ITALY TO ASSIST CROATIA JOIN EURO-ATLANTIC INTEGRATIONS

( Editorial: --> 4195 ) ROME, Apr 2 (Hina) - Italy will act on the international scene to the effect of assisting Croatia's inclusion into Euro-Atlantic organisations, the president of the Italian parliament's House of Representatives, Luciano Violante, said in Rome Thursday during talks with Croatian National Parliament president Vlatko Pavletic. Pavletic and Violante discussed bilateral relations, the situation in eastern Croatia, parliamentary differences and cooperation between the Croatian National Parliament and the Italian Lower House, and agreed to hold future meetings on a bilateral as well as international level. Violante said that Italy will attempt to explain within the European Union that Croatia will comply with its obligations from agreements concerning the reintegration of eastern Croatia, but also point out that the deadlines given to Croatia were, considering the complex situation, too short. The two parliament presidents also discussed cooperation among Central European Initiative parliamentarians, and the inclusion of Croatia into annual talks among Mediterranean countries, held in Barcelona. (hina) ha jn 021600 MET apr 98