ZAGREB SUMMIT ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - French President Jacques Chirac on Friday held a meeting with Croatian President Stipe Mesic at which he expressed great satisfaction with the organisation of the Zagreb Summit, describing it as a
big step of Croatia toward the European Union, Hina was told by the President's Office. Chirac, who met Mesic before the start of the summit, greeted the changes in Croatia and supported the country's speedy embarking on quality economic reforms, a process in which he said France was ready to assist, said a spokeswoman for the Croatian President, Vjera Suman. According to Suman, the talks also tackled the situation in the region and the two presidents agreed it was necessary to fight "the forms of behaviour characteristic of (the former Yugoslav president) Slobodan Milosevic, who belongs to the dark past," Suman said. They also expressed hope the attendance of the new Yugoslav president Vo
ZAGREB, Nov 24 (Hina) - French President Jacques Chirac on Friday
held a meeting with Croatian President Stipe Mesic at which he
expressed great satisfaction with the organisation of the Zagreb
Summit, describing it as a big step of Croatia toward the European
Union, Hina was told by the President's Office.
Chirac, who met Mesic before the start of the summit, greeted the
changes in Croatia and supported the country's speedy embarking on
quality economic reforms, a process in which he said France was
ready to assist, said a spokeswoman for the Croatian President,
Vjera Suman.
According to Suman, the talks also tackled the situation in the
region and the two presidents agreed it was necessary to fight "the
forms of behaviour characteristic of (the former Yugoslav
president) Slobodan Milosevic, who belongs to the dark past," Suman
said.
They also expressed hope the attendance of the new Yugoslav
president Vojislav Kostunica at the summit would mark the beginning
of Yugoslavia's democratic path.
The final declaration of the Zagreb Summit, to be adopted at the end
of the plenary session, is very well balanced and represents a good
path for the resolution of problems in the region, Mesic assessed.
Mesic told Chirac that Croatian citizens had accepted the summit as
an opportunity for Croatia and knew that no one had in mind the
establishment of a new Yugoslav association.
Croatian citizens aspire toward better living standards and that is
the crucial question Croatia must give an answer to, Mesic said.
In that sense, France will support and assist Croatia, Chirac
said.
The two presidents also discussed the CARDS programme. Commenting
on foreign loans, President Mesic asked that reforms be made in the
procedure of granting loans with the aim of making loans available
as soon as possible.
At the end of the meeting, Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica
and Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic came to greet the
summit's hosts and discuss their addresses at the plenary session.
According to Suman, it was agreed that the Montenegrin president
would hold a speech during the plenary session as all other heads of
state or government.
(hina) jn rml