ZAGREB, Aug 23 (Hina) - After returning from Belgrade to Zagreb, Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic said that his visit to Belgrade had been marked by today's event - the signing of the Agreement on the normalization of relations
between Croatia and Yugoslavia, and his talks with Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan Milutinovic and Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic.
ZAGREB, Aug 23 (Hina) - After returning from Belgrade to Zagreb,
Croatian Foreign Minister Mate Granic said that his visit to
Belgrade had been marked by today's event - the signing of the
Agreement on the normalization of relations between Croatia and
Yugoslavia, and his talks with Yugoslav Foreign Minister Milan
Milutinovic and Yugoslav Prime Minister Radoje Kontic. #L#
He said that the signing of the agreement was an important
event because the two countries recognized each other as sovereign,
independent countries in their internationally recognized borders.
Both countries mutually recognized their territorial integrity
and sovereignty, Granic said.
Also, this agreement provides a framework for resolving most
important issues in the relations between the two countries, which
means peacefully reintegrating the Croatian Danubian area,
resolving issues of missing persons, refugees and displaced
persons, succession, ownership issues, and is also a framework for
cooperation in the future.
Granic said that the talks in Belgrade had focused on the
implementation of the agreement, which meant appointing two
commissions: a commission for border issues and a commission for
ownership issues.
A meeting between interior ministers of both countries is to
take place, with the focus on an agreement on fighting against
drugs and international terrorism.
Granic also held talks in Belgrade about the missing persons'
issue, in the spirit of talks between presidents Tudjman and
Milosevic in Athens to speed up the process of searching and
exchanging information in full.
The talks had also focused on speeding up the process of
peaceful reintegration of the Croatian Danubian area, on the
establishment of rail and air traffic, telecommunications and on
some other agreements stipulated in the Agreement on normalization
of relations, Granic said.
Diplomatic missions are expected to be raised to the level of
embassies in Zagreb and Belgrade, Granic said.
He said there were still some open issues, but that the
agreement provided a good framework for their resolving.
The agreement was a basis of peace and stability in the region
and Europe and would contribute to the overall peace process in
Bosnia and to the European Pact on stability and security, Granic
said.
(hina) lm
231949 MET aug 96