BRUSSELS, July 18 (Hina) - Croatia does have its difficulties, but is resolute to integrate with Euro-Atlantic structures as soon as possible, Croatian President Stipe Mesic told Belgian daily La Libre Belgique in an interview run on
Tuesday. President Mesic spoke to Belgian reporters over his two-day visit to NATO, the European Union, and the Kingdom of Belgium. Asked if the Balkans could be stabilised without the democratisation of Serbia, Mesic answered in the negative, adding "one of the ways of stabilising the region is to enable all Croatian Serb refugees to return to their homes." He said the return of Croatian Serbs would be the proof of democracy in Croatia, and also prevent the homogenisation of Serbia. Asked if he was willing to meet with Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to establish Zagreb-Belgrade relations, Croatia's President said "too much blood was spilled for us to be able to meet
BRUSSELS, July 18 (Hina) - Croatia does have its difficulties, but
is resolute to integrate with Euro-Atlantic structures as soon as
possible, Croatian President Stipe Mesic told Belgian daily La
Libre Belgique in an interview run on Tuesday.
President Mesic spoke to Belgian reporters over his two-day visit
to NATO, the European Union, and the Kingdom of Belgium.
Asked if the Balkans could be stabilised without the
democratisation of Serbia, Mesic answered in the negative, adding
"one of the ways of stabilising the region is to enable all Croatian
Serb refugees to return to their homes."
He said the return of Croatian Serbs would be the proof of democracy
in Croatia, and also prevent the homogenisation of Serbia.
Asked if he was willing to meet with Yugoslav President Slobodan
Milosevic to establish Zagreb-Belgrade relations, Croatia's
President said "too much blood was spilled for us to be able to
meet."
Mesic told La Libre Belgique the state of Croatia's economy was
difficult, and that his predecessor, the late Franjo Tudjman, did
not understand contemporary economic trends.
"Tudjman's tragedy, and as a result our tragedy too, was that he was
convinced BH (Bosnia-Herzegovina) should be divided between Zagreb
and Belgrade," said Mesic.
Croatia's President assessed as absurd any notion of a new Yugoslav
federation, saying a summit of western Balkans countries planned
for this autumn in Zagreb was a "watershed for Croatia."
(hina) ha mm