ZAGREB, Feb 13 (Hina) - The Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Tuesday received the German Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Klaus Kinkel, who was accompanied by the German Ambassador to Croatia, Horst Weisel, the
head of Kinkel's cabinet, Gerd Westdickenberg and the head of a German Foreign Ministry department Klaus Neubert.
ZAGREB, Feb 13 (Hina) - The Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on
Tuesday received the German Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Klaus Kinkel, who was accompanied by the German Ambassador
to Croatia, Horst Weisel, the head of Kinkel's cabinet, Gerd
Westdickenberg and the head of a German Foreign Ministry department
Klaus Neubert. #L#
At the beginning of the talks, the high officials stressed
their interest in broadening bilateral cooperation in the
political, economic and cultural fields. President Tudjman stressed
that Croatia highly appreciated the friendly relations it had with
Germany and Germany's considerable contribution to the overall
peace process in the region.
The talks also tackled the issues of central importance to
the implementation of the Dayton Agreement and the process of
establishment of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The
officials expressed their wish for the speedy and efficient
implementation of the peace agreements. They also stressed that
they agreed that the solution of all disputable questions should be
based on a compromise. President Tudjman said that he, personally,
as well as the Croatian state authorities, were ready to spare no
effort in order to secure the establishment of the Federation, but
also that the process needed a higher degree of harmony of Croat
and Bosniac standpoints as well as the guaranteed equality and
respect of interests of both sides.
President Tudjman and his guests also discussed the
normalisation of Croat-Serb relations and the implementation of the
Basic Agreement on Peaceful Reintegration of Croatian Danubian
Area. The Croatian President confirmed that the process of
normalisation was continuing, and stressed that the Serb
authorities had to show full readiness to solve all questions in a
peaceful way and recognize the Republic of Croatia in its
international borders. The successful implementation of the
peaceful reintegration of eastern Slavonia, Baranja and western
Srijem would have an extremely positive impact on the
implementation of the peace agreement in Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Tudjman said, adding it was therefore necessary to secure its
implementation as soon as possible.
Speaking about the issue of the Prevlaka peninsula,
President Tudjman reiterated Croatia's stance that the area was an
integral part of Croatia. As a sign of good will and for the sake
of further normalisation of relations, the Croatian authorities
were ready to allow the complete demilitarization of the peninsula.
The talks between President Tudjman and his guests were
also attended by Croatian Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Mate
Granic, the head of the President's Office, Ivo Sanader, the head
of the Croatian State Intelligence, Miroslav Tudjman, Tudjman's
advisor on foreign policy, Zeljko Matic and Croatian Ambassador to
Germany, Ivan Ilic.
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