CRO AMBASSADOR: EU'S DECISION ISN'T GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT

BRUSSELS, Nov 9 (Hina) - The six-month report on Croatia adopted by the European Union's (EU) Council of Ministers on Monday does not represent a fulfilment of Croatia's wishes, but is not a great disappointment either, Croatia's Ambassador to the EU said on Monday. The Croatian mission at the EU expected such conclusions would be adopted, Ambassador Janko Vranytzany Dobrinovic said after EU Foreign Ministers stated they would not change their current level of relations with Croatia. It is important for the Croatian economy that the EU will extend a trade preferential agreement, said the Ambassador, since more than 60 percent of the Croatian economy is directed at the EU. "On the other hand, the PHARE programme suspension won't be lifted, because the EU has made reproaches about insufficient steps forward in democratisation, in changes on television, and in the electoral law," Dobrinovic said. He expects the next European Commission report on Croatia will put more focus on the issue of the equality of minorities. Commenting on the EU ministers' very brief statement about a donors' conference on the reconstruction and development of Croatia, Dobrinovic said the European Commission confirmed on Monday that EU representatives would participate in the conference. Croatia should not expect great financial results however, since currently the EU's financial possibilities are lessened as a result of the international economic crisis, unemployment, and the EU's obligation to assist Central American countries devastated by the recent weather disaster, the Ambassador said. He concluded by saying that regardless of financial results, it was politically important for Croatia to show through the donors' conference that it does not want ethnic or religious discrimination in reconstruction. (hina) ha/sp mm