NEW YORK NEW YORK, Sept 7 (Hina) - A meeting of heads of state and government such as this week's UN Millennium Summit, is a good occasion for bilateral meetings of statesmen, and Croatian President Stjepan Mesic on Wednesday held
several unscheduled talks, besides nine planned meetings, on the margins of the New York event. Yesterday afternoon his interlocutors were presidents Ferenc Madl, of Hungary, Mohammad Khatami of Iran, Fidel Castro of Cuba, Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic, Tarja Halonen of Finland, Sam Nujoma of Namibia, the chairman of Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-man Presidency, Alija Izetbegovic, and others. All those talks revolved around bilateral relations and the economic co-operation. In addition, President Mesic used those occasions to acquaint other statesmen, in particular, leaders of non-aligned countries, with the political circumstances in the European south-east and to seek their support to
NEW YORK, Sept 7 (Hina) - A meeting of heads of state and government
such as this week's UN Millennium Summit, is a good occasion for
bilateral meetings of statesmen, and Croatian President Stjepan
Mesic on Wednesday held several unscheduled talks, besides nine
planned meetings, on the margins of the New York event.
Yesterday afternoon his interlocutors were presidents Ferenc Madl,
of Hungary, Mohammad Khatami of Iran, Fidel Castro of Cuba, Vaclav
Havel of the Czech Republic, Tarja Halonen of Finland, Sam Nujoma of
Namibia, the chairman of Bosnia-Herzegovina's three-man
Presidency, Alija Izetbegovic, and others.
All those talks revolved around bilateral relations and the
economic co-operation.
In addition, President Mesic used those occasions to acquaint other
statesmen, in particular, leaders of non-aligned countries, with
the political circumstances in the European south-east and to seek
their support to the UN's decision that the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia (Serbia/Montenegro) cannot take over the former
Yugoslavia's (SFRY) membership in the World Organisation and that
it cannot be the only successor to the SFRY.
According to President Mesic and members of the Croatian
delegation, his interlocutors have shown understanding for this
stance.
One of unavoidable themes at Mesic's talks with leaders of Islamic
countries is the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and in this
context the Islamic statesmen have expressed support to the current
Croatian policy. Mesic told Iranian President Khatami that for
Zagreb it was unacceptable that there were three national armies
and separate authorities in the neighbouring Bosnia. Following the
recent visit of Croatian Economy Minister Goranko Fizulic to
Tehran, it has been suggested that economic co-operation between
Croatia and Iran can be broadened, particularly in the shipbuilding
and oil industry.
During their talks, Croatian and Hungarian Presidents Mesic and
Madl agreed that the two neighbouring countries were successfully
collaborating in all fields. The Hungarian head of state voiced
interest in the furtherance of the tourist co-operation and added
that Hungarian businessmen would like to invest in that sector. The
Hungarian side is also interested in the use of a free zone in the
Croatian seaport of Rijeka and in better traffic connections with
the Croatian coastal area.
(hina) jn ms