CROATIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS HIS AUSTRIAN COUNTERPART IN VIENNA

VIENNA, Dec 11 (Hina) - Austria will support Croatia's candidacy for membership in the European Union, but expects Croatia to fulfil its international obligations, Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in Vienna on Wednesday after talks with his Austrian counterpart Benita Ferrero-Waldner. #L# "I am confident in Austria's support," Picula said. "I have already announced that we will not submit an application for membership until we are satisfied with the realisation of our international obligations. Of course, I am confident that we will succeed in this in the next several months, and at that moment, as it has been the case so far, Austria will be in the first group of countries to support Croatia's European ambitions," Picula said. According to the head of Croatia's diplomacy, the meeting with the Austrian foreign minister confirmed that Croatia and Austria are cultivating traditionally good relations, active and dynamic cooperation. (hina)it sb