AUSTRIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT CROATIA'S PARLIAMENT

ZAGREB, June 1 (Hina) - Austria entirely supports Croatia in its "logical" endeavours to integrate with Euro-Atlantic structures, Austrian parliament's president Heinz Fischer said in Zagreb on Thursday following talks with Croatian counterpart Zlatko Tomcic. Fischer arrived in Zagreb for a three-day official visit at the head of a four-party delegation of Austria's National Council, i.e. parliament. The Austrian official took the opportunity to thank Croatia on its position in connection with Austria's political situation. Over the past several months, Austria has encountered isolation within the European Union in the wake of Joerg Haider's far right Freedom Party's entry into the government. Croatia believes Austria is a stable and democratic party, said Fischer. Croatia's Tomcic said the two sides agreed in the assessment of the situation in Southeast Europe. He was glad Austria supported Croatia's position as regards an individual approach to the EU. For us Croatia is a sovereign state and negotiates with the EU in line with determined, very clear rules of the game, Fischer said. Austria sees no arguments why some structures from the past should now be dragged out and used within the negotiations, he added. (hina) ha