EUROPEAN INTEGRATION MINISTER HOLDS TALKS WITH E.U. COMMISSIONER

( Editorial: --> 0766 ) BRUSSELS, July 30 (Hina) - European Integration Minister Ljerka Mintas-Hodak held talks in Brussels on Thursday with the European Commission's External Relations Commissioner Hans van den Broek about steps Croatia was taking in its approach towards the European Union. Mintas-Hodak informed van den Broek about the application of the government's refugee return programme. The talks in Brussels also focused on democracy, legal state, media and human rights issues. The European Commission will relay its views on the situation in Croatia and the implementation of the return plan in the October report to the EU Council of Ministers, van den Broek said. He stressed that the EU wanted a more profound structure of relations with Croatia, as well as opening the PHARE assistance programme and the drafting of trade and cooperation agreements. The EU intends to continue providing humanitarian help to Croatia and aid for a number of smaller programmes regarding human rights, the media and the protection of minorities, van den Broek said. Mintas-Hodak stressed Croatia's readiness to establish closer relations with the EU, and added that a Croatian government Office for European Integration had been established to that end. Van den Broek said Croatia belonged in Europe. He stressed that in its regional approach, the EU insisted on the principle of multi- ethnicity because this was what reflected European values. "Van den Broek said he hoped the EU Council of Ministers would broaden its approach towards Croatia," Croatian Ambassador to the EU, Janko Vranitzany Dobrinovic, said. He described the atmosphere of the talks as much improved. Van den Broek expressed interest in the law on Croatian Radio and Television which, Mintas-Hodak said, was in procedure, and in the election law which, she said, would be discussed more as the time of elections approached. Mintas-Hodak and van den Broek tackled the plan for reconstruction which the Croatian Reconstruction and Development Ministry is to draw up for a donors' conference in October. At the meeting, Mintas-Hodak extended an invitation to European Commission President Jacques Santer or Van den Broek to a meeting of the Central European Initiative which is to take place in Zagreb in November. (hina) lml jn /mbr 301730 MET jul 98