ZAGREB, Oct 15 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula on Wednesday held a meeting with ambassadors of European Union member states in Zagreb on Croatia's cooperation with the UN war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
(ICTY) and the fishing and ecological zone which the Croatian parliament declared a few days ago.
ZAGREB, Oct 15 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula on
Wednesday held a meeting with ambassadors of European Union member
states in Zagreb on Croatia's cooperation with the UN war crimes
tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the fishing and
ecological zone which the Croatian parliament declared a few days
ago. #L#
"At the moment, (Croatia's) relations with the EU are not marked
only by a positive atmosphere created by Croatia's hand-over of
4,500 answers to the (European Commission) questionnaire, but they
are partly dominated by an attempt to give answers to two open
issues, namely cooperation with the Hague-based tribunal and the
fishing-ecological zone," Picula said after the two-hour meeting
with the EU diplomats.
"Following the (EU ministerial) meeting in Luxembourg, the EU's
perception of Croatia evidently depends on cooperation with the
tribunal as well as on the pace at which we shall communicate with
neighbouring countries on the issue of the declaration of the
fishing and ecological zone," the Croatian minister said.
Picula went on to say that the issues should be explained with
arguments, which would encourage Croatia's allies in the Union, and
good policy should be used to win over those who are sceptical, he
added.
The minister warned that "the path towards the EU will not be
conflict-free".
The process of Croatia's EU entry "will not take place in ideal
conditions and without unexpected surprises, but the level of
conflict should be reduced to a minimum," Picula said.
(hina) ms sb