CROATIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES SEEKING INDIVIDUAL ADMISSION

VIENNA, 1 June (Hina) - Croatia, Albania, Macedonia and Rumania are strongly rejecting a global admission to European integration processes, Croatian Foreign Minister Dr.Mate Granic said on Saturday in Vienna. Following his meetings with ministers of Austria, Italy, Albania, Poland, Hungary, Macedonia, Rumania and Ukraine, Granic stressed that none of the countries supported a global regional admission. According to the so called "global regional admission" one should first settle the problems in the region, concretely in Serbia and BiH, and only then think about approaching European integration. "Each of these countries is running away from this towards central Europe," Granic said. Granic announced next week's visit to Zagreb by Italian Foreign Minister Lambero Dini along with President of European Commission Jacques Santer. "The talks will concentrate on the global regional admission to the European Union, i.e. relations between the EU and Croatia," Granic said. Granic discussed with Dini the Croatian admission to the Council of Europe who said that Italy believed a solution could be found for Croatian admission. Granic said that all his interlocutors, in particular Austrian Minister Wolfgang Schuessel, fully supported Croatian admission to the Council of Europe. Italian Minister Dini also told Granic that Italy was interested in signing bilateral agreements on protection of minorities in Croatia. According to him Croatia together with Poland and Hungary would soon start bilateral talks on Croatian admission to Central European Free Trade (CEFT). Granic announced President Tujdman's upcoming meeting with Polish President Kwasniewski, while Premier Matesa would visit Poland in June. Granic would pay a visit to Italy before the summer, at Dini's initiative, and later on go to Ukraine. (hina) jt 011224 MET jun 96