ZAGREB SUMMIT: 15 EU MEMBER STATES + 4 SAA ZAGREB, July 25 (Hina) - A summit, which should be held in Zagreb in November, at an initiative of French President Jacques Chirac, would draw primarily top officials from 15 EU
member-countries and countries to which the Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) refers, said Albert Turot, the ambassador of France, which is holding the rotating presidency of the European Union.
ZAGREB, July 25 (Hina) - A summit, which should be held in Zagreb in
November, at an initiative of French President Jacques Chirac,
would draw primarily top officials from 15 EU member-countries and
countries to which the Stabilisation and Association Agreement
(SAA) refers, said Albert Turot, the ambassador of France, which is
holding the rotating presidency of the European Union.#L#
The kernel of the summit meeting will encompass EU member-countries
and countries covered by the SAA,, said the French Ambassador to
Croatia, Albert Turot, on Tuesday.
Macedonia and the EU has started negotiations on the SAA, Croatia is
to commence the negotiations on that agreement in autumn. In
addition, preparations of a study of feasibility for negotiations
with Albania are under way, and Bosnia-Herzegovina is also included
in this group of countries.
According to Turot, the question is open whether Yugoslavia, namely
its part Montenegro, will be invited to attend the summit. Slovenia
has expressed its readiness to take part in the Zagreb summit.
Besides, we consider participation of some other countries, the
French diplomat said.
Croatia's Prime Minister Ivica Racan on Tuesday received a
delegation of the EU, consisting of the French Ambassador Turot,
Swedish Ambassador to Croatia, Ingemar Bjoerenssen and European
Commission Ambassador Per Vinther..
According to Racan and Turot, they discussed Croatia's bids to come
closer to the European Union as well as plans for the summit set for
this autumn.
We also considered Croatia's internal adjustment to the EU
standards and the development of the relations between Croatia and
its neighbours, with which the EU is contented, Turot added.
We are aware that our path towards Brussels depends much on what we
are doing in Croatia, but also on the fact that the admission of new
member-countries depends also on which vision prevails in the EU
relating to the accession. Today, we could see once again that the
EU recognises Croatia as a country with which it can co-operate and
I am glad that Croatia can count on the support to its aspirations,
during the French chairmanship over the EU, the Croatian PM told
reporters.
Commenting on the summit which is to be held in Zagreb, Racan said
that everybody would like to use potentials the Zagreb event would
offer for the improvement of better relationships in the region.
"As regards the topics around which the summit is to revolve, it
will be advisable to ensure the participation of more guests, and I
have suggested that each topic can have a circle of participants to
discuss it. Croatia wants to contribute to the success of the
summit, as we are aware that it will entails the improvement of
Croatia's rankings," Racan maintained.
Asked whether inside the ruling six-party coalition there has been
disagreement about the treatment of Chirac's initiative, Racan
answered that at the very beginning reserved stance was logical as
there was not enough information about its contents and goals.
We now have more information and it is easier for us to choose. When
uncertainties about the agenda and participants are removed, the
last reserve will be overcome. The Government, however, does not
share the opinion that such a meeting can bring the country's
independence into question, he explained.
(hina) mm ms