ZAGREB, Dec 14 (Hina) - As part of his visit to Zagreb on Friday, Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic was received by senior Croatian officials who emphasised the importance of Croatia and Yugoslavia nurturing good neighbourly
relations.
ZAGREB, Dec 14 (Hina) - As part of his visit to Zagreb on Friday,
Yugoslav Foreign Minister Goran Svilanovic was received by senior
Croatian officials who emphasised the importance of Croatia and
Yugoslavia nurturing good neighbourly relations. #L#
According to President Stipe Mesic, the proper approach starts from
the fact that cooperation must begin at once in all areas where
possible, in order to create a climate favouring the settlement of
issues which objectively exist, said a statement from Mesic's
Office.
The president spoke of the need to individualise guilt for
committed war crimes, which he said was a condition to put an end to
collective accusations.
Minister Svilanovic agreed, saying he was aware of the deep traumas
the Croatian population suffered as a consequence of the war. It
will take a lot of time to eliminate these traumas but the important
thing is that both countries wish to establish good neighbourly
relations, he said.
The talks also focused on the rapprochement with and admission of
Croatia and Yugoslavia to the European Union, which both sides see
as their strategic goal.
Mesic described the recent restitution of artefacts from
Yugoslavia to Vukovar, stolen at the beginning of the 1990s war, as
a significant gesture which would help realise the two sides' wish
to build good overall neighbourly relations.
In his talks with Svilanovic, Prime Minister Ivica Racan applauded
the positive democratic processes in Yugoslavia, particularly
after the last parliamentary and presidential elections. He also
pointed to Yugoslavia's role in the stabilisation of the entire
region, said a statement from the government.
The talks tackled providing housing for persons wishing to return
to Croatia who before the war were tenancy-right holders in
socially owned flats.
Racan and Svilanovic said they were satisfied with the intensified
economic cooperation, especially the significant growth of trade.
According to deputy parliamentary speaker Zdravko Tomac, Croatia
and Yugoslavia should settle by themselves issues such as the
definition of borders and fast signing of a series of agreements, in
order to show they possess the democratic ability and credibility
to integrate with European institutions. He suggested establishing
interparliamentary cooperation, the parliament said in a
statement.
Yugoslavia's objective is joining the Council of Europe next year
and the EU later, and to that end will pay special attention to human
and minority rights, said Svilanovic, appealing for Croatia's
support.
Pointing to the importance Bosnia has in the stabilisation of the
region, Tomac said Croatia and Yugoslavia must have a clear policy
advocating an integral Bosnia. Svilanovic concurred there were
issues which could be settled together, such as refugee returns.
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