CROATIA REMAINS COMMITTED TO COUNCIL OF EUROPE VALUES - GRANIC

STRASBOURG, Nov 6 (Hina) - Foreign Minister Mate Granic said at a ceremony of the accession of Croatia to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg on Wednesday that Croatia would remain "deeply committed to the noble aims and ideals of the Council of Europe." Granic said in his address that Croatia confirmed its commitment "by depositing our Instrument of Accession and by executing the key documents upon which rests our common European home, especially the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols." These documents would speed up the "process of strengthening Croatian democracy building and result in the enhancement of the protection of minority rights in practice." Thanking Council of Europe Secretary General Daniel Tarschys, Parliamentary Assembly President Leni Fischer and the Committee of Ministers for their assistance, Granic recalled that the Parliamentary Assembly had been "the first international institution back in the summer of 1991 to recognize what was occurring on the territory of the former Yugoslavia." "At that time it gave its support to the growth of democracy in the newly emerged states by receiving representatives of the Croatian Parliament and granting Croatia special guest status." Granic said that intensive preparations would begin in the coming months to bring Croatian legislation into accord with European conventions and agreements which Croatia entered into today. Granic thanked Council of Europe officials for admitting Croatia. He particularly thanked Tarschys for his contribution to the process of peaceful reintegration of UN-administered eastern Croatia. "The Republic of Croatia is redirecting its efforts from defence of its very existence to matters such as the development of democracy, good neighbourly relations with all those that wish them and cooperation as an equal partner with all other European states," Granic said. "The Republic of Croatia wishes to contribute to the stabilization of democratic security in Europe and the widening of the European integration process," he said, adding that "these factors are the only guarantee for long term stability and prosperity." Granic concluded by saying that Croatia would "go about the task of achieving these aims with a renewed vigour, now more conscious than ever of her political and not mere geographic place in Europe." (hina) vm jn 061440 MET nov 96