'ENORMOUS STEP' MADE TOWARDS EUROPEAN INTEGRATION - SAYS RACAN

BRUSSELS, Feb 15 (Hina) - "Croatia has made an enormous step towards accessing Euro-Atlantic integration," Croatian Premier Ivica Racan said in Brussels on Tuesday, assessing the talks a Croatian delegation held at European Union (EU) and NATO headquarters over the past two days.#L# Racan and Croatia's Foreign Minister Tonino Picula and European Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic spoke to Croatian reporters at the end of their two-day stay in Brussels and before departing for Berlin. An "enormous step" forward has also been made in rapprochement with the EU and NATO, said Racan, adding "the ball is in our court" now. "The doors are open", he and the two ministers assessed, adding the rapidity of rapprochement would depend on what Croatia will do at home. Racan said Croatia's access to NATO's Partnership for Peace programme was "very close". "This step actually won't impress either side (Croatia and NATO), because we will have to expedite work on the next one, i.e. full membership in the NATO," he said. This afternoon, a joint Task Force convened at the EU headquarters to begin preparations for the establishment of institutional relations between Croatia and the EU. The meeting gathered officials and experts of the European Commission, as well as Croatia's Picula and Jakovcic with a group of experts who flew in from Zagreb. "It is definitely clear that a period in Croatia-EU relations is behind us. Now is the time of institutionalisation of relations," said Foreign Minister Picula. He and Jakovcic said today's Task Force meeting resulted in the drafting of a "catalogue" of problems, namely conditions Croatia has to meet to open negotiations with the EU on an agreement on stabilisation and association. Croatia has committed to in the shortest period possible respond to questions on how and within which deadlines it intends to meet the said conditions. The Task Force should convene again in two months in Zagreb. European Commission commissioner for foreign relations Chris Patten will visit Zagreb on March 10. He will upgrade EC's Office in Zagreb to a higher diplomatic level, namely to a permanent mission. "A huge amount of work awaits us at home," not only the government, but many other expert services as well, said Croatia's Minister for European Integration Jakovcic. "This is truly an opportunity which could rarely occur again," Jakovcic said, pointing out it was an opportunity for the Croatian government and all democratic forces in parliament which, he added, were surely interested in maintaining the "fast rhythm" with which EU's opening towards Croatia began in Brussels. (hina) ha