MESIC: MACEDONIA AND CROATIA HAVE SAME STRATEGIC GOALS

SKOPJE, April (Hina) - Macedonia and Croatia have very strong cooperation and same strategic goals, namely joining the European Union and NATO, Croatian President Stipe Mesic, who is on an official visit to Macedonia, said on Thursday. Cooperation with Macedonia is developing in the best possible way because we don't have problems in bilateral relations. We have several open issues which will be solved soon, and then we will advocate the realisation of our strategic goals, Mesic told reporters. On Wednesday Mesic held talks with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski and Premier Ljupco Georgijevski. The Croatian President stressed that Macedonia was one step ahead of Croatia because it started negotiations with Brussels on the signing of an agreement on stabilisation and association, and the Council of Europe's monitoring have been cancelled, therefore Croatia wants to hear Macedonia experiences. Mesic added that Zagreb can also help Skopje in certain issues. We have identical views on the European association and a wish to participate in it as soon as possible, not only formally but to realise standards and European criteria, Mesic stressed. Speaking of open issues between the two countries, Mesic stressed they could be solved easily, and they were mostly property issues, namely the property of Croatian companies in Macedonia and Macedonian in Croatia. When asked whether he held talks with the last premier of the former Yugoslavia and international economic advisor Ante Markovic, who is also on the visit to Skopje, Mesic said yes, adding the talks were over a two-hour long lunch. (hina) it