SEMINAR "CROATIAN MEDIEVAL DIPLOMACY" STARTS IN ZADAR

( Editorial: --> 9442 ) ZADAR, Sept 10 (Hina) - The achievements of Croatian diplomacy in one year are greater than the achievements some countries make in normal circumstances over a period of ten years, Croatian Assistant Foreign Minister Ivo Sanader said at the beginning of a two-day seminar "Croatian Medieval Democracy", which started in Zadar on Thursday. The seminar is organised by the Croatian Institute for History, Foreign Ministry's Diplomatic Academy, Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences' Institute for Historiography in Zadar, the city of Zadar and Zadar County. "Croatian diplomacy relies on its medieval tradition and that is where its forerunners and role models are. Just like the Republic of Dubrovnik for centuries tried to protect its territory and population seeking the tutorship of one power or another, so had Croatian diplomacy been buying time since 1990, until Croatia established its own forces," Sanader said. Croatian standpoints gained on credibility and the relationship of international factors to Croatia changed, especially after 1995, when it freed most of its territory from the Serbian occupation. The main task of Croatian diplomacy in the future is for Croatia to establish a separate identity from all the other former Yugoslav states, Sanader said. Croatia's plans for the next year include its admission to the Partnership for Peace programme, the PHARE programme and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), he said adding that the economic, cultural and sport promotion helped diplomats. The meeting also discussed the policy of negotiating in the early Middle Ages in Croatia and the diplomacy of Croatian rulers. The purpose of the seminar is to establish the meaning and achievements of Croatian medieval diplomacy, Diplomatic Academy director Mladen Andrlic said at the beginning of the meeting. Nineteen scientists will present their works during the seminar. (hina) jn rml 101849 MET sep 98