NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES WELCOME POLITICAL CHANGES IN YUGOSLAVIA

ZAGREB, Oct 29 (Hina) - Countries bordering with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia welcomed the beginning of democratic process in the country, expressing expectations that the change would replace the political system created by former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic, read a statement the Croatian Government Media and Public Relations Office forwarded to Hina Sunday. The statement includes joint standpoints of Prime Ministers of countries bordering with the FRY, namely Albania, Bosnia- Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia and Romania. We, prime ministers of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia and Romania, welcome the beginning of a democratic process in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia", read the statement. "We expect the true change in the FRY to replace the political system created by former President Milosevic. We are ready to contribute to the accelerated development of our bilateral relations and regional cooperation", the statement read. The neighbouring countries encouraged the FRY to cooperate with the international community and respect all resolutions relevant to the United Nations and adopted only within past several years. "We also expect the new authority in Yugoslavia to respect the rights of other countries successors of the former Yugoslavia as equal in the solving of issues of state continuity and succession". The neighbouring countries also expressed hope that the democratisation process would establish the rights of national, ethnic, and religion minorities in the FRY. "We believe that the presence of KFOR in Kosovo is necessary for the stabilisation, security in the region and Southeast Europe, and the holding of the upcoming elections. We expect the successful democratic elections to establish institutions of the legitimate authority and self-government which would express free will of the people", the joint statement read. The prime ministers agreed it was in the countries' basic interest to establish traffic on the Danube river and discontinue sanctions over the FRY in accordance with a progress and expansion of democratic reforms. They welcomed Yugoslavia's joining the Stability Pact and accelerated solving of its economic and social problems which is closely related to a progress of democracy. The prime ministers expressed interest in an accelerated economic and overall development of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. "All of us are interested in an accelerated economic recovery and development of the FRY and we are ready to significantly strengthen our bilateral and regional economic cooperation", the statement read. (hina) it