IRELAND SUPPORTS CROATIA'S JOINING EUROPEAN ASSOCIATIONS

ZAGREB, May 2 (Hina) - Ireland would support Croatia in its efforts to join European associations and Croatia would fulfill its commitment to implement European standards, Croatian Minister Mate Granic and Irish Minister for European Affairs Gay Mitchell said on Thursday. #L# The two ministers met today in Zagreb to discuss relations between Croatia and Ireland, and between Croatia and the European Union. Mitchell's two-day stay in Zagreb is the first official visit of an Irish minister to Croatia. "Croatia is ready to accept all the European standards and to fulfill the obligations it has undertaken by virtue of the signatures of President Franjo Tudjman and President of the Croatian Parliament Vlatko Pavletic," Granic told reporters after the talks. "The European Union is only open to democracies and to countries that meet certain criteria - we will encourage Croatia to meet these criteria," Mitchell said, adding that he and Granic had discussed human and minority rights in this context. Voicing his support to Croatia's role in the peace process in the region, Minister Mitchell said he had discussed "certain issues that need to be solved" with Minister Granic and President Tudjman. He went on to say that the European Union was planning to expand to admit some 15 new member countries in the near future, expressing the hope that Croatia would be included in that number. Minister Mitchell also met Prime Minister Zlatko Matesa. They discussed the relations between Croatia and Ireland, Croatia's admission to the Council of Europe, the relations between Croatia and the European Union and the situation in Northern Ireland. In a short statement after the meeting with the Prime Minister, Minister Mitchell expressed support to the peace process in the region, as well as concern over the human and minority rights situation. Prime Minister Matesa said the relations between Croatia and Ireland were developing well. (hina) mm as 021429 MET may 96