SOFIA, Oct 3 (Hina) - Bulgaria is prepared to support Croatia in all issues on the international plan, Bulgarian Premier Ivan Kostov said in Sofia Tuesday after talks with Croatian President Stipe Mesic. We expressed readiness to our
Croatian friends in providing support in all international issues with which Croatia could be faced on its way into Euro-Atlantic associations, Kostov said. "We are seeking the support of all friendly countries, including Bulgaria," Mesic said after the meeting. Kostov applauded the Croatian President's initiative and organisation of a meeting of heads of state of countries of the former Yugoslavia, focusing on the succession of property of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ). During the millennium session at the UN in New York, Mesic invited the presidents of Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia for talks at which they concluded that they should a
SOFIA, Oct 3 (Hina) - Bulgaria is prepared to support Croatia in all
issues on the international plan, Bulgarian Premier Ivan Kostov
said in Sofia Tuesday after talks with Croatian President Stipe
Mesic.
We expressed readiness to our Croatian friends in providing support
in all international issues with which Croatia could be faced on its
way into Euro-Atlantic associations, Kostov said.
"We are seeking the support of all friendly countries, including
Bulgaria," Mesic said after the meeting.
Kostov applauded the Croatian President's initiative and
organisation of a meeting of heads of state of countries of the
former Yugoslavia, focusing on the succession of property of the
former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRJ).
During the millennium session at the UN in New York, Mesic invited
the presidents of Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia for
talks at which they concluded that they should ask the
international community to expedite the process of succession of
the former Yugoslavia.
The problem of the succession of the former SFRJ is not only a
problem for countries which used to be a part of the former
Yugoslavia, but also a problem of the European Union and the world,
Mesic said.
"We hold that (the Federal Republic of) Yugoslavia cannot be the
only and automatic successor of the property of the former SFRJ,
successors are all the states created pursuant to its dissipation,"
he stressed.
We understand that the prosperity of countries of the former
Yugoslavia depends on solving this problem, Kostov asserted.
The two stressed their countries were prepared to set an example of
European cooperation between two Balkan countries.
"The Balkans should become a geographical term, not a political
one, because we are carrying out a European policy," Mesic said.
He added the talks between him and Kostov had also focused on
promoting economic cooperation and an agreement on free trade,
which is a precondition for Croatia for accession to the CEFTA
(Central European Free Trade Agreement).
The two also tackled the issue of national minorities.
National minorities are an element of cooperation between two
countries and can help its development, Mesic asserted.
Kostov hailed the Declaration on Yugoslavia signed by Mesic and
Bulgaria's President Petar Stojanov on Monday.
(hina) lml