"EU AND ITS POLICIES" SEMINAR HELD FOR CROATIAN REPORTERS

ZAGREB, May 5 (Hina) - The European Commission is preparing a report on countries of the western Balkans, including Croatia, which has been included as part of the regional approach, together with other countries of the former Yugoslavia and Albania. The report should be submitted to the Council of Ministers on May 17, special European Commission envoy to Croatia, per Vinther said in Zagreb on Wednesday during a seminar organised for Croatian reporters entitled "European Union and its Policies". Due to events in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, new opportunities have arisen for Croatia to be drawn closer to Euro- Atlantic associations, which should be taken advantage of, Vinther said. However, conditions Croatia is obliged to fulfil remain the same -- the reform of the electoral law, the democratisation of the Croatian Radio and Television and the return of refugees -- and not too large steps have been taken in these areas, he added. Speaking at the seminar were also German and Finnish ambassadors Volker Haak and Osmo Lipponen. Haak spoke about Germany's goals and priorities as a country presiding over the European Union and in that context he mentioned the Amsterdam Agreement which came into effect on May 1, which carries some institutional changes within the EU, and the Pact on the stability of Southeastern Europe. The stability pact is a group of ideas which are still being discussed and its main goal is the stabilisation of the situation in the region. Lipponen spoke about Finland's goals and perspectives as the future country-chairman of the EU, its policies and institutions. (hina) lml