ZAGREB - VATICAN RELATIONS ON THE ASCENT - GRANIC AND TAURAN

( Editorial: --> 9684 ) ZAGREB, June 8 (Hina) - Bilateral relations between Croatia and the Holy See are developing excellently and the Pope's forthcoming visit to Croatia will contribute to that, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic and the Holy See's secretary for foreign relations Jean-Louis Tauran said in Zagreb Monday. Talks with Monsignor Tauran, said Granic, focused on the necessity of stepping up the completion of a fourth agreement between Croatia and the Holy See, on special relations between Zagreb and the Vatican, the Kosovo crisis, the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and the situation in the Danube river region of eastern Croatia. "We share the same views concerning the Kosovo crisis and the need for the international community to get involved in the crisis in order to prevent further violence and commence with negotiations between the two sides", Granic told reporters. Speaking about the situation in eastern Croatia and the expectations the international community has of Croatia, the Foreign Minister said "Croatia will most surely perform its obligations, but likewise (...) Croatia very clearly advises the international community that it wants to join European and Euro- Atlantic integration as soon as possible". Granic also said the whole Croatia was getting ready for the Pope's visit in October and for the beatification of cardinal Alojzije Stepinac. "When the Holy Father visits Croatia in October this year for the second time, he will find excellent bilateral relations between Croatia and the Holy See", said Tauran. "I have returned to Croatia after seven years, and present-day Croatia is completely different from the one I got to know in August 1991", Tauran said. "We are here in the heart of Europe, and Croatia has always been a European country", he emphasised. (hina) ha/bag jn 081459 MET jun 98