SALZBURG, July 2 (Hina) - Croatia and Serbia want to turn from the past to the future and resolve mutual open issues, particularly to develop economic relations, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and Serbian Prime Minister Zoran
Djindjic said in Salzburg on Monday.
SALZBURG, July 2 (Hina) - Croatia and Serbia want to turn from the
past to the future and resolve mutual open issues, particularly to
develop economic relations, Croatian President Stjepan Mesic and
Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic said in Salzburg on Monday.
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Mesic and Djindjic met on the margins of a three-day European
economic summit, which started in Salzburg on Sunday.
The Croatian president told reporters after the meeting Croatia and
Serbia shared the same aspirations to join the European Union and
see their citizens live a better life and leave the past behind.
"Guilt should be individualised and everybody should be
responsible for what they have done. We must turn to the Europe of
today and tomorrow," Mesic said.
"I am not saying the past should be forgotten, but I also do not
think we should tie ourselves to the past because our future then
becomes the past," Djindjic said.
"I believe our relations need a new beginning," he said.
The two officials discussed the open issues between their
countries.
Commenting on those issues, Djindjic addressed the problem of
Croatian Serb refugees living in Serbia, asserting a solution
should be found fast. President Mesic said refugees should be
enabled to return and the economy revitalised so that returnees
could find jobs in the areas they return to. He stressed though that
the problem of refugees should be resolved simultaneously by
Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Both officials said Croatia and Serbia were open for economic
cooperation.
President Mesic said the issue of property of Croatian and Serbian
companies located in the other country should be regulated as
well.
Croatian and Serbian companies should resume previous contacts and
cooperate, Djindjic said, adding there were possibilities for
joint presence on third markets.
Djindjic is confident that Croatia and Serbia will yield good
results this year and that these will be the best of the past ten
years.
Mesic and Djindjic also discussed the visa regime between the two
countries.
"I believe the visa regime should be relaxed, especially for
businessmen and tourists," Mesic said.
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