ZAGREB, June 21 (Hina) - Accusations that Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic is trying to restore a Yugoslavia through his activities in foreign politics are pointless, said Mesic's foreign affairs advisor, Stanko Nick, on Wednesday.
"Those are groundless accusations, as it is impossible to reinstate Yugoslavia," Nick said at a press briefing in Zagreb, commenting on some remarks that by his choice of first countries he visited and his support to French President Jacques Chirac's initiative for convening a summit of the EU and countries in the former Yugoslavia's area, Mesic was trying to recreate Yugoslavia. There is no point in connecting Mesic's visit to some countries and alleged attempts to reinstate Yugoslavia. This is the matter of geography, Nick explained. "If President Mesic is working on re-creation of Yugoslavia, then that Yugoslavia is called Europe," Mesic's advisor
ZAGREB, June 21 (Hina) - Accusations that Croatia's President
Stjepan Mesic is trying to restore a Yugoslavia through his
activities in foreign politics are pointless, said Mesic's foreign
affairs advisor, Stanko Nick, on Wednesday.
"Those are groundless accusations, as it is impossible to reinstate
Yugoslavia," Nick said at a press briefing in Zagreb, commenting on
some remarks that by his choice of first countries he visited and
his support to French President Jacques Chirac's initiative for
convening a summit of the EU and countries in the former
Yugoslavia's area, Mesic was trying to recreate Yugoslavia.
There is no point in connecting Mesic's visit to some countries and
alleged attempts to reinstate Yugoslavia. This is the matter of
geography, Nick explained. "If President Mesic is working on re-
creation of Yugoslavia, then that Yugoslavia is called Europe,"
Mesic's advisor stated.
Nick added that during Mesic-Chirac talks in Paris an idea was
mentioned about organising a meeting between EU member-states and
countries in "the western Balkans" which have no formalised
relations with the EU (which means without Slovenia but including
Albania).
Mesic responded to the proposal saying that it would be useful but
suggested that another countries be invited to such a summit.
France was in favour of Zagreb as a host of that event. The summit is
likely to be held in the late September or in October, Nick added.
He acquainted reporters with a programme of Mesic's activities in
foreign affairs in the coming period.
Mesic is travelling to Poland on 28 and 29 June.
On 4 and 5 July Croatian President will conduct an official visit to
Italy and the Vatican.
On 9 July Czech President Vaclav Havel will visit Zagreb and
subsequently Dubrovnik to attend the opening ceremony of Dubrovnik
Summer festival.
In July Mesic is due to visit Brussels as well.
In the early August, Mesic and Croatian Premier Ivica Racan are to
fly to Washington.
On 6-11 September Mesic will fly to New York to be present at the UN
General Assembly summit (the so-called millennium summit) which
Nick described this as the biggest summit of statesmen in history.
On 28 September Mesic will give a speech at the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg.
On 2 and 3 October Croatia's head of state will visit Bulgaria, and
on 5 October will travel to Toledo, Spain, to take part in a meeting
of countries in the area that used to be the kingdom of Charles V. On
16-17 October, Mesic will stay in Slovakia and after that he will
travel to Germany (26-27 October).
Croatia's President has invitations to visit Ukraine, the Czech
Republic, Israel, Australia, Nepal and Sri Lanka by the end of this
year, but the schedule of these visits should be finalised, Nick
said.
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