FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER PRAISES CROATIA FOR DEMOCRATIC PROGRESS

BRUSSELS, Nov 20 (Hina) - French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine on Monday applauded democratic headway which south-eastern Europe had made recently, and in this context he particularly commended Croatia. "Democratic changes have happened in the south-east of Europe, especially in Croatia, and we would like to encourage those countries in their efforts to come closer to the European Union," the French minister and the chairman of the European Union Council of Ministers said at a news conference in Brussels on Monday. EU foreign ministers today gave the green light for the commencement of negotiations between the European Commission and Croatia on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA). They also discussed a draft of the final declaration of the Zagreb Summit. Vedrine told reporters that the Council had adopted a new assistance programme for five south-eastern European countries - Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This programme, called CARDS, will substitute another two programmes - PHARE and RECONSTRUCTION - which the EU has to date implemented offering assistance to the south-east of Europe. Under CARDS, 4.65 billion euro will be given to countries in the region between 2001 and 2006, although the European Commission had previously proposed 5.5 billion euro. According to unofficial sources, the means have been reduced at the request of Spain that insisted on an increase in funds Mediterranean countries in north Africa. (hina) ms