ZAGREB, Feb 12 (Hina) - Croatia's Premier Ivica Racan on Saturday morning flew to Lisbon. After Lisbon, he will visit Brussels and Berlin to discuss with his hosts Croatia's bids to enter soon the EuroAtlantic integration processes.
In Brussels, Racan will present plans and first moves of the new Croatian government aimed at accomplishing those goals in its foreign policy. Premier Racan, who is being accompanied by Foreign Minister Tonino Picula and European Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic on this tour, has announced that he wants to take advantage of a new positive atmosphere in the relations between his country and the international community as well as to start carrying out promptly the programme of the Croatian Government on approaching the European Union and NATO. On Saturday in Lisbon the Croatian delegation will hold talks with Antonio Guterres, the Premier of Portugal, which is now hol
ZAGREB, Feb 12 (Hina) - Croatia's Premier Ivica Racan on Saturday
morning flew to Lisbon. After Lisbon, he will visit Brussels and
Berlin to discuss with his hosts Croatia's bids to enter soon the
EuroAtlantic integration processes.
In Brussels, Racan will present plans and first moves of the new
Croatian government aimed at accomplishing those goals in its
foreign policy.
Premier Racan, who is being accompanied by Foreign Minister Tonino
Picula and European Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic on this
tour, has announced that he wants to take advantage of a new
positive atmosphere in the relations between his country and the
international community as well as to start carrying out promptly
the programme of the Croatian Government on approaching the
European Union and NATO.
On Saturday in Lisbon the Croatian delegation will hold talks with
Antonio Guterres, the Premier of Portugal, which is now holding the
rotating chairmanship of the EU.
After that in Brussels, on 14 and 15 February, Racan will meet the
European Commission President Romano Prodi, EU member countries'
foreign ministers at their regular meeting, and the EU high
representative for foreign policy and security, Javier Solana.
During their stay in Brussels, Croatian and EU officials are to hold
the first meeting of the joint consultative task force of Croatia
and EU as a first concrete step in helping Croatia to come closer to
the EU which recently upgraded its office in Zagreb to the permanent
mission and thus gave clear signs that it wants to further the
cooperation with new Croatian authorities.
In Brussels Racan will visit the NATO headquarters and talk with
NATO Secretary-General George Robertson.
During their visit to Berlin on 16 February Racan and the Croatian
delegation will be received by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer. Their talks should revolve
around Croatia's efforts to come nearer to the EU as well as around
the bilateral ties between the two countries.
Racan and the Croatian ministers flew this morning form the Zagreb
airport by a regular line, giving their contribution to the
implementation of austerity measures and modest conduct of high-
ranking officials.
(hina) ms