NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stipe Mesic on Tuesday afternoon made a guest appearance at the University of Yale's Institute for International Relations, addressing students and professors on the political situation in
Croatia and the Croatian government's view on some international issues.
NEW YORK, Sept 5 (Hina) - Croatia's President Stipe Mesic on Tuesday
afternoon made a guest appearance at the University of Yale's
Institute for International Relations, addressing students and
professors on the political situation in Croatia and the Croatian
government's view on some international issues.#L#
President Mesic explained Croatia's democratisation process,
saying it was especially significant after parliamentary and
presidential elections at the beginning of the year. He said the
changes which ensued had made Croatia an important factor in the
region's stability and an equal partner to other democratic
states.
The Croatian president reiterated Zagreb's resoluteness to make
return to pre-war homes possible for all displaced persons and
refugees. He reminded, however, that reconstruction and economic
revival, as preconditions for faster returns, called for
substantial international monetary aid.
Speaking about foreign policy objectives, President Mesic said the
most important one was the all-round development of bilateral
cooperation, especially with neighbouring states. In this context,
he spoke of changes in the policy towards Bosnia-Herzegovina and
agreements regulating Croatia-BH relations to mutual
satisfaction.
Speaking about the situation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,
the Croatian President said Belgrade's regime represented a
permanent threat to stability, not only in Southeast Europe. He
reminded of recent meetings with the political leaders of FRY's
Republic of Montenegro, saying that Croatia, by nurturing
relations with Montenegro's democratic authorities, was helping in
democratising Serbia, the other FRY republic, as well.
President Mesic said it was imperative to complete succession to
the former Yugoslav federation as soon as possible because
unresolved issues obstructed a faster and better development of
relations.
Croatia wants to become a full-right member of NATO and the European
Union, as well as participate in the economic and political
processes of the day, Mesic concluded in his address at Yale.
He arrived in New York on Monday to attend the United Nations
millennium summit.
(hina) ha