ZAGREB SUMMIT TO HELP CROATIA IN ACCESSING EU - CHIRAC ON HTV

PARIS, Nov 22 (Hina) - Croatia has no reason to fear new Balkan associations and the Zagreb Summit will help it access the European Union faster, as evidenced by the fact that in Zagreb, the EU begins negotiations on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with Croatia and not the entire region, French President Jacques Chirac said in Wednesday's interview to Croatian Television.#L# Commenting on claims that the Croatian public was divided about this Friday's Summit, with some stating it would push Croatia back into a new Balkan association, and others that the Summit will shorten the path of Croatia's integration with European structures, Chirac said: "It is perfectly obvious that the second claim is true." "In no way are we talking about the re-establishment of some Balkan community, but the establishment of a Europe of peace and democracy, a Europe which develops and respects the rights of all," he told reporter Silvia Luks. Chirac recalled that Europe had been divided for a long time, and that new development and changes were made possible with the fall of the Berlin Wall. The basic objective is to make an integrated Europe which advocates peace, democracy, and progress despite the difficulties caused by differences between countries and varying degrees of their development, he said. The Europeans want to establish good ties with all countries willing to implement reforms and develop, be rooted in democracy, promote peace and reconciliation with their entire international surrounding, said the French president. "Everything depends on each country individually," he added, mentioning as evidence the existence of a gradual strengthening of ties between the EU and each country via the stabilisation and association process. "We are going to Zagreb to complete the procedure and sign a SAA with Macedonia and begin the process with Croatia," said Chirac, adding the individual approach was also reflected in the fact that "the EU does not sign the SAA with the entire region, but only with Croatia which thus gains precedence." According to Chirac, the SAA should make it possible for each country in the region which has taken the path of democracy, peace, respect of human rights, and reconciliation with their surrounding to strengthen their ties with the EU, and also envisages that each country, once it meets the conditions, can access the EU individually. Asked why he was using the term "the Balkans", which in Croatia meets total revulsion, the French president said that he was speaking of the Balkans in purely geographical terms, without any ulterior intentions. "That term is really only a geographical notion and contains no political or historic connotations. It is the same notion as the notion Western Europe," Chirac said. For him, the Zagreb Summit has "historic importance" as it enables stronger ties between the EU and countries in the region for which, he said, both sides have to meet certain obligations. The EU has to work towards opening, both politically and economically, making it possible to come out of the "economic Middle Ages" and prosper economically, which will result in wealth and social progress. Chirac said one of the first confirmations would come in Zagreb once the EU disclosed its intention to grant countries in the region assistance of close to EUR5 billion over the next five years. Each country is expected to also invest great effort because they first have to accept all standards of democracy, he said, adding this was already done in Croatia, but was not on the same level throughout the region. Chirac said each country would also be requested to better understand its neighbours, in order to solve a whole series of issues whose origin sometimes went deep in the past, and to take part in reconciliation as an imperative for achieving lasting stability, peace, economic development and happiness for all citizens. Asked if countries of the former Yugoslav federation should unconditionally cooperate with UN's war crimes tribunal in The Hague, like Croatia, or follow the example of Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica, who thinks that the Tribunal's importance is primarily political and insists on prosecuting war criminals in their mother countries, Chirac said it was imperative to have an international authority unaffected by local and national circumstances. "I give credit to Croatia for accepting its international obligations as regards the Hague tribunal, and I am sure President Kostunica will do the same, since I consider him a democrat" Chirac said, pointing out conclusions from the Zagreb Summit would mention the need of accepting international obligations to the Tribunal. (hina) ha