WARSAW, June 28 (Hina) - Croatia's and Poland's presidents said in Warsaw on Wednesday the two countries, in spite of excellent bilateral relations, still had room to improve them, and that the Zagreb-Warsaw cooperation would resume
owing also to consonant policies which are "on the same European direction."
WARSAW, June 28 (Hina) - Croatia's and Poland's presidents said in
Warsaw on Wednesday the two countries, in spite of excellent
bilateral relations, still had room to improve them, and that the
Zagreb-Warsaw cooperation would resume owing also to consonant
policies which are "on the same European direction."#L#
Croatia's Stipe Mesic arrived in Warsaw today for a two-day
official visit, which began with talks with Polish President
Aleksandar Kwasniewski.
The two presidents told a news conference they were interested in
economic cooperation, particularly in culture and tourism.
Croatia's Mesic asked for Poland's support in the realisation of
some projects Croatia was interested in.
"Poland wants to assist Croatia where that is possible," said
President Kwasniewski, who sees Mesic's election as Croatian
President earlier this year as "the end of a period which had been
difficult for bilateral relations, as well as for Croatia's
position in Europe."
The Polish President had showed his approval by attending Mesic'a
inauguration in February.
"We want to put forward several projects within the Stability Pact
(for Southeast Europe), and in this we hope for Poland's support,"
said President Mesic, adding the projects were expensive but that
"associated Europe can take them because they will be of use."
The Croatian President said this referred to the construction of a
highway running from the Italian border across Slovenia, Croatia,
Montenegro, and Albania, to Greece.
Other projects Croatia is interested in are the cleansing of the
Danube river and making it navigable, the construction of an oil
pipeline from the Caspian Sea across Romania, Hungary, and Croatia,
into Europe, and of a gas pipeline from Norway across Poland to the
Adriatic Sea.
President Mesic also voiced interest in placing Croatia's economy
on the Polish market and vice versa, saying "all possibilities
exist for doing so."
Polish President Kwasniewski said it was time for Polish tourists
to return to Croatia, to once again see Dubrovnik and the beautiful
coastline on which they used to spend summer holidays for many
years. He called on Croats to visit Poland as well.
"Our policies are consonant and on the same European direction, so
in this respect our cooperation will continue," said Mesic, adding
"Croatia wants to be a country which will generate European
association, but also have a stabilising effect in the region."
Kwasniewski said Poland would support Croatia "on the road to
Europe and NATO."
Asked by reporters about Serb returns to Croatia, President Mesic
said Croatia could assist the democratisation of Serbia by
welcoming Croatian Serbs who had fled to Serbia and the Bosnian Serb
entity during last decade's war.
"Our policy is to encourage citizens to return," Mesic said, adding
that Serbs outside Serbia "should be a bridge of cooperation."
(hina) ha mm