ZAGREB, Nov 23 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula said in Zagreb Thursday that during brief talks with his Yugoslav counterpart Goran Svilanovic he expected only the setting of a date and subjects for their next meeting.
"It seems to me that there can be to courteous, routine talks between Croatia and Yugoslavia. There are too many problems for us to waste each other's time," Picula said ahead of his meeting with Svilanovic in Zagreb. Svilanovic arrived in Croatia to attend the Zagreb Summit to be held on Friday. "Relations between Zagreb and Belgrade are at the moment at a very low level. This makes our commitment, responsibility and challenge the greater," Picula said. "I want to be optimistic. In Belgrade we were witnesses to political changes, but we also want to be witnesses to a change of policy. That would be a good foundation for strengthening future relations," he stressed. The
ZAGREB, Nov 23 (Hina) - Croatian Foreign Minister Tonino Picula
said in Zagreb Thursday that during brief talks with his Yugoslav
counterpart Goran Svilanovic he expected only the setting of a date
and subjects for their next meeting.
"It seems to me that there can be to courteous, routine talks
between Croatia and Yugoslavia. There are too many problems for us
to waste each other's time," Picula said ahead of his meeting with
Svilanovic in Zagreb.
Svilanovic arrived in Croatia to attend the Zagreb Summit to be held
on Friday.
"Relations between Zagreb and Belgrade are at the moment at a very
low level. This makes our commitment, responsibility and challenge
the greater," Picula said.
"I want to be optimistic. In Belgrade we were witnesses to political
changes, but we also want to be witnesses to a change of policy. That
would be a good foundation for strengthening future relations," he
stressed.
The new Yugoslav leadership "must distance itself from Milosevic's
political inheritance."
As regards an apology by Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica for
the crimes and destruction the Serb army had carried out in Croatia,
Picula said "the decision is up to him".
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