CROATIA-EU TASK FORCE TO MEET IN ZAGREB ON WEDNESDAY

ZAGREB, April 10 (Hina) - A Croatia-European Union joint consultation task force will hold its second meeting in Zagreb on Wednesday, the European Commission (EC) delegation to Croatia and Croatia's ministries for European integration and foreign affairs said in a joint statement on Monday. The EC delegation arrives in Croatia on Tuesday for a two-day visit and will be headed by Fabrizio Barboso, director in EC's general directorate for foreign affairs. Tomorrow, EC representatives will hold several working meetings with representatives of the Croatian government, ministries, and other bodies of state administration. The Croatia-EU consultation task force held its first meeting in Brussels on February 15. At the second meeting, Croatia will be represented by Deputy Minister for European Integration Mirjana Mladineo and Assistant Foreign Minister Vladimir Drobnjak. According to the joint statement, the aim of Wednesday's meeting is to exchange views and gather information for a study on the feasibility of commencing negotiations on an agreement on stabilisation and association on the basis of which the EU Council of Ministers will decide when Croatia starts the negotiations. Wednesday's meeting will also discuss the needs and priorities of EU's future assistance to Croatia in carrying out reforms in certain fields. According to some announcements from a meeting EU's Council of Ministers held in Luxembourg today, the Council could bind the European Commission to complete the feasibility study by the Council's June session. (hina) ha mm