KUCAN ON MESIC'S INAUGURATION: 'SYMBOLIC' ACT FOR CROATIA

ZAGREB/LJUBLJANA, Feb 18 (Hina) - Slovene President Milan Kucan on Friday told the Slovene media today's inauguration of Croatia's new President Stipe Mesic was a symbolic act signifying the beginning of a new era in the life of democratic Croatia. Kucan, who headed a Slovene delegation at the Mesic inauguration in Zagreb, said Croatia had been given its "five golden minutes" in relations with the international community, which it should use to win international support for internal reforms. Following his talks with Mesic, Kucan said they confirmed Croatia's willingness to have optimal relations with Slovenia and to resolve two-sided issues. "My expectation has been confirmed, namely that joint interests will condition mutual help in the realisation of collective interests to approach Euro-Atlantic integration," Kucan said. While in Zagreb, Slovenia's president also held talks with United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. "It has been confirmed that the interest to regulate Slovene- Croatian relations is much wider, and not only bilateral," he said after the talks. The U.S. state secretary believes a call to resolve Croatian- Slovene bilateral issues should be forwarded both to Zagreb and Ljubljana, said Kucan, adding Albright also said both countries were mature enough to resolve those issues alone, without burdening the international community. (hina) ha