MESIC IN AUSTRIA: BURGELAND CROATS ARE BRIDGE OF COOPERATION

EISENSTADT, Feb 22 (Hina) - Croatia and Austria are two European countries which have every reason to cooperate, and the Croat national minority in Austria is the bridge of cooperation between the two countries, President Stipe Mesic said in Eisenstadt on Thursday. On the third and last day of his trip to Austria, Mesic and Austrian counterpart Thomas Klestil visited Burgenland, a region with more than 26,000 Croats according to a 1991 census. It is, however, believed there are actually 10,000-15,000 more living there. "Both Austria and Croatia see national minorities as a bridge of cooperation and not a right to expand their territory," Mesic told a news conference. Klestil and Burgenland head Hans Niessl also spoke of the Burgelnad Croats as a bridge of cooperation between Croatia and Austria. Mesic took the opportunity during his three-day stay in Austria to hold talks on cooperation between the two countries' economies, in particular to advocate increasing Austrian investing in Croatia. Another important subject of the talks with Austrian officials was Croatia's access to the European Union and Austria's assistance to Croatia's efforts in that respect. "Austria fully supports Croatia's efforts to join the EU," said President Klestil. Mesic announced Klestil would visit Croatia in the near future. (hina) ha sb