"We expect the summit in Riga will bring good news for Croatia and Macedonia," Sanader said at a joint press conference after the meeting, adding that he hoped the NATO summit, scheduled for November 28 and 29, would follow "the policy announced by President Bush and other members."
During Sanader's recent visit to Washington, US President George W. Bush said that the year 2008 was a reasonable date for Croatia's admission to the alliance.
Gruevski said he believed the efforts made by Macedonia and Croatia would be recognised at the summit and that the two countries would get a membership invitation in 2008.
"Everything Croatia achieves will also open the door to Macedonia," Gruevski said, announcing that over the next 12 months his government would step up the necessary reforms and implement new laws to make sure Macedonia was ready for NATO and EU membership.
The two prime ministers also discussed economic cooperation, particularly trade in agricultural products in which Croatia reports a deficit.
According to Sanader, an agreement soon to be signed between the Croatian and Macedonian agriculture ministries and their membership in the Central Europe Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) would give Croatian farmers an opportunity to increase their exports to Macedonia.
In answer to a reporter's question, Sanader said Croatia should not provide assurances for Ljubo Boskoski, a former Macedonian interior minister who is currently in the custody of the Hague war crimes tribunal, to be granted provisional release pending trial.
"He is also a Croatian citizen, but above all he is Macedonian, so assurances should be given by Macedonia and not Croatia," Sanader said.
Later on, the Macedonian prime minister was received by the Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Vladimir Seks, who informed the guest about the process of adjustment of Croatian legislation to that of the European Union.