AUSTRIAN-CROATIAN RELATIONS EXCELLENT - SAYS FISCHER

ZAGREB, June 2 (Hina) - Austrian parliament president Heinz Fischer said in Zagreb on Friday his talks with Croatian officials over the past two days tackled Croatia's integration with European structures, bilateral relations, and the situation in the Balkans. "The talks with the Croatian side have been friendly and constructive, and I am leaving Zagreb with the impression that Austrian-Croatian relations are excellent," Fischer told the press following talks with Croatian President Stipe Mesic. Fischer said Austria supported Croatia's approaching the European Union and was satisfied that several significant decisions had recently been made in that respect. While in Croatia, the Austrian official also held talks with Croatia's parliament president Zlatko Tomcic, Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, and the chairman of parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, Zdravko Tomac. Fischer said the talks on bilateral issues mostly addressed the strengthening of economic cooperation. He added the talks with President Mesic focused on the situation in the Balkans and prospects of the region's peaceful progress within the Stability Pact for Southeast Europe, as well as the situation in Serbia whose regime, it was concluded, continued to represent a hotbed of unrest and instability. (hina) ha