RACAN PAYS WORKING VISIT TO EUROPEAN INTEGRATION MINISTRY

ZAGREB, Sept 15 (Hina) - Croatian Prime Minister Ivica Racan has expressed satisfaction with the operation of the Ministry for European Integration, to which he paid a working visit on Friday. Racan and European Integration Minister Ivan Jakovcic discussed obligations of the ministry and the entire government regarding Croatia's strategy and wish to enter the European Union as soon as possible. "I believe that in the few months (since its establishment) the new ministry has been coping with its tasks well," Racan said after the meeting. "The job is really very extensive and difficult and it will be necessary to organise well the work of this ministry and the entire government," the Prime Minister said. Croatia is facing the task of setting up a negotiating team for talks with the EU on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement. The talks will start in a month's or month-and-a half's time, he added. On July 19 this year, the European Commission decided that it would propose to the Council of Europe to start negotiations with Croatia regarding the Stabilisation and Association Agreement and the talks could start before a summit of EU member-countries and countries of the western Balkans, scheduled for November 24 in Zagreb. (hina) jn rml