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Djukanovic, Mesic agree that good bilateral ties contribute to regional stability

Autor: ;mses;
PODGORICA, July 12 (Hina) - Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, who on Wednesday arrived for his first official visit to Podgorica after Montenegro recently declared its independence, agreed that good relations between Zagreb and Podgorica were a contribution to the stability of southeastern Europe and its integration in broader international relations.
PODGORICA, July 12 (Hina) - Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and Croatian President Stjepan Mesic, who on Wednesday arrived for his first official visit to Podgorica after Montenegro recently declared its independence, agreed that good relations between Zagreb and Podgorica were a contribution to the stability of southeastern Europe and its integration in broader international relations.

This primarily refers to efforts of the two countries to join Euro-Atlantic integrations, Mesic said praising Djukanovic for his constructive and successful regional policy over the years.

The two officials expressed their satisfaction with the development of traditionally friendly bilateral relations and said they were looking forward to the furtherance of various forms of cooperation, notably in the economy.

In this context Mesic mentioned possibilities for cooperation in road and energy infrastructure, trade and tourism.

The two sides expressed the need for investing joint efforts so as to build an Adriatic-Ionian highway, according to a press release issued by Djukanovic's Office.

Also today, Djukanovic received the Valtazar Bogisic award which the Croatian-Montenegrin Council, led by film director Veljko Bulajic, bestowed on the Montenegrin PM for his personal contribution to the development of the bilateral relations.

The award is named after Croatian scholar Valtazar Bogisic, who wrote the first Montenegrin penal code in 1872 after the Montenegrin King Nikola commissioned it from him. The king also appointed Bogisic as Montenegrin justice minister, in which post he served until 1898.

During the award-giving ceremony, President Stjepan Mesic personally thanked Djukanovic for having mustered strength in 2000 to apologise to Croatia for war crimes which Montenegrins, serving in the then Yugoslav Army or as members of Serb paramilitary units, committed in Croatia in 1991 and 1992.

On behalf of Montenegro, Djukanovic extended apologies during his visit to the southernmost Croatian town of Cavtat.

Mesic said that "wars are behind us, but their consequences are still felt", and the mission of the incumbent officials is to make the present as good as possible.

Earlier in the day Mesic was received by his host, Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic.

After this meeting, Mesic told the press that his visit to Podgorica on the day when Montenegro was celebrating Independence Day "is historic as it is the first (visit) since Montenegro regained its statehood".

He went on to say that "Croatia and Montenegro can now build their states according to European standards".

Montenegro financially compensated for the livestock stolen in Konavle (southern Croatian area bordering with Montenegro) at the start of the war in 1991, and remaining outstanding issues can now be settled through agreement and at a faster pace now when Montenegro is an independent state, Mesic added.

Commenting on the war events from that period, he said that "now everybody is aware what happened during the war" and added that in that period there were also Montenegrins who protested against the war.

This was also a message that at least a part of Montenegro did not fit into plans of Slobodan Milosevic's policy of Serbian territorial expansionism, which eventually failed, the Croatian president said.

Vujanovic specially thanked Mesic for officially visiting Podgorica on the Montenegrin Independence Day.

In May, Montenegro held a referendum at a majority of its citizens decided to become independent from the state union with Serbia. On 12 June, Croatia officially recognised Montenegro as an independent state, and the two countries established diplomatic relations on 7 July.

(Hina) ms

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