ZAGREB, April 9 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on Tuesday received the Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, a statement from the President's Office said.
ZAGREB, April 9 (Hina) - Croatian President Franjo Tudjman on
Tuesday received the Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy, a
statement from the President's Office said. #L#
"The President thanked minister Axworthy for Canada's
participation in the peace forces in Croatia and Bosnia-
Herzegovina, as well as for support in reaching and implementing
the peace agreements.
The President said that Croatia's goal was to implement the
peaceful reintegration of the occupied Croatian Danubian area as
quickly as possible, to implement the Washington Agreement on the
Bosnian Federation and to establish its ties with Croatia, as well
as to implement the Dayton peace accords.
Croatia advocates the normalization of relations with
countries which rose out of the former Yugoslavia, but it
categorically refuses to be drawn into some new or others similar
to Balkan associations.
Geopolitically and historically, Croatia belonged to western
and central Europe and its goal was to be included in European
associations, the President said.
In connection to this Croatia expects support from Canada, as
well as support for being included in the Partnership for peace
program and to be admitted to the NATO pact.
The President stressed the contribution of the Croatian
community in Canada to Croatia's struggle for independence, and
added that Canadian Croats should present a bridge between the two
countries, especially in the reconstruction and investments in
Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Canada would continue to contribute to the implementation of
the Washington and Dayton agreements and to the reconstruction of
Croatia and the Federation, as well as to establish a greater
economic cooperation and cooperation in general between the two
countries.
Accompanying President Tudjman at the talks were also the head
of the President's Office, Ivo Sanader, assistant to the Foreign
Minister, Hijadet Biscevic, Croatian Ambassador to Canada, Zeljko
Urban and the assistant to the Presidents advisor for foreign
affairs, Dubravka Pleic-Markovic.
Accompanying the Canadian Minister was the Canadian Ambassador
to Croatia, Graham Green", the statement said.
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