THE HAGUE, May 7 (Hina) - The Netherlands completed the process of ratification of the Croatia-EU Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) by officially notifying Brussels of its ratification of the document, and is looking
forward to the development in the relations between Croatia and the European Union. On this path, Croatia can count on full Dutch support, Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot said on Friday in The Hague after meeting his Croatian counterpart Miomir Zuzul.
THE HAGUE, May 7 (Hina) - The Netherlands completed the process of
ratification of the Croatia-EU Stabilisation and Association Agreement
(SAA) by officially notifying Brussels of its ratification of the
document, and is looking forward to the development in the relations
between Croatia and the European Union. On this path, Croatia can
count on full Dutch support, Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot said
on Friday in The Hague after meeting his Croatian counterpart Miomir
Zuzul.#L#
I am glad to be able to say that we have completed the entire
procedure. We have notified Brussels and thus the entire job
(pertaining to the ratification) is over, Minister Bot said after his
talks with Croatia's Zuzul, who today ended his two-day visit to the
Netherlands.
The Netherlands is now expecting the next stage to begin at the June
summit of the EU, at which a decision should be made on granting
Croatia the status of official candidate for EU membership, Bot
added.
Asked by reporters whether Croatia could count on Dutch support in the
future, Bot answered in the affirmative.
Our position on Croatia is very positive. I have congratulated
Minister Zuzul on the fantastic progress Croatia is making both in the
economic and political spheres. It is very impressive, the Dutch
minister said.
He added that he firmly believed in the further progress in the
relations between the EU and Croatia.
Minister Zuzul said today's meeting confirmed that there were no
outstanding issues in the ties between Croatia and the Netherlands.
"After the completion of the process of ratification there are no
obstacles to efforts to raise bilateral relations to a new level,"
Zuzul said adding that Zagreb counted on Dutch support.
He and his host also discussed models in which the two countries could
contribute to the stabilisation of the south-east of Europe.
I am looking forward to the further development of our relations with
the EU and to the support of the Netherlands, which will chair the
Union in the second half of this year, the Croatian official said.
Zuzul invited his Dutch colleague to visit Croatia, which Bot
accepted.
Before meeting with the Dutch foreign minister, Zuzul held talks with
officials of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons.
(Hina) ms