MESIC HOLDS RECEPTION FOR ZAGREB CONFERENCE'S PARTICIPANTS

ZAGREB, Sept 12 (Hina) - The fact that Zagreb hosts such a great meeting confirms that Croatia is a democratic and law-based state, Croatia's President Stjepan Mesic said on Tuesday evening when he gave a reception for participants in the two-day conference of parliamentary heads of countries covered by the Stability Pact for South-eastern Europe. Mesic said Croatia's Government was working hard on achieving European standards necessary for the acceleration of Croatia's bids to enter integration processes. "We do not want to enter Europe as a locomotive which depends on the speed of the last carriage, but what we want is to be a participant in a regatta in which we shall first reach the finish," Mesic added. Addressing the parliamentary heads from Stability Pact member- states, he described the Pact as one of necessary mechanisms for peaceful coexistence in Europe. President Mesic concluded his speech with a few remarks on the situation in Serbia. "There are two problems (in Serbia). The first one is Milosevic, whereas the other is the opposition that competes with Milosevic in nationalism. We shall support those forces in Serbia which will realise that their future lies in Europe and that Serbs outside Serbia are a bridge for cooperation between neighbours," Croatian head of state said. Speaking on behalf of the conference's participants, Italian Parliament's head Luciano Violante emphasised that Zagreb was today the capital of the global parliamentarism. He said the reason for the great response to the Zagreb conference were important topics on the event's agenda as well as democratic progress of Croatia. (hina) ms