CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES AUSTRIAN UPPER HOUSE SPEAKER

( Editorial: --> 2274 ) ZAGREB, May 7 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic on Thursday received the Speaker of the Austrian Parliament Federal Council, Ludwig Bieringer. Bieringer expressed his condolences to Granic on the occasion of the death of Croatian Defence Minister Gojko Susak. The upper house Speaker described Susak as one of the most prominent people in the creation of the independent and democratic Croatian state, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Granic stressed that central European and Euro-Atlantic institutions were the strategic priorities of Croatia's foreign policy after the completed successful UN mission in the Croatian Danubian area. Croatia continues to actively participate in the consolidation of the peace process in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and was also interested in bilateral cooperation with all neighbouring countries, which has been confirmed by the process of normalisation of relations with the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the statement said. Granic and Bieringer agreed that relations between Austria and Croatia were very good and friendly since the time of Serb aggression on Croatia, when Austria provided the Croatian people with great and unselfish aid, through its humanitarian action "Neighbour in Distress", the statement said. (hina) lm /mb 071915 MET may 98