BUDAPEST, Oct 18 (Hina) - Croatia and Hungary set an example for solving the issue of national minorities, Croatian and Hungarian presidents Stipe Mesic and Ferenc Madl said in Budapest Wednesday. Croatia's Mesic arrived in Budapest
on Wednesday, commencing his two-day visit with a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Madl. The legislatures of both countries set an example for solving minority issues and are thus a good recommendation for European associations, Madl said at a joint news conference after the meeting. The only remaining serious issue relates to the reconstruction of war-destroyed homes of members of the Hungarian minority in Croatia. Hungary would like for Croatia to pay more attention to the issue in the reconstruction process, Madl said, adding Hungary was prepared to send Croatian Hungarians about 200 million forints of assistance, but the issues of customs payments and value
BUDAPEST, Oct 18 (Hina) - Croatia and Hungary set an example for
solving the issue of national minorities, Croatian and Hungarian
presidents Stipe Mesic and Ferenc Madl said in Budapest Wednesday.
Croatia's Mesic arrived in Budapest on Wednesday, commencing his
two-day visit with a meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Madl.
The legislatures of both countries set an example for solving
minority issues and are thus a good recommendation for European
associations, Madl said at a joint news conference after the
meeting.
The only remaining serious issue relates to the reconstruction of
war-destroyed homes of members of the Hungarian minority in
Croatia.
Hungary would like for Croatia to pay more attention to the issue in
the reconstruction process, Madl said, adding Hungary was prepared
to send Croatian Hungarians about 200 million forints of
assistance, but the issues of customs payments and value added tax
on the resources have not yet been solved.
Mesic expressed satisfaction with the solutions to minority issues
in both countries.
"I am also satisfied with the fact that Hungary is discussing a
political participation of national minorities in the parliament,"
Mesic said.
The two presidents and delegations of the two countries held talks
on the economic situation.
Croatia does not have sufficient initial capital for activating its
economy, so it is interested in the friendly neighbouring Hungary
participating with its capital in investments into production,
particularly tourism, Mesic said.
Madl and Mesic said it was necessary that the two countries support
each other in the process of Euro-Atlantic integration.
Especially important is the traffic connection between the two
countries, especially the road from Budapest via Zagreb to the
central Adriatic port of Rijeka, a modern railroad from Zagreb to
Budapest and the European corridor 5C between Budapest and the
south Adriatic port of Ploce via Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Asked about the possibility of cooperation with Serbia, Mesic said
the war with Serbia had ended for Croatia, and it was up to Serbia to
show its intentions.
"Serbia must show that it does not hold its minority in other
countries as a reason for aggression, but a bridge for cooperation;
Serbia must express readiness to pay off the war damage and it must
cooperate with the Hague war crimes tribunal, because there can be
no cooperation until criminals responsible for war crimes in
Vukovar, Skabrnja, etc. are walking freely around this country".
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