SOFIA, Oct 2 (Hina) - Croatian and Bulgarian presidents Stipe Mesic and Petar Stojanov in Sofia on Monday adopted a joint declaration recognising the election victory of the Yugoslav opposition candidate Vojislav Kostunica in the
first round of presidential elections. Welcoming the victory of democratic forces and their presidential candidate Kostunica in the first round of the latest Yugoslav elections, Mesic and Stojanov also stressed the need to respect the will Serb citizens expressed in the election results, so that an end could be put not only to Milosevic's regime, but to his policy too. Both presidents believe that Yugoslav citizens have clearly demonstrated their support for changes in their country and welcomed this orientation. We believe that a new democratic and peace-loving Yugoslavia would mean the possibility of quicker integration into European structures for the whole region.
SOFIA, Oct 2 (Hina) - Croatian and Bulgarian presidents Stipe Mesic
and Petar Stojanov in Sofia on Monday adopted a joint declaration
recognising the election victory of the Yugoslav opposition
candidate Vojislav Kostunica in the first round of presidential
elections.
Welcoming the victory of democratic forces and their presidential
candidate Kostunica in the first round of the latest Yugoslav
elections, Mesic and Stojanov also stressed the need to respect the
will Serb citizens expressed in the election results, so that an end
could be put not only to Milosevic's regime, but to his policy too.
Both presidents believe that Yugoslav citizens have clearly
demonstrated their support for changes in their country and
welcomed this orientation.
We believe that a new democratic and peace-loving Yugoslavia would
mean the possibility of quicker integration into European
structures for the whole region.
Asked whether there was ambition for other countries from the
region to join the declaration, Stojanov said that since Friday he
had been conducting consultations with presidents of countries in
the region - Albania, Macedonia and Romania.
According to Stojanov, this initiative was launched by Macedonian
President Boris Trajkovski and it was possible the initiative would
result in the adoption of a joint declaration.
The Croatian and Bulgarian presidents read out the declaration
after a news conference held following their meeting.
Asked what he thought would happen in Yugoslavia after the ballot,
Croatia's Mesic said the rational thing to do would be to recognise
the results and start with the democratisation of the country.
In Yugoslavia, however, "we are dealing with irrational people, and
the head of the state is among them," he said, illustrating two
possibilities: that Milosevic abandon politics "in this or that
way," or that he initiate Montenegro's independence from
Yugoslavia, accusing for this the current election winners.
Mesic said that in the latter case, Milosevic would "make Serbia
hegemonic again," because if Montenegro were to become independent
Yugoslavia would "be no more, and Kostunica's victory would not
mean much anymore."
Mesic did, however, voice confidence a war could not break out
because democratic forces evidently did exist in Serbia.
The Croatian and Bulgarian presidents also talked about the
furtherance of bilateral cooperation, in politics, economy and
culture. Bulgaria's Stojanov pointed to the need of joining efforts
aimed at cleansing the Danube river where it was navigable in order
to connect Croatia and Bulgaria even more.
Mesic said this would contribute to the economic recovery of the
Danube River Region in eastern-most Croatia, and especially the
town of Vukovar.
The Croatian head of state also said he supported the construction
of Corridor 8, a highway connecting Transcaucasian countries and
Bulgaria.
At the beginning of the news conference, the two countries'
transport ministers signed an agreement on maritime transport.
(hina) rml/ha jn