ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - Relations between Croatia and Hungary are at the highest political level and are exemplary in today's Europe, Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Hungary's President Arpad Goencz said after talks in Zagreb
on Monday. The Hungarian president is paying a two-day official visit to Croatia.
ZAGREB, Sept 27 (Hina) - Relations between Croatia and Hungary are
at the highest political level and are exemplary in today's Europe,
Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Hungary's President Arpad
Goencz said after talks in Zagreb on Monday.
The Hungarian president is paying a two-day official visit to
Croatia. #L#
"We agree that there are possibilities for a more versatile and
intense development of relations in all fields, especially in the
area of economy", Tudjman said, adding Croatia and Hungary shared
the same views about numerous international issues, including the
crisis area in the neighbouring Balkans.
"We also share the view that the Stability Pact can only serve as a
means of normalising relations and strengthening peace, but
neither Croatia nor Hungary can allow to be tied through the Pact
with Balkan associations", the Croatian president said.
"We have discussed all problems that concern our neighbourhood and
what, in connection with the NATO operation, happened in the area",
Goencz said.
It was stressed during the meeting that special attention would be
paid to taking care about the Hungarian minority in Croatia and the
Croatian minority in Hungary, as has been done so far, Goencz said.
Goencz said he discussed with Tudjman all details regarding the
development of infrastructure, especially regarding the
construction of a highway linking Rijeka and Budapest, the
expansion of the Rijeka port and increasing the number of border
passes between the two countries.
"One of the most important projects is the creation of a joint
Hungarian-Croatian market, which would mean progress in mutual
investments and development of tourism", said Goencz.
Goencz said he and Tudjman fully agreed about every individual
issue discussed.
"Our interests are the same as are our goals", he stressed.
President Tudjman said that "the good Croatian-Hungarian relations
are important not only for relations between our two countries but
also for relations between the Croat and Hungarian minorities in
neighbouring Vojvodina, that is, Serbia and Yugoslavia".
The announced merger of the Hungarian oil company MOL and Croatia's
INA, which was also discussed, is both sides' interest so that they
could appear together on the third markets, Goencz said, adding
both countries were interested in the construction of the Rijeka-
Budapest highway.
"No concrete decisions have been made or signed but there was
determined agreement to continue working on those issues and solve
them in both countries' interest", Tudjman said.
After they gave statements for the press, the Hungarian and
Croatian delegations attended a dinner which President Tudjman
organised for his guest at the Presidential Palace.
In his toast to Goencz, Tudjman thanked Hungary and its people for
the support during Croatia's struggle for independence. Croatia
and Hungary are becoming an example of good neighbourly relations
in the part of Europe were the more distant and more recent past was
a synonym of great conflicts and human suffering", Tudjman said.
"We in Hungary are carefully following the efforts our Croatian
friends are making in that sense and we are convinced that by
contributing to the development of human rights Croatia can make
decisive steps in drawing closer to Euro-Atlantic associations",
Goencz said.
(hina) jn rml