GRANIC IN HELSINKI - CRO RECEIVES SUPPORT FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

HELSINKI, June 1 (Hina) - Croatia expects the opening of negotiations on an agreement on stability and associate membership at the European Union (EU) during the time Finland will preside the EU, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic said in Helsinki on Tuesday after talks with Finnish counterpart Taria Halonen. "The EU and the International Community have welcomed the agreement the HDZ (Croatian Democratic Union) and the opposition parties have reached with regard to the electoral law and the transformation of the HTV (Croatian Television)," Minister Granic said. "Croatia is continuing to comply with the regulations of the Dayton (peace) agreement and has won the right to seek of the EU the commencement of negotiations on the Agreement on Stability and Associate Membership," he said, and added he believed his official visit to Helsinki had come at the right time, when Finland is about to take presidency over the EU. Finnish Foreign Minister Halonen said she promised she would fully support Croatia's endeavours to enter European integration during Finland's presidency of the EU. Halonen said the talks with Granic mainly tackled bilateral relations, a stability pact for south-eastern Europe, and Croatia's prospects for approaching European integration. She pointed out Finland would during her presidency of the EU equally treat all countries candidates for access to European integration. Granic today also met Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, Premier Paav Lipponen, and parliament president Riitta Uosukainen. Granic signed an agreement on the stimulation and protection of investments with Finnish Foreign Trade and European Affairs Minister Kimm Sasi. The foreign minister is next to fly to Tallin, where he will meet Estonia's highest ranking officials on Wednesday. (hina) ha