ZAGREB, July 22 (Hina) - Croatian Deputy Foreign Minister Ivo Sander held talks with ambassadors of European Union member-countries in Zagreb on Thursday, the Croatian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Sanader informed the
ambassadors of a recent visit of a Croatian delegation to Brussels and talks held with the European Union Trojka. The Croatian Deputy Foreign Minister thanked the ambassadors on their important role in the preparation of the visit.
ZAGREB, July 22 (Hina) - Croatian Deputy Foreign Minister Ivo
Sander held talks with ambassadors of European Union member-
countries in Zagreb on Thursday, the Croatian Foreign Ministry said
in a statement.
Sanader informed the ambassadors of a recent visit of a Croatian
delegation to Brussels and talks held with the European Union
Trojka. The Croatian Deputy Foreign Minister thanked the
ambassadors on their important role in the preparation of the
visit. #L#
The Croatian delegation to Brussels was headed by Foreign Minister
Mate Granic and Minister for European Integration Ljerka Mintas-
Hodak.
Sanader assessed the beginning of the informal dialogue between
Croatia and the European Union as a very significant step in their
relations, adding that the atmosphere at the meeting was very
favourable. According to Sanader, both delegations expressed a
desire for concrete progress in September.
The Croatian Deputy Foreign Minister reiterated Croatia believed
that conclusions from the European Union's Council of Ministers,
which was held on June 21, regarding the processes of stabilisation
and joining, were the watershed in its relations with the European
Union.
He also said he was confident that Croatia would take an offered
opportunity to approach the European Union.
Sanader also said that during the talks in Brussels, Croatia's role
in the stabilisation situation in the region was assessed as very
favourable, particularly regarding the Kosovo crisis, the
implementation of the Dayton Agreement, and the Stability Pact.
Addressing the impending summit on the Stability Pact for Southeast
Europe, which is to take place in Sarajevo on July 29 and 30, Sanader
stressed he believed that the implementation of the Stability Pact
would be successful if it was strongly connected with the parallel
process of institutional approaching of countries in the region to
the European Union and NATO.
The ambassadors agreed with the Croatian Deputy Foreign Minister,
and expressed interest in further steps in negotiations between the
ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and six parties of the
Croatian Opposition on the remaining issues regarding the
electoral law and the law on Croatian Radio Television.
Both parties expressed a desire for the continuation of the
political dialogue and cooperation between Croatia and the
European Union. Sanader reiterated that Foreign Minister Granic
invited the European Union Trojka to visit Zagreb.
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