosevic's policy by the new political government in Yugoslavia". Tomcic added, however, that Yugoslavia still has to prove the latter in practice. "The document does not contain one word contrary to modern European democratic standards ... Encouraging is the fact that Yugoslavia will not or does not have any pretensions to a part of Bosnia-Herzegovina, that is Republika Srpska, and that it firmly believes in the full reciprocity of minority rights in the two countries, meaning Croats in Vojvodina and in Montenegro may succeed in receiving the minority rights Serbs in Croatia have had for a long time," Tomcic stressed. Mesic
SISAK, June 11 (Hina) - Croatian parliament speaker Zlatko Tomcic
said today the joint statement signed by Croatian and Yugoslav
presidents Stipe Mesic and Vojislav Kostunica is "on a positive
path towards a final stabilisation of good neighbourly relations",
and "the rejection of Milosevic's policy by the new political
government in Yugoslavia". Tomcic added, however, that Yugoslavia
still has to prove the latter in practice.
"The document does not contain one word contrary to modern European
democratic standards ... Encouraging is the fact that Yugoslavia
will not or does not have any pretensions to a part of Bosnia-
Herzegovina, that is Republika Srpska, and that it firmly believes
in the full reciprocity of minority rights in the two countries,
meaning Croats in Vojvodina and in Montenegro may succeed in
receiving the minority rights Serbs in Croatia have had for a long
time," Tomcic stressed.
Mesic and Kostunica last Friday signed a joint statement, in the
presence of twelve heads of state who gathered in Verbania, calling
for the further normalisation of relations between Croatia and
Yugoslavia, and the facilitating of the free movement of people,
goods and ideas.
The statement calls for an equal treatment of minorities on both
countries and the removal of all obstacles to the return of refugees
and displaced persons. The two presidents agreed Croatia and
Yugoslavia should face the truth about events in the past ten years,
applying the principle of individual responsibility.
As far as Bosnia-Herzegovina is concerned, Mesic and Kostunica
confirmed the two countries do not have territorial any pretensions
to the country.
(hina) lml