ZAGREB, Jan 17 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev signed an agreement on friendship and cooperation, in Zagreb on Wednesday.
ZAGREB, Jan 17 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman and
Bulgarian President Zhelyu Zhelev signed an agreement on friendship
and cooperation, in Zagreb on Wednesday. #L#
"This signature will lay a foundation for overall cooperation
between our friendly countries," President Tudjman told reporters
after the signing ceremony.
Tudjman said the ties between Croatian and Bulgarian peoples
reached deep in history and added that Croatia was interested in
good relations with countries in this part of Europe, particularly
with such friendly States as Bulgaria.
Tudjman stressed that the signature and the visit could serve
as "an example of establishing friendly ties and creating
preconditions for peace" in areas of former Yugoslavia,
southeastern Europe and the Balkans.
President Zhelev said that Bulgaria was among first countries
to recognize the independent Croatia in January 15, 1992.
"We are ready to back Croatia's application for admission to
the Council of Europe and European integration processes," the
Bulgarian President said.
He described the agreement on friendship and cooperation as
the framework for signing other treaties on concrete cooperation.
Reminding that the two countries have already signed several
deals such as agreements on cultural and scientific cooperation, on
trade, on cooperation between the foreign ministries and the air
traffic, President Zhelev added that many agreements on concrete
economic cooperation were to be prepared soon or almost finished.
Croatian and Bulgarian delegations, led by the Presidents,
discussed how to bolster mutual relations this afternoon.
(hina) mm mms
172127 MET jan 96