LETTERS OF INVITATION FOR ZAGREB SUMMIT FORWARDED

ZAGREB, Oct 24 (Hina) - Letters of invitation for the November 24 Summit in Zagreb, which should be sent by France, holding the rotating presidency over the European Union, and Croatia, co- organiser of the meeting, were forwarded on Tuesday. Most of the invited countries should be represented by top officials.#L# Fifteen EU member-countries, five countries covered by a Stabilisation and Association process, and European Commission representatives are expected to attend. The arrival of the EU High Representative for foreign policy and security, Javier Solana, has also been announced, Croatian ambassador Neven Madey told the Sabor's foreign policy committee on Tuesday while submitting a report on preparations for the Zagreb event. According to schedule, the summit should last three hours. Once it wraps up, the commencement of Croatia-EU negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) should be announced officially, Madey said. Foreign Minister Tonino Picula, who spoke about the Croatian foreign policy's objectives at the beginning of the committee's session, pointed to the strengthening of regional cooperation where joint interest had to be of the crucial importance. Picula said his country did not want to see an inflation of regional initiatives that could become and end in themselves and perhaps "lead to a broader institutionalisation which will slow down or thwart the individual approach to the EU." Present at the Zagreb summit will be the recently-elected Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica. A letter of invitation will be forwarded to Montenegro's President Milo Djukanovic, but it has not yet been determined in what capacity he will come to Zagreb, Madey explained. Minister Picula added that it was arranged in this way as Belgrade and Podgorica were growing increasingly distant following the Yugoslav ballot. (hina) jn ms