VESZPREM, April 29 (Hina) - The summit of 11 Central European presidents has been very successful and shown that Central Europe must take its place in Europe's integration processes, Croatian President Stipe Mesic said on Saturday at
the end of the two-day summit in Hungary.
VESZPREM, April 29 (Hina) - The summit of 11 Central European
presidents has been very successful and shown that Central Europe
must take its place in Europe's integration processes, Croatian
President Stipe Mesic said on Saturday at the end of the two-day
summit in Hungary.#L#
"The conference has been very successful at a time when association
in Europe is current. It is clear Central Europe must show and win
its place," President Mesic said, adding the summit, which was held
in the towns of Szekesfehervar and Veszprem, addressed general
subjects and those related to a particular country.
Speaking about his bilateral activities during the conference,
Croatia's President said "everybody talked with everybody," and
that he had been surprised by his counterparts' knowledge of events
"on our territory."
"Everybody is willing to assist in activating our economy,
especially in view of the fact that we have created a safety zone,"
President Mesic said, adding he hoped capital would find an easier
way of reaching Croatia now that this much political will had been
demonstrated.
According to President Mesic, besides having created a safety zone,
Croatia is starting to be a generator for countries in our region to
join Europe. "Central Europe could not be considered peaceful if
Croatia were unstable," he said.
The Hungarian summit focused on foundations of joint living in the
third millennium. In a joint statement, the 11 Central European
presidents committed to cooperation and solidarity, the protection
of minorities, and fighting xenophobia, segregation and
exclusion.
The region's numerous national minorities should become bridges of
cooperation in integration processes which will determine the
region's future, the presidents concluded.
President Mesic and his Hungarian counterpart Arpad Goencz
discussed the advancement of economic relations, international
issues, the position of minorities, the situation in Yugoslavia,
and Croatia's and Hungary's role in Europe's new architecture.
Mesic and Goencz agreed to meet again before the end of Goencz's
mandate in June.
President Mesic's talks with Ukrainean counterpart Leonid Kucma
addressed the need of intensifying the currently poor economic
cooperation, the political situation in Yugoslavia, and the need of
re-introducing transport along the Danube to alleviate the
economic damage all countries along the river suffer as a result.
Mesic invited the presidents he talked to to visit Croatia. Kucma
could visit Zagreb before year's end.
President Mesic and Slovak counterpart Rudolf Schuster discussed
bilateral relations, and the need of intensifying economic
cooperation and trade. They pointed to the need of further
connecting the two countries' chambers of commerce and inciting
private business. The talks also tackled cooperation within the
Stability Pact for Southeast Europe.
Austria's President Thomas Klestil voiced his full support to
Croatia's access to the European Union. Advocating stronger
economic cooperation between Croatia and Austria, he said Austrian
subjects were willing to make direct investments in Croatia.
After the bilateral talks, the 11 presidents who took part in the
summit took a ride along lake Balaton, and later planted trees in
Veszprem's Presidential Park to the notes of "Somewhere Over the
Rainbow". The presidents were welcomed by the historical town's
mayor, while Hungary's President Goencz said the planted trees
would symbolise the joint future of Central Europe.
Before returning to Croatia, President Mesic will visit the Croat
community in Tukulja, a town near Budapest in which Croats account
for one third of the population.
(hina) ha