LISBON, Feb 13 (Hina) - After his visit to Lisbon, Croatia's Premier Ivica Racan said Portugal, as a country that is now holding the EU presidency, was playing an exceptionally important role and we assessed that "the fastest way
towards Brussels is going via Lisbon." He added that talks and support the Croatian delegation had received in the Portuguese capital confirmed that assessment. Portuguese officials supported, for a few reasons, the policy of the new Croatian Government and its intention to speed up Croatia's movement toward inclusion in the EU. Being a smaller European country Portugal itself can more easily understand the position of a small country such as Croatia and its wish to enter as soon as possible EuroAtlantic integration processes, simultaneously preserving its identity, Racan said. "We have received more than we expected, we have heard some suggestions w
LISBON, Feb 13 (Hina) - After his visit to Lisbon, Croatia's Premier
Ivica Racan said Portugal, as a country that is now holding the EU
presidency, was playing an exceptionally important role and we
assessed that "the fastest way towards Brussels is going via
Lisbon."
He added that talks and support the Croatian delegation had
received in the Portuguese capital confirmed that assessment.
Portuguese officials supported, for a few reasons, the policy of
the new Croatian Government and its intention to speed up Croatia's
movement toward inclusion in the EU.
Being a smaller European country Portugal itself can more easily
understand the position of a small country such as Croatia and its
wish to enter as soon as possible EuroAtlantic integration
processes, simultaneously preserving its identity, Racan said.
"We have received more than we expected, we have heard some
suggestions what we should do to accelerate our path to the EU,"
Racan added.
His Portuguese interlocutors told him that they would back
Croatia's bids to enter the EU soon.
Croatian Premier added that his Portuguese counterpart Guterres
had accepted an invitation to visit Croatia and assessed that there
were good chances of furthering the economic cooperation between
the two countries.
Racan voiced hope that the visit of Croatia's delegation to
Brussels, as their next stop on the European tour, would be also
successful.
The visit to Lisbon and afterwards to Brussels and Berlin are very
important to Croatia, he said adding those were first steps made by
the new Government trying to come closer to EuroAtlantic
association processes.
Racan hoped that steps which would be taken by the Government in the
coming months would pave the way for accomplishment of Croatia's
objectives in foreign and internal policies. "Now we have a
historic chance which we must not waste," he stressed.
Speaking of the backing the Europe started to give to Croatia since
the recent elections, Racan announced the visit of Italian Premier
Massimo D'Alema to Zagreb for Thursday.
On Sunday Croatia's delegation led by Racan left Lisbon for
Brussels to hold talks with EU and NATO senior officials.
(hina) ms