CRO FOREIGN MINISTER AND HIS NORWEGIAN COUNTERPART HOLD TALKS

ZAGREB, June 4 (Hina) - The work of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe) mission in Croatia, the situation in Croatia, Croatian-Norwegian bilateral relations as well as the Kosovo crisis were main topics of Friday's talks between Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic and his Norwegian counterpart Knut Vollebaek, who is currently the chairman of the OSCE. After this meeting in Zagreb Vollebaek also held talks with Croatian Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa on the same issues. Croatia welcomes the OSCE mission in the country in view to the support to the acceleration of Croatia's inclusion into European and Transatlantic integration processes, Croatian Foreign Minister Granic said adding that his country supported strongly the Stability Pact as "a new mechanism for achieving full peace and stability in a broad area." "Croatia has played an active role in the entire process of creating the Pact, accentuating its individual approach, and Croatia will be present at the ministerial meeting (on the pact) in Koeln on June 10," Granic said. He informed Minister Vollebaek, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the OSCE, of the reached agreement between the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and the opposition on the electoral law and on transformation of the television. Granic voiced hope that by the end of this month a consensus, on grounds of that agreement, would be reached relating to the electoral law. According to Granic, the two foreign ministers also considered Croatia's contribution to the implementation of the Dayton Accord. I have expressed optimism about a possibility that this month the Council for Cooperation will hold a meeting and that several important annexes to the agreement between Croatia and the Bosnian (Croat-Moslem) Federation will be signed as well as that in the beginning of July a meeting will be held between Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Bosnia-Herzegovina's Presidency, i.e. a session of the Council For Cooperation will be convened, at the state level, Granic added. He said great progress had been made in solving border issues at the level of experts and the conclusion of those talks could be expected this month. Norwegian Minister applauded Croatia's efforts taken in development of democracy and stability in the region, adding that in this sense Croatia "can play a leading role and it could be an example for other countries." Vollebaek said the issues such as the return of refugees and their property as well as the electoral law and the way for the implementation of elections were key ones for the stability in Croatia and broader also. "I am very grateful for the cooperation that we have, as the general office of the OSCE, between the Organisation and your (Croatian) Government," Vollebaek said. In the field of multilateral issues the two ministers discussed the peace and security in the region, the G8-proposed peace plan for Kosovo and its acceptance by the Serbian Assembly and Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic. "The Republic of Croatia strongly supported NATO operations in the SRJ (Federal republic of Yugoslavia) and Kosovo, just as the G8 peace plan, and it also welcomed the acceptance of the plan by the Serbian parliament and President Milosevic. We hope that the plan will be sincerely accepted and implemented," Granic said. The two ministers described the Norwegian ties as good and on the ascent. The only open issue is the visa regime for Croatian nationals which was introduced when Croatian Serbs started coming into Scandinavian countries and seeking asylum. As the situation is now stable, Norway has decided to abolish visas for diplomatic and official passports, and we hope that very soon all visas will be abolished, Granic added. After his meeting with Granic, Vollebaek handed over to Croatia Foreign Minister a note confirming that Norway will accept the succession to the Social Insurance Contract. (hina) jn ms