"We talked about how the EPP could help through its mechanisms both Croatia and the European Commission in conducting talks at a desired pace and completing them within an appropriate time frame, meaning before elections for the European Parliament in 2009," Sanader told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Martens, the head of the umbrella organisation of European Christian Democratic and Popular parties that constitute the largest political group in the European Parliament.
Sanader said he expected great progress to be made in the first half of 2007 during the German presidency of the EU.
"Support from the EPP will be important to us, just as will be support from other party groupings, so we'll try to establish dialogue and cooperation with them too," the Croatian PM said, adding that he was expecting specific dates for talks with other parties in the European Parliament "because we need a consensus."
Sanader said he was pleased that the report by Elmar Brok, the chairman of the European Parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, had received approval from other parties.
The report, which was adopted at a plenary session earlier this week, says that Croatia would not pose a burden to the EU's integration capacities.
At its meeting on Thursday, the EPP unanimously decided that Croatia should be the next member of the European Union, all heads of government from the EPP are in favour, we insist on speedy negotiations and want Croatia to become a member before elections in 2009 so that it can participate in those elections, Sanader said.
Martens said that the EPP was unanimous in its support for Croatia's efforts to join the EU in 2009.
Martens said that Sanader had informed him about Croatia's decision on the Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone.
The Prime Minister told me that he had contacted the European Commission and some of his colleagues, prime ministers, and I am absolutely sure that a solution will be found, he added.
Sanader was to have met the European Council Chairman, Finish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen, but the meeting was cancelled because of Vanhanen's commitments regarding today's EU summit. Instead, it was arranged that the two would have a telephone conversation in the afternoon after the summit.