BERLIN, Nov 19 (Hina) - Germany will do everything to help Croatia draw closer to the EU and NATO, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said in Berlin on Tuesday after talks with his Croatian counterpart, Tonino Picula.
BERLIN, Nov 19 (Hina) - Germany will do everything to help Croatia
draw closer to the EU and NATO, German Foreign Minister Joschka
Fischer said in Berlin on Tuesday after talks with his Croatian
counterpart, Tonino Picula. #L#
During his one-day official visit to Germany, Picula also held
talks with the president of the German parliament, Wolfgang
Thierse, about bilateral relations and regional issues.
"I convinced my counterpart that our side will do everything to help
Croatia approach the EU and NATO as soon as possible, because it is
also in our interest that doors remain open for Croatia," Fischer
told reporters.
Pointing out the very high quality of relations between Berlin and
Zagreb, Fischer said that he had been glad to learn that Croatia's
cooperation with the Hague-based UN war crimes tribunal was "on the
right path", and wished Croatia success in the continuation of the
reform process.
"We wish Croatia progress in drawing closer to Euro-Atlantic
structures and in this process, cooperation with the Hague tribunal
is playing a very important role, because it testifies to the fact
that Croatia is assuming obligations," he said.
One of the issues of talks between the two foreign ministers was
also the situation in the Southeast of Europe. Fischer expressed
hope that the countries of the region would continue on the path of
peace and security which, he said, would lead them to the EU and
NATO.
Asked about a possible visit of German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder
to Croatia, Fischer said they were working on realising this.
Despite the good relations and frequent meetings between senior
German and Croatian officials, not one German chancellor had
officially visited Croatia hitherto.
Picula told reporters that Croatia was aware of its obligations and
shortcomings which it must amend, and as a democratic country it
wanted to contribute to peace and stability in the region.
"In order to realise its ambitious plans, Croatia must carry out a
policy which will make it easier for our friends and partners, which
certainly includes Germany, to provide Croatia with support,"
Picula said.
He pointed out the traditionally good relations between the two
countries, adding that these relations were today strengthened
with new initiatives, such as the possibility of Croatian military
police participating in peace troops in Afghanistan alongside
German soldiers.
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