ZAGREB, Sep 9 (Hina) - The European Union Council of Ministers on Monday will conduct discussions on Croatia within the framework of its regular report on the state in the region, however, it will not reflect on the conflict between
Zagreb and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) regarding the Tribunal's jurisdiction. Relations between the Union and Croatia too are not expected to move any further, Croatia's Ambassador to Brussels told Hina on Thursday. "Any discussion on The Hague Tribunal, is to be conducted as this is a UN body and as long as the Security Council does not express itself on the matter, it is irrelevant for the EU to discuss the topic", deputy chief of staff of the Croatian Mission to the EU in Brussels Boris Grigic said during a phone interview for Hina. By the same token, we do not expect any detailed discussion on Croatia's obligations regarding the EU's condit
ZAGREB, Sep 9 (Hina) - The European Union Council of Ministers on
Monday will conduct discussions on Croatia within the framework of
its regular report on the state in the region, however, it will not
reflect on the conflict between Zagreb and the International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) regarding the
Tribunal's jurisdiction.
Relations between the Union and Croatia too are not expected to move
any further, Croatia's Ambassador to Brussels told Hina on
Thursday.
"Any discussion on The Hague Tribunal, is to be conducted as this is
a UN body and as long as the Security Council does not express itself
on the matter, it is irrelevant for the EU to discuss the topic",
deputy chief of staff of the Croatian Mission to the EU in Brussels
Boris Grigic said during a phone interview for Hina.
By the same token, we do not expect any detailed discussion on
Croatia's obligations regarding the EU's conditions to access
Union - that is regarding the return of Serb nationals, the election
law and freedom of the press.
"There won't be any particular advancement in our relations",
Grigic said.
The Council of Ministers meets on a regular basis once a month and
one of the agenda items is always the "situation in the region of the
western Balkans". The Council of Ministers session scheduled for
Monday is the first following the summer break.
Foreign ministers of the EU at their last session in July decided
that the autumn session would consider the possible commencement of
activities of a joint working group to be formed of experts from
Croatia and the European Commission.
"This working group was to investigate possible steps so that
matters in Croatia could be conformed to European standards",
Grigic said.
He said that at the session on September 13, a possible decision
could be made about the possible commencement of the working
group.
It is expected that the EU will make a definite evaluation of the
situation in Croatia adopted at a regular mid-year report to be
issued in October or November.
(hina) sp it