CROATIA EXPECTS EU'S ANSWER ON COOPERATION IN MAY - GRANIC

( Editorial: --> 5797 ) STUTTGART, 20 Jan (Hina) - Croatia wants to sign an agreement on trade and cooperation with the European Union and it expects an answer from the EU in 1998, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic told reporters in Stuttgart Tuesday. Granic, who is attending the symposium "Croatia in Europe", which is being held in Stuttgart under the organisation of the concern Daimler-Benz, told reporters that Croatia would send a letter to the EU at the end of February, asking it to initiate negotiations on a trade and cooperation agreement, as well as on Croatia's joining the PHARE program. Granic said he expected the EU would send its answer in May. Granic was also asked about Croatia's view concerning the latest categorisation by the EU, according to which Croatia would belong to the so-called region "West Balkans", which would include all former Yugoslav states (except Slovenia) and Albania. "We cannot accept this categorisation nor the setting of regional conditions," Granic said. Croatia does not want to be held hostage to a region whose countries, such as the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, have serious political and economic problems, which are yet to be solved, and it does not accept the EU's setting of any regional conditions, Granic said. "Croatia belongs to Central Europe and the Mediterranean," he said, adding that Croatia's strategic aim was to join European integration processes, regardless of other countries in the region. (hina) mm rm 201251 MET jan 98