CROATS, THE FRENCH HAVE NATURAL RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST - SAYS CHIRAC

PARIS, Nov 22 (Hina) - France and Croatia have a long history of relations, which were sometimes better or worse, but between the two peoples there exists a natural relationship of confidence and friendship which has to be re-established, French President Jacques Chirac told Croatian Television in Wednesday's interview. Speaking about this Friday's Zagreb summit, Chirac said he was looking forward to coming to the Croatian capital. "Croatia and France have a long history of relations, which sometimes were better and sometimes worse, but now a new page has been turned." Cultural relations between the two countries were very strong at a certain point, characterised by important mutual influences, Chirac said, adding he was familiar with the works of the great Croatian poets Tin Ujevic and Antun Gustav Matos, who spent a lot of time working in Paris. "Between the Croatian and the French peoples exists a natural relationship of confidence and friendship which needs to be re- established, as it is justified and legitimate," he said. Independently of good and bad memories on both sides, Chirac hopes for "establishing a reality in which we shall see that we were created to understand each other and look at life with the same eyes." He personally will do everything in his power to achieve that goal. "I have a very high regard for Croatia and I am happy about my departure for Zagreb," the French president said. (hina) ha