ZAGREB, June 8 (Hina) - The presidents of Croatia and Romania on Thursday held talks in Zagreb supporting initiatives for renewing navigability along the Danube and building an oil pipeline which would connect the Caspian, Black, and
Adriatic Seas. "The Danube connects us, and therefore it would be good if it were navigable. We have agreed to take action, in which Europe should support us, to make the Danube navigable," Croatia's Stipe Mesic told reporters after the talks. "Simultaneously with the Danube, as we have agreed, we will work on making the oil pipeline connect the Caspian, Black and Adriatic Seas." Romania's President Emil Constantinescu announced a Romanian delegation of experts working on the oil pipeline project, which would cross Romania, Hungary and Croatia, would arrive in Zagreb in less than two weeks. The two presidents expressed equal positions on many subjects, especially regarding joint strat
ZAGREB, June 8 (Hina) - The presidents of Croatia and Romania on
Thursday held talks in Zagreb supporting initiatives for renewing
navigability along the Danube and building an oil pipeline which
would connect the Caspian, Black, and Adriatic Seas.
"The Danube connects us, and therefore it would be good if it were
navigable. We have agreed to take action, in which Europe should
support us, to make the Danube navigable," Croatia's Stipe Mesic
told reporters after the talks. "Simultaneously with the Danube, as
we have agreed, we will work on making the oil pipeline connect the
Caspian, Black and Adriatic Seas."
Romania's President Emil Constantinescu announced a Romanian
delegation of experts working on the oil pipeline project, which
would cross Romania, Hungary and Croatia, would arrive in Zagreb in
less than two weeks.
The two presidents expressed equal positions on many subjects,
especially regarding joint strategic objectives in connection with
integration into European structures and the need of expanding
Croatian-Romanian economic cooperation.
"Europe will assist in cleaning the Danube with more than 30 million
(U.S.) dollars, which is 85 percent of the costs," said Mesic.
"All countries gravitating towards the Danube are certainly
interested, and Romania the most. Croatia is especially interested
on account of Vukovar, because by opening the Vukovar port Croatia
will open a whole new space for economic progress," he added.
"We talked about making the process more dynamic within the Danube
Commission where Croatia has a very important role, because it will
preside a meeting of the commission," said Romania's President.
After the talks, President Mesic organised a lunch for
Constantinescu and his wife Nadia. He said in his toast Croatia's
new government was willing to achieve good relations with
neighbours, good and friendly relations with Romania, and close
Croatia-Romania coordination in multilateral forums and regional
initiatives.
According to Mesic, the Croat minority in Romania and the Romanian
in Croatia should be a bridge of cooperation between the two
countries.
The Croatian President also pointed to the need of inciting
economic cooperation, to which a Romanian business delegation
accompanying Constantinescu would contribute. Last year's trade
amounted to a mere US$15 million, in which Croatia's deficit
accounted for five million.
President Constantinescu in his toast said Romania and Croatia had
taken the path of democracy and prosperity, the path of European and
Euro-Atlantic integration, that their objectives were common and
closer to being achieved if relations were stronger.
He said the potentials of economic cooperation were insufficiently
taken advantage of, especially in connection with the development
possibilities of the Danube as a complex trans-European waterway.
Constantinescu pointed to the "imperative of regional cooperation"
in view of transforming the politically delicate Balkan region into
a region of stability, security and prosperity.
(hina) ha