ZAGREB, Nov 15 (Hina) - Croatia attended the UN Security Council's 56th assembly as a country with a considerably stronger international status, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in Zagreb on Thursday upon returning from New York,
where he was part of a Croatian delegation participating in the assembly.
ZAGREB, Nov 15 (Hina) - Croatia attended the UN Security Council's
56th assembly as a country with a considerably stronger
international status, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in
Zagreb on Thursday upon returning from New York, where he was part
of a Croatian delegation participating in the assembly. #L#
Croatia's international standing is much stronger following the
signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the
European Union, joining the Vilnius group, approaching access to
the Central European Free Trade Agreement, an agreement with the
European Free Trade Union, and exiting the UN omnibus-resolution on
the state of human rights, the minister told reporters.
He added Croatia was determined to step up the solving of open
issues with neighbours and contribute to the stabilisation of
Europe's southeast.
During his stay in New York, the chief of diplomacy held 14
bilateral meetings. He singled out those with the foreign ministers
of Yugoslavia and Spain, the European commissioner for external
affairs, and the chairman of Bosnia's Council of Ministers.
"The joint statement with (Yugoslavia's Goran) Svilanovic
confirmed our wish to accelerate the resolving of issues
obstructing our relations, even though their complexity sometimes
surpasses our good will," Picula said, announcing the Yugoslav
counterpart would visit Zagreb in mid-December.
He added the talks with Svilanovic tackled the demarcation of the
border, the restitution of stolen Croatian cultural artefacts, an
agreement on the mutual protection of minorities, and economic
cooperation.
A meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Renato Ruggieri, postponed
in September, could take place by year's end, when a recently
harmonised friendship and cooperation agreement could be signed,
said Picula.
He added the talks with the chairman of Bosnia's Council of
Ministers, Zlatko Lagumdzija, addressed coordinating foreign
policy moves of interest to both countries.
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