ZAGREB, June 9 (Hina) - High Representative of the European Commission for Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana in Zagreb on Friday welcomed the progress Croatia had achieved in fulfilling conditions for approaching the European
Union. We are happy to see that your country is developing and we are trying to help your country as much as possible to become what is the dream of many Croatian citizens, namely to become a part of the European Union, Solana said after talks with Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula. Solana is in an official visit to Croatia and is scheduled to hold talks with Croatian President Stipe Mesic and prime Minister Ivica Racan. He said his visit to Zagreb aimed at maintaining the level of communicationS and transparency in relations between European countries and demonstrating Europe's change in relations with Zagreb. Croatian Foreign Minister Picula said that the meeting demon
ZAGREB, June 9 (Hina) - High Representative of the European
Commission for Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana in Zagreb
on Friday welcomed the progress Croatia had achieved in fulfilling
conditions for approaching the European Union.
We are happy to see that your country is developing and we are trying
to help your country as much as possible to become what is the dream
of many Croatian citizens, namely to become a part of the European
Union, Solana said after talks with Croatian Foreign Minister
Tonino Picula.
Solana is in an official visit to Croatia and is scheduled to hold
talks with Croatian President Stipe Mesic and prime Minister Ivica
Racan.
He said his visit to Zagreb aimed at maintaining the level of
communicationS and transparency in relations between European
countries and demonstrating Europe's change in relations with
Zagreb.
Croatian Foreign Minister Picula said that the meeting
demonstrated that a feasibility study on the beginning of
negotiations with the European Union was not only concluded but it
was confirmed, and negotiations within the agreement on
association and stabilisation will begin this autumn.
In late May, the European Commission endorsed the feasibility study
on negotiations on the stabilisation and association agreement
with Croatia and recommended the European Union Council of
Ministers to approve the beginning of negotiations.
The European Union Council of Ministers should adopt the
feasibility study at its session in Luxembourg on June 13 as a
document by which the European Commission would gain a mandate for
the beginning of negotiations with Croatia.
According to Picula, during the talks it was pointed to a progress
in the democratisation of the society, the respect of human rights
and the rights of minorities, regional cooperation and the
strengthening of the system of free entrepreneurship.
When asked to comment on a recent initiative of the French President
that a summit between countries in the region and European Union
countries be held, Solana said that details of the meeting,
including the time and place, have not yet been harmonised.
Picula said Croatia accepted the idea as a way of improving
communications with the European Union and countries which do not
yet have institutional relations with the European Union.
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