ZAGREB, Oct 26 (Hina) - Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi's decision to confer a decoration on the last Italian government of Zadar is contrary to good bilateral relations between Zagreb and Rome, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino
Picula said on Friday. "Croatia is very surprised at the decision that is contrary to the two countries' relations, which were developing in a stable way until now. Italy is our neighbour which has been promoting our European aspirations over the past 20 months," Picula said at a news conference." Croatia will demand an explanation of the decision and cannot be satisfied with the fact that the decision has been postponed. Croatia hopes Italy will revise the decision and will act accordingly towards Rome," Picula said. Commenting on a reporter's remark that the decision was a slap in Croatia's face, the more so as the Italian president recently visited Croatia, Picula said this
ZAGREB, Oct 26 (Hina) - Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi's
decision to confer a decoration on the last Italian government of
Zadar is contrary to good bilateral relations between Zagreb and
Rome, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said on Friday.
"Croatia is very surprised at the decision that is contrary to the
two countries' relations, which were developing in a stable way
until now. Italy is our neighbour which has been promoting our
European aspirations over the past 20 months," Picula said at a news
conference."
Croatia will demand an explanation of the decision and cannot be
satisfied with the fact that the decision has been postponed.
Croatia hopes Italy will revise the decision and will act
accordingly towards Rome," Picula said.
Commenting on a reporter's remark that the decision was a slap in
Croatia's face, the more so as the Italian president recently
visited Croatia, Picula said this was a slap in the face of a large
part of the Italian public.
It should first be established if this was a hasty move or part of a
new policy. "It would be bad if political changes in the two
countries jeopardised their stable bilateral relations," Picula
said.
Parnesina, the seat of the Italian Foreign Ministry and the
majority of the Italian press, has not commented on the diplomatic
incident caused by the decision of the Italian president to confer a
gold medal for war merits on the 1943 Italian government of Zadar
due to the suffering of the town during World War II shellings by the
Allies.
The Italian Foreign Ministry also did not want to comment on
Zagreb's decision to discontinue talks on a cooperation and
partnership agreement between the two countries.
(hina) sb rml