EU COUNCIL OF MINISTERS HAILS CROATIAN GOVERNMENT DECISION

BRUSSELS, July 16 (Hina) - The European Union Council of Ministers on Monday welcomed a decision by the Croatian government to hand over two Croatian citizens indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). The Council of Ministers welcomes the government's decision, also supported by President Stjepan Mesic, to hand over two Croatian indictees to the Hague Tribunal, reads a draft with conclusions adopted by the foreign ministers of EU's 15 member-countries at a meeting on West Balkans. The Council is satisfied with the Croatian government's readiness to continue making progress on the path of democracy, reforms and integration into European structures. The ministers stress the importance of the extradition of the former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic to the Hague Tribunal. This decision is an important step forward in Yugoslavia's rapprochement with Europe, it is said in the draft. The EU calls on the two sides in Macedonia to continue respecting the latest cease-fire, and welcomes the beginning of a political dialogue which should soon result in important political reforms. The draft also conveys satisfaction with the success of a donors' conference on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and calls on Belgrade and Podgorica to start talks on future constitutional arrangements as soon as possible. The Council encourages the Bosnia-Herzegovina authorities to continue with efforts to enter the Process of Stabilisation and Association with the EU. The ministers approve the signing of a memorandum on understanding for trade liberalisation by seven South-East European countries. They also hail the successfully implemented parliamentary elections in Albania. (hina) np rml