SARAJEVO, July 29 (Hina) - The Stability Pact is a joint programme of the international community and south-east European countries, designed in line with the principle of equality, Croatian Premier Zlatko Matesa said in Sarajevo on
Thursday.
SARAJEVO, July 29 (Hina) - The Stability Pact is a joint programme
of the international community and south-east European countries,
designed in line with the principle of equality, Croatian Premier
Zlatko Matesa said in Sarajevo on Thursday. #L#
"It is a general conclusion that it (the Pact) is a joint programme
of the international community and all these countries; there are
no parties which should be special beneficiaries or those which
should be special donors", Matesa told reporters following a
regional meeting of the Stability Pact.
"It should be a completely equal relationship", the Premier said.
According to Matesa, by adopting the Pact, Croatia has clearly
demonstrated that it rejects all previous attempts which might have
led to the institutionalisation of Balkan associations.
"Our task is to get ready to cooperate (within Croatia's interests)
as actively as possible in the Pact's working meetings", said
Matesa.
As regards concrete proposals, Matesa said one of the things
Croatia expected was the principle of reciprocity, meaning that
economic products should be able to access markets in both
directions and not only from the direction of western countries to
south-east Europe.
Regarding the stimulation of economy, which the Pact should enable,
there is a series of sub-projects from the Croatian side "from the
southern or Adriatic highway to power production and very specific
projects, such as border crossings, etc.".
"They (the proposals) have all been submitted in writing to special
coordinator Hombach as an indication of Croatia's initiative in
their implementation", he said.
In recent debates, regional cooperation has become the most
important factor in meeting requirements for drawing closer to
Euro-Atlantic associations, ahead of democratisation, economic
development and security.
Asked whether this could result in pressure to institutionalise
such cooperation as the sole precondition for drawing closer to
Europe, Matesa answered negatively.
"Cooperation - yes, but it is a kind of cooperation going in many
directions. From the European Union to the region, from the region
to the EU and within the region", he said.
"This is a joint project, which we strongly believe can succeed only
if these three components coincide".
"The Stability Pact can succeed only if there is real interaction
between the countries it is oriented toward and all countries
participating in it", said Foreign Minister Mate Granic, who also
attended the regional meeting.
Granic, too, agreed that Croatia's best opportunity is to prepare
as good as possible and demonstrate initiative, and "naturally,
refuse anything that is not in its interest".
The alternative to the Pact is 'total isolation' of the country, he
added.
The Stability Pact summit meeting ends on Friday with a plenary
session of heads of state and government of countries participating
in the event. Croatia's delegation at the session will be headed by
President Franjo Tudjman.
Tudjman and BH Presidency member Alija Izetbegovic will sign an
agreement on the Croatian-Bosnian border before the session.
(hina) rml